When you find a form of exercise that you love, it can be very difficult not to want to do it all the time. Feeling strong, physically fit and capable, and getting regular endorphin hits can be very addictive – but if you don’t let your body rest and recover from exercise, you put yourself at risk of injury.
Overtraining is something to definitely bear in mind if you hit the gym a lot or do other forms of intense exercise on a regular basis, to the extent that it starts to hurt your body.
The condition is characterised by a range of different symptoms. Early on, for example, you may feel muscle pain and stiffness, have difficulty sleeping, find yourself falling sick with colds more often, or experiencing feelings of anxiety.
Unless addressed, these symptoms can progress to insomnia, irritability, restlessness, agitation and even high blood pressure, as well as depression, fatigue and loss of motivation to be active.
Overtraining can either involve not giving yourself sufficient time to recover between bouts of exercise, or it can mean increasing the intensity of your training suddenly, perhaps before your body is ready.
One of the most common consequences of overtraining is sports injuries – which no one wants. This includes sprains, strains, repetitive strain injuries, tendonitis, muscle tears and joint injuries, all of which can keep you away from your sport for longer.
Rest is the most effective way to resolve overtraining issues, but how long you need to rest for will depend on the severity of your symptoms and if you’ve succumbed to any injuries as a result.
Something that can be beneficial is going for a sports massage regularly, helping to keep your muscles supple and free from tension, and improving range of motion.
It can also help if you have any injuries that you’re struggling with because of overtraining. If you’d like to find out more, get in touch with the Clear Physio team today.
