When you are an athlete, working out harder and pushing yourself is how you work to get ahead. However, your body has its limits. If you continue to push beyond them, you may suffer from a condition called overtraining athlete syndrome. This condition can cause more than injuries, it also can affect your mental performance. Recognizing overtraining athlete syndrome can help you prevent this from occurring.
Significance
Overtraining athlete syndrome can occur in competitive and non-competitive athletes and refers to a condition where you exercise obsessively and excessively. Athletes with this syndrome closely link their self-worth with athletic performance and may experience low self-esteem after a poor training session. You may feel as if you are never doing enough and always pushing yourself to do more.
Risk Factors
Certain behaviors make you more likely to experience overtraining syndrome. For example, if you continually work the same muscles because you only play one sport or do not vary your training activities, you increase your risk for injury. Dramatically increasing the frequency, duration or intensity of your training sessions also can contribute to overtraining athlete syndrome. If your coaches, teammates or family members are placing excess pressure on you to perform, this also can increase your risk.
Symptoms
Signs you may be experiencing overtraining athlete syndrome include losing your appetite, insomnia and fatigue, according to DallasNews.com. If you are unable or have difficulty in reducing your workout intensity or duration, this can be a sign you are obsessively training. You also may experience mental changes, such as depression, changes in mood and feelings of worthlessness, or be constantly preoccupied with thoughts about your athletic performance. Difficulty sleeping, increased incidence of respiratory infections and having injuries that do not seem to be improving also can be signs you are experiencing overtraining athlete syndrome.
Treatment
Because overtraining athlete syndrome involves a mental obsession with training, it can be difficult for you to acknowledge you have a problem. Start by trying to take a day off at least one day a week. Your body requires rest to stay healthy and rebuild damaged muscle fibers. Keep a training log that helps you identify points where you have exercised too much or too intensely and experienced an injury or illness. DallasNews.com also recommends hiring a coach you trust who can highlight areas where you may be overtraining and who is aware of athlete safety. However, if you have difficulty cutting back on your training schedule or you are experiencing more injuries, you may need to notify your physician or a mental-health professional.
References
- Rice University; Overtraining Syndrome; Mark Jenkins, M.D.; 1998
- ESPN.com; Brian Cushing Blames Overtraining; August 2010
- Children's Memorial Hospital; "Burnout" in Young Athletes (Overtraining); August 2009
- "The Dallas Morning News"; Overtraining Syndrome Can Hurt Athletes Who Work Out Too Much; Leslie Baker Garcia; May 2010
- Running Planet; The Top Ten Signs of Overtraining; Rick Morris
Member Comments