Overtraining Syndrome and Acute Sports Overstrain

Disregarding training rules, mismatching physical loads with the body’s functional capabilities, and lacking regeneration time for systems and organs involved in training can lead to the development of overtraining syndrome, fatigue, and acute sports overstrain.

When signs of fatigue accumulate without sufficient recovery time after physical exertion, a borderline or transitional state called overfatigue develops.

If the intensity of exercises during training does not match the athlete’s physiological state and functional capabilities, there is a high risk of developing a sports disease or overtraining syndrome—a pathological state characterized by overstrain of the body’s leading systems. This arises from constant physical overstrain combined with disturbances in the psychophysiological state and is caused by excessive physical loads.

Acute sports overstrain can develop under sporting loads, characterized either by their duration (long-distance running, skiing, cycling) or by short-term intensity (middle-distance running, wrestling, weightlifting, boxing, etc.); they vary in severity. The manifestations and mechanisms of acute overstrain are complex and poorly understood. In some cases, the consequences of acute overstrain can be observed during the exercise itself, for example, after trying to keep up with the leading runner in middle or long-distance running, during a wrestling move against a very strong opponent, or while attempting to lift or push a record weight in weightlifting. More often, these consequences appear immediately or within a few hours (from 1 to 2-3 hours) after performing exercises.

Signs of Sports Overstrain

Prolonged strain on the body’s functional systems, accumulation of fatigue, and under-recovery contribute to the development of overtraining and overstrain. These are nonspecific disorders, leading to a wide range of symptoms. The main signs include:

• Decreased performance
• Fatigue
• Mood deterioration
• Lowered immunity
• Increased injuries
• Development of painful sensations in muscles and joints

Treatment and Prevention

No specific treatment for overtraining syndrome, overfatigue, and acute sports overstrain has been proven effective. However, several measures are applied to combat these conditions:

• Easing the training regimen, reducing the number of exercises
• Ensuring the athlete’s rest
• Replenishing the body’s metabolic reserves
• Following preventive measures

The methods of preventing overtraining syndrome and acute sports overstrain, and the main methods of combating these disorders, vary for different sports and primarily depend on the sources of energy for muscle activity.