Skip to content
Sports
Link copied to clipboard

What we know about overtraining syndrome

At last week’s US Soccer/MLS Soccer Medical Symposium at the NSCAA Convention here in Philadelphia, medical professionals, athletes and coaches spoke about key issues that could affect the health and safety of their soccer players. From dehydration to concussions, how to protect the players was the main focus.

At last week's US Soccer/MLS Soccer Medical Symposium at the NSCAA Convention here in Philadelphia, medical professionals, athletes and coaches spoke about key issues that could affect the health and safety of their soccer players. From dehydration to concussions, how to protect the players was the main focus.

At one of the sessions, Dr. Margot Putukian, director of Athletic Medicine at Princeton University and medical consultant for Major League Soccer, spoke about the risks of overtraining syndrome.

She emphasized that overtraining without a proper recovery and rest could hurt an athlete's performance. "You need effective balance between your training, competition, recovery, rest cycle," she explained.

While over-reaching (pushing yourself into a mild stage of fatigue) is something that all athletes do as they push to a new level of skill or performance, it must be done in way that does not ultimately hurt the athlete. "Progressive overload can boost performance when incorporated with adequate rest through periodization of training with a series of micro, meso and macro cycles," she said.

Macro cycles are your year of training at a glance, while your meso cycle is just one particular training block typically a few weeks long. A micro cycle refers to one particular training session.

The goal should be to improve performance over time with plenty of time for recovery. "Recovery should include hydration and nutrition, sleep and rest, relaxation and emotional support as well as stretching and active rest," Dr. Putukian said.

"Overtraining (over-reaching for months or years on end) can lead to overtraining syndrome," she warned.

This can lead to a regression in performance which is hard to rebound from as well as lead to health issues.

"With overtraining syndrome, the symptoms don't go away, performance is poor, and there is a decrease drive, and no motivation. Physical symptoms include weight loss, sleep issues, fatigue, loss of appetite, heavy feeling in the legs, joint and muscle pain," she said.

Dr. Putukian then went on to explain the two different types of fatigue: physiological or pathological. Physiological fatigue can be healed with rest, while pathological fatigue cannot, because it is not just the result of the natural exertion of your body, but the result of metabolic and digestive issues.

According to rethinkingcancer.org, "When muscular activity breaks down fuels to furnish energy, carbonaceous materials created through oxidation leave behind an acid ash. This residue must be constantly eliminated from your body if you are to remain healthy. However, if your bloodstream becomes saturated with debris, your body will eventually be unable to discard all of it."

When you don't give your body enough time to rest between training sessions, this residue can build up in your bloodstream.

Unfortunately, Dr. Putukian said that there are only inconsistent findings on overtraining syndrome and no established criteria. More research needs to be done.

If you are concerned that either you or someone on your team has this syndrome then they should see their doctor for blood work as well as consult with a psychologist and a nutritionist. They also should review their training regimen.

For more information about overtraining syndrome, visit irunfar.com

Read more Sports Doc for Sports Medicine and Fitness.