Prevention Methods

Prevention Tips

Varies training
Prioritize proper technique
Focus on having fun

Rest days
Evaluate why you are doing that sport or activity
Stress management techniques

Prevention is key! It is recommended that athletes use a daily training log to track their daily load. The four most frequently used methods for monitoring are “retrospective questionnaires, training diaries, physiological screening, and the direct observational method”

(Meeusen, Duclos, Gleeson, Rietjens, Steinacker, & Urhausen, 2006, p. 9).

A vital tip for preventing burnout is enhancing recovery with sufficient sleep and rest. At least one recovery day per week is recommended because skipping rest days can lead to being under-recovered.

(Meeusen, Duclos, Foster, Fry, Gleeson, Nieman, Raglin, et al., 2012, p. 199).

Nutrition is also important in preventing overtraining because fatigue is “at least partly attributable to a decrease in muscle glycogen levels”

(Meeusen, Duclos, Foster, Fry, Gleeson, Nieman, Raglin, et al., 2012, p. 199).

It has been found that both social and task cohesion can have an influence on athlete burnout. A study testing the effects that group cohesion and relatedness had on preventing burnout in athletes found that “fostering social cohesion may reduce burnout through its tie to relatedness, task cohesion may influence burnout independent whether athletes feel a sense of acceptance and belonging” (Pacewicz, Smith, & Raedeke, 2020, p. 6).

Enhancing cohesion between teammates can positively affect the perceptions and performance of athletes and increase motivation.

Helpful definitions:

Social cohesion: Individuals’ perceptions of group unity in relation to aspects of a team
(Pacewicz, Smith, & Raedeke, 2020, p. 2).
Task cohesion: Individuals’ perceptions of group unity in relation to sports (Pacewicz, Smith, & Raedeke, 2020, p. 2).

Another study also found that social support could prevent athlete burnout through motivation and “mental toughness.” The study administered a questionnaire to weightlifters and concluded that to decrease the “prevalence of burnout in weightlifters, it is an important solution to enhance their social support”

(Shang & Yang, 2021, p. 1)

Tips for Coaches or Physicians

Record performance of training and competition
Be willing to adjust training plans
Avoid monotony
Individualize training
Reinforce proper nutrition, hydration, and sleep
Treat burnout with rest
Communicate
Evaluate their emotional status with psychological questionnaires
Allow time to recover

(Meeusen, Duclos, Gleeson, Rietjens, Steinacker, & Urhausen, 2006, p. 11)

For information on the parameters of weekly exercise, check the following website

Take a Look

If you are concerned that you or someone you know may be suffering from exercise burnout, check the following website for warning signs

Take a Look

References

Meeusen, R., Duclos, M., Gleeson, M., Rietjens, G., Steinacker, J., & Urhausen, A. (2006). Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the overtraining syndrome. European Journal of Sport Science, 6 (1), 1-14.

https://doi.org/10.1080/17461390600617717

Meeusen, R., Foster, C., Fry, A., Gleeson, M., Nieman, D., Raglin, J., Rietjens, G., Steinacker, J., & Urhausen, A. (2013). Prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the overtraining syndrome: joining consensus statement of the European College of Sport Science and the American College of Sports Medicine. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 45 (1), 186-205. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e318279a10a

Pacewicz, C., Smith, A., & Raedeke, T. (2020). Group cohesion and relatedness as predictors of self-determined motivation and burnout in adolescent female athletes. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 50, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2020.101709

Shang, Y., & Yang, S. (2021). The effect of social support on athlete burnout in weightlifters: the mediation effect of mental toughness and sports motivation. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.649677