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Overuse Injuries, Overtraining, and Burnout in Young Athletes
Joel S Brenner1, Andrew Watson2,
1Sports Medicine Program, Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters; Department of Pediatrics, Eastern Virginia Medical School; Division of Sports Medicine, Children's Specialty Group, PLLC, Norfolk, Virginia.
Pediatrics
|January 22, 2024
Summary
Excessive training in youth sports can lead to overuse injuries and overtraining syndrome, negatively impacting performance and health. Pediatricians can help identify, treat, and prevent these issues for safe sports participation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sports Medicine
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Youth sports offer significant physical and mental health benefits.
- Imbalances in training load and recovery can cause negative consequences, including overuse injuries and overtraining syndrome.
- Overtraining syndrome can lead to decreased performance, increased injury/illness risk, and systemic derangements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide pediatricians with information on risk factors, diagnosis, management, and prevention of overtraining and burnout in young athletes.
- To assist in identifying at-risk children and guiding families toward safe sports participation.
- To promote lifelong physical activity by addressing issues that cause attrition in youth sports.
Main Methods:
- This clinical report synthesizes current knowledge on training load, recovery, overuse injuries, overtraining syndrome, and burnout in pediatric athletes.
- It focuses on providing practical guidance for pediatricians.
- Information is based on established principles of sports medicine and exercise physiology.
Main Results:
- Improper training load management can result in overuse injuries due to repetitive stress and insufficient recovery.
- Overtraining syndrome is characterized by decreased performance, heightened injury/illness risk, and disruptions in multiple physiological systems.
- Burnout, defined as exhaustion and reduced accomplishment, is a major cause of youth sports attrition.
Conclusions:
- Pediatricians play a crucial role in managing and preventing training-related issues in young athletes.
- Addressing risk factors for overuse injuries, overtraining syndrome, and burnout is essential for athlete well-being and long-term participation.
- Guidance on appropriate training progression and recovery is vital for maximizing sports benefits while minimizing risks.
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