A little bit of exercise is good. More exercise is even better, right? Yes, but not always. Sometimes, you can overdo it in the gym or on the trail. When you demand too much of your body, you may experience signs of overtraining syndrome.
Overtraining occurs when you exercise excessively and don’t allow your body time to recover. Understanding the signs of overtraining helps you identify the problem early, so you can take action and get back to action.
What Are the Signs of Overtraining?
Pushing your body too hard for too long can prevent you from making gains. Instead of growing stronger and healthier, you may notice declines in your physical and mental health.
Common signs and symptoms of overtraining you may experience include:
- A need for lengthy rest periods between activities
- Behavioral health issues, such as anxiety, depression and irritability
- Increased resting heart rate and/or resting blood pressure
- Muscle soreness
- Sleep problems and frequent tiredness
- Stress fractures and other painful overuse injuries
In children and women, overtraining can have additional symptoms.
Children may get burned out and lose interest in exercise, which can make it more challenging to maintain good health throughout life.
Women may develop what’s known as the female athlete triad. This can cause menstrual abnormalities, reduced bone density and decreased energy. Over time, these can grow into serious women’s health issues that increase the risk of fractures or make pregnancy difficult, according to the Office on Women’s Health .
Recovering From Overtraining
When your body shows signs of overtraining, it’s asking you for rest and recovery.
A rest period of one or two weeks is often all you need to recover. In more severe cases, recovery from overtraining can take a bit longer. Talk with your sports medicine specialist if your symptoms last longer than two weeks. You can also see our sports medicine specialists at the Sports Medicine Ortho Walk-in Clinic located at 4601 South 7th Street in Terre Haute. The clinic is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Protect Yourself From Too Much Exercise
The right injury prevention plan can help you avoid overtraining from happening again. To help prevent overtraining, put these tips to use.
- Exercise smart. Give your body time to recover between workouts. Go at least six hours between workouts, and rest one day weekly.
- Work around your life. Reduce the intensity and duration of your workouts whenever you feel sick or have a big competition coming up. This will help you feel better and perform your best.
- Watch your calorie intake. Intense exercise burns a lot of calories. Make sure you’re eating enough to keep up and drink plenty of water to replenish fluid lost from sweating.
Are you experiencing the discomfort of overtraining? Visit the Union Health Ortho Walk-in Clinic , where the team is ready to treat soreness, overuse injuries and more.