What Causes Overtraining Effects?

  1. Activities which require repetitive motion.
  2. Increasing intensity or duration of training too quickly.
  3. Lack of fitness, especially core strength.
  4. Failure to fully rehab after an injury, come back too soon, not allow enough rest for recovery.
  5. Poorly functioning equipment.  Shoes are generally poorly cushioned.  Insoles are a great idea.
  6. Dehydration.  (Recommendations: 16oz pre-event, 8 oz 10-15 min pre-event, 6-12 oz each 10 min of play.)
  7. Training and competing in multiple sports in the same season or same sport all year without a break.
  8. Waiting too long to evaluate a “minor but nagging” injury.

If you suspect overtraining ask “Have you recently:

*been training harder, longer or on a different surface or terrain?”

*tried new techniques or changed equipment?

*participated in other activities (i.e. P.E., another team) that could be aggravating?

*been injured in the same way?

*had an injury that went un-treated?

What Can I do to Prevent Overtraining Injuries?

  1. Tune into your body.  Don’t ignore pain –especially sharp or join pain.
  2. Start training at least 6-8 weeks before your season starts.  Be sure and allow 10-14 days for heat acclimatization.
  3. Do not increase training more than 10%/week.
  4. Get 8 hours of sleep.
  5. Don’t skip meals.  Include 1500 mg/day of Calcium. Drink recommended volume of fluids.
  6. Include regular stretching before and after training.
  7. Take an “off-season.” (maybe just making your primary sport secondary for a season)
  8. Have injuries evaluated and treated.  Have a sports medicine professional identify strength and/or flexibility imbalances and weaknesses.  These are “your weakest links.”  Focus your pre-season training here.
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About Wendy LeBolt

Since 2005, Fit2Finish has been working with parents, coaches, and athletes to keep youth sports healthy. Injuries and burnout should not be sidelining our kids, but young players need special care and handling to manage today’s demanding competitive schedules. Fit2Finish wants to put this know-how into your hands.

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