When watching young athletes in motion, it’s easy to think they have a boundless cache of energy and stamina. So daily practices, rigorous game schedules and continued training shouldn’t be a problem, right? Actually, no. Overtraining can actually deteriorate an athlete’s performance. With more and more children committing to one sport year-round, risks of burnout and injury increase. Here are signs of overtraining and tips to help make your child a healthy life-long athlete.
Five Signs of Overtraining
- Fatigue
- Lack of interest in practice or competition
- Mood or personality changes
- Persistent pain in muscles or joints
- Decrease in sport performance
Protecting Your Athlete
Time to Heal:
Include 1 to 2 rest days from sport training or competition per week to allow muscles and body to heal.
Quality Rest:
Get plenty of sleep per night to send your body into restoration mode.
Variety of Activity:
Participate in a variety of sports to prevent overuse injuries.
Scheduled Time Off:
Every 2 or 3 months, take a longer break from structured practice or games of a single sport. During this time, focus on maintaining strength and stamina in different ways.
Learn to Listen:
Teach your athlete to always listen to their body and understand cues of burnout or injury.
See a Specialist:
Add a NEOSM Sports Medicine specialists to your team. Our physicians are ready to work with your athlete to help them perform at their peak level while avoiding unnecessary injury.
For more information, or to schedule a consultation, contact us today.