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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Getting to Compliance in Forced Exercise in Rodents: A Critical Standard to Evaluate Exercise Impact in Aging-related Disorders and Disease

Getting to Compliance in Forced Exercise in Rodents: A Critical Standard to Evaluate Exercise Impact in Aging-related Disorders and Disease

Published on: August 22, 2014

The obligatory exerciser: assessing an overcommitment to exercise.

John Draeger¹, Alayne Yates, Douglas Crowell

¹Department of Psychiatry, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI, 96813, USA.

The Physician and Sportsmedicine

|January 21, 2010

Summary

Some individuals exhibit obligatory exercise, engaging in excessive physical activity detrimental to their health. Recognizing behavioral traits helps clinicians identify and treat this condition, similar to addiction or eating disorders.

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Last Updated: Jun 16, 2026

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Published on: March 7, 2019

Area of Science:

Sports Medicine
Psychology
Behavioral Science

Background:

A subset of individuals display excessive exercise commitment.
This over-commitment can negatively impact physical and psychological health.
Obligatory exercise lacks a clear definition and has been understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the concept of obligatory exercise.
To highlight the importance of identifying behavioral and personality traits associated with obligatory exercise.
To suggest treatment and prevention strategies for clinicians.

Main Methods:

Literature review on obligatory exercise.
Analysis of behavioral and personality descriptors.
Comparison with related conditions like overtraining and addiction.

Main Results:

Obligatory exercise is characterized by an excessive commitment to physical activity.
Specific behavioral and personality traits can help identify individuals with obligatory exercise.
Prevalence data for obligatory exercise is limited.

Conclusions:

Clinicians should be aware of obligatory exercise indicators.
Treatment approaches may mirror those for overtraining, addiction, compulsion, and eating disorders.
Understanding exercisers' beliefs about exercise and body image is crucial for prevention.