Overtraining Syndrome and Burnout
Prevention Methods
Prevention Tips
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Varies training
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Prioritize proper technique
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Focus on having fun
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Rest days
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Evaluate why you are doing that sport or activity
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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”
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(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.
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(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:
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Social cohesion: Individuals’ perceptions of group unity in relation to aspects of a team
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(Pacewicz, Smith, & Raedeke, 2020, p. 2).
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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
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Record performance of training and competition
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Be willing to adjust training plans
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Avoid monotony
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Individualize training
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Reinforce proper nutrition, hydration, and sleep
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Treat burnout with rest
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Communicate
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Evaluate their emotional status with psychological questionnaires
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Allow time to recover
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(Meeusen, Duclos, Gleeson, Rietjens, Steinacker, & Urhausen, 2006, p. 11)
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
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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
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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
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