Side-effects are no doubt important to consider. You have to balance them agains the "primary effects" of any medication. I am a professional musician and I have several "repetetive use" disorders related to that, as well as with cycling. For me, the primary effects of ibuprofen are more important at this time than any side-effects. Of course, for me any loss of hearing could be catastrophic.

Cycling carries with it a fairly large downside for musicians. For example, any crash that would hurt my hands makes it an income-reducing event. We pick and choose our vices. I choose (once again, after a long layoff where I thought I was forever cured) cycling. However, I am not racing this time around.

-soma5