How to detect Overtraining.

On some occasions, a high training volume can harm rather than help the athlete to improve the level of cardiovascular and muscular conditioning and their sports performance. An athlete who trains excessively and without taking adequate rest periods is at risk of developing injuries and other health problems. When exercise becomes an uncontrolled addiction, it can result in a complex condition known as "overtraining syndrome." This is characterized by various physical and psychological signs and symptoms that affect the training and performance of athletes.

Article provided by the Gatorade Institute of Sports Sciences

By: Flavia Meyer, MD | Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul | Porto Alegre, Brazil. Gatorade Sports Science Institute

The most common manifestation of overtraining is a decrease in athletic performance, which is not recovered with short periods of rest. The athlete looks tired and without spirits. And you usually increase the amount of training in the mistaken belief that it will improve your performance. This can lead to a vicious cycle of further deterioration and sports injuries.

The coach and athlete should be alert to the following manifestations of overtraining:

Physical Manifestations

-Decreased performance

-Excessive fatigue during the day, lack of interest in everyday tasks

-Difficulty relaxing

-Increased pulse at rest

-Increased pulse and lactate level at a submaximal level of exercise

Sore muscles

-Injuries that are usually the result of work overload and that do not improve with physical therapy

-Nausea and upset stomach, poor appetite

-Susceptibility to infections, especially respiratory infections

Psychological Manifestations

-Difficulty concentrating

-Tendency to forget

-Difficulty to sleep

-Emotional instability

Many athletes are at higher risk of developing overtraining syndrome during the competitive stage of their annual training plan, when they play several sports simultaneously, or when they try to improve their level of training with a large volume of work in a short period of time. .

An alteration in immune function and altered responses of the endocrine and nervous systems have been mentioned as possible mechanisms responsible for the overtraining syndrome. On some occasions laboratory tests have revealed an alteration in the levels of cortisol and epinephrine in the urine, but the diagnosis is made using a combination of the above symptoms.

Prevention Strategies

The manifestations of overtraining tend to be different for each athlete, subjective and individual. However, it is important that athletes, coaches and health professionals recognize the symptoms and risk factors of overtraining so that they can prevent it and avoid its most serious consequences. Prevention strategies include proper recovery, adjusting training volume, minimizing psychological stress, and eating a balanced diet.

Summary

The most common manifestation of overtraining is a decrease in athletic performance which does not improve with short periods of rest. The athlete usually increases the amount of training in the mistaken belief that it will improve performance. This can lead to a vicious cycle of further deterioration and sports injuries. Coaches should be alert to signs and symptoms of overtraining, which may be different for each athlete. It is recommended to adjust the training volume, have adequate rest periods and eat a balanced diet to avoid overtraining syndrome.