Overtraining syndrome

Prevalence rates of overreaching/overtraining syndrome in young athletes are ~30–35%, and burnout ~5–10%, indicating that a significant minority of young athletes are thus affected at some time during their sporting careers. Presenting symptoms vary considerably, most commonly including a sustained reduction or stagnation in performance, increased perception of effort during exercise, feelings of muscle heaviness, frequent upper respiratory tract infections, persistent muscle soreness, mood changes, sleep disturbance, and loss of appetite. Excessive training is not always the cause and both training and non-training stressors need to be considered as potential culprits. Power imbalances, single identity, early specialization, coach and/or parent pressure, conditional love, perfectionism, and entrapment may all help explain overtraining in childhood and adolescence. Screening and prevention strategies should take a holistic overview of the young athlete’s sporting environment in order that he/she continues to enjoy and develop in their chosen sport(s).