How Much Exercise Is Too Much?

The sports medicine doctors at Sierra Pacific Orthopedics suggest following these strategies to help your athletes avoid overtraining.

Sleep – Getting plenty of sleep will ensure that your athletes’ bodies have ample time to replenish muscles and restore strength.

Proper nutrition – Your athletes’ bodies will use food as a tool to help them recover from challenging workouts. “Encourage your athletes to select foods that are good sources of protein,” explains Dr. Michele M. Schulz, sports medicine doctor at Sierra Pacific Orthopedics. “Eating shortly after their workouts will help your athletes replenish their bodies and build muscle.” It’s also important to encourage your athletes to drink fluids before, during, and after exercise to avoid dehydration.

Stretch and warm up – Stretching and warming up before practices and games alleviates tight muscles that could encourage overcompensation, which can lead to injury.

Varying intensity – During practices, vary the intensity level of your athletes’ conditioning routines. This will challenge certain muscle groups while allowing others to recover.

Recovery days – Scheduling rest days allows your athletes to recover and prepare mentally and physically for the next workout, practice, or game.

Typical warning signs of overtraining include:

Decline in performance
Insomnia
Fatigue
Headaches
Decreased immunity
Achiness or pain in muscles/joints
Elevated morning pulse
Sudden inability to complete workouts
Lack of motivation and/or energy
Appetite loss

If any of your athletes are experiencing these symptoms, or if you have questions regarding overtraining injuries, please call (559) 257-4107 to speak with one of the sports medicine doctors at Sierra Pacific Orthopedics. To stay up to date on sports medicine injury treatment methods and prevention tips, “Like” Sierra Pacific Orthopedics on Facebook or follow @spoc_ortho on Twitter.