Overtraining could be dangerous, expert says
Everyone knows that exercise in general makes you happier, stronger and more energetic. We hear it ad nauseam, especially this time of year. But what if fitness did the very opposite? In other words, if exercise brought on depression, injuries and lack of motivation. If that happens, what’s going on?
It’s called overtraining syndrome, says Sabrena Jo, a senior exercise scientist for the American Council on Exercise. “The first sign of overtraining is when the performance of the exercise starts decreasing,” she says. “Additional symptoms can be things like sleep disturbances, lack of motivation and moodiness.”
But don’t bag your recently kicked-off 2018 fitness routine just yet. Overtraining syndrome mostly happens to elite athletes, says Joe Park, an orthopedic surgeon with the University of Virginia Health System. But it can also strike dedicated amateur athletes, such as long-distance runners.
Park, who frequently treats Achilles tears and stress fractures of the feet, says we can all benefit from learning the warning signs of overtraining — such as pain.
“What I tell patients is to observe the trajectory of pain,” Park says. “Is it better today than it was last week?”
Sometimes with overtraining injuries related to running, the pain subsides during the run as the soft tissue, like muscles and tendons, loosens up during movement. So instead of examining the pain only during the activity, watch for it after the activity is done, he says. If pain doesn’t subside in 10 to 14 days, it should be assessed by a doctor, he says.
Kendall Black, a physical therapist, says another warning sign is when the pain subsides, but the area in question feels tight. “Take note if there is stiffness and a decrease in range of motion,” she says. “That can be a problem.”
The next level of warning signs — but please don’t feel compelled to wait that long — is when injuries start accumulating, Park says.
“The same person might have a hamstring tear, an Achilles tear and a stress fracture,” he says. “It might be time to ask if it’s really the right sport for you.”
Sleep disturbances, moodiness and lack of motivation may all be due to hormonal changes that can occur with overtraining. But the area is not well understood, Jo says.
“Cortisol — the stress hormone — plays a role, but it is not clear how.”
For female athletes, missed menstrual periods should not be taken lightly, Park says.
“That’s associated with bonedensity loss and should be addressed. It’s not a small matter,” he says, noting that many female collegiate athletes he sees consider missed periods a relief, not a problem.
Same with the other hormone-related symptoms. If you experience them while ramping up physical activity, monitor them and seek medical help if they persist, he says.
One way to avoid symptoms of overtraining is to ramp up exercises gradually, experts agree. There are rules of progression whether the sport is focused on endurance or strength. “The rule of progression is to increase no more than five to 10 per cent every few weeks whether it’s distance travelled, weight load or intensity,” Jo says.
If you fall behind on a training schedule by a week or more due to illness, there is no way to make that up, Black says. “You just have to skip it. You can’t just double up the next week.”
Black says overtraining is often due to biomechanical imbalances. In runners, for example, these imbalances can include poor ankle range of motion and tightness or weakness throughout the back of the leg (posterior chain).
To avoid injury, then, make sure to both strengthen and stretch these muscles: gluteus, hamstrings, calves and Achilles.
Rest is also key in preventing overtraining symptoms. Rest includes good sleep (seven to nine hours) and not repeating the same activity too often.