Sport is one of the best things young people can do for their health. It improves fitness, confidence, and mental wellbeing. But this paper highlights an important message: more isn’t always better.
The research explains how problems such as overuse injuries, overtraining, and burnout often occur when training load outweighs recovery. In simple terms, when the body doesn’t get enough time to rest and adapt, small stresses can build into bigger problems.
What the Paper Found
● Overuse injuries happen when repetitive stress builds up without enough recovery time
● Sudden increases in training (doing too much, too quickly) increase injury risk
● Playing one sport all year round or on multiple teams can overload the body
● Fatigue, poor sleep, and stress can all reduce recovery and increase injury risk
● Overtraining can lead to reduced performance, fatigue, and higher illness risk
● Burnout (mental and physical exhaustion) is a major reason young athletes stop sport altogether
In short: it’s not just how much you train, it’s how well you recover.
What This Means for You
Whether you’re playing football, going to the gym, or training regularly:
● Your body needs rest to get stronger
● Doing more sessions doesn’t always mean better results
● Ignoring early warning signs can lead to longer-term problems
Signs you may be doing too much include:
● Ongoing aches and pains
● Feeling unusually tired
● Drop in performance
● Poor sleep or motivation
To reduce risk, the paper suggests:
● Having at least 1–2 rest days per week
● Taking breaks from your main sport during the year
● Gradually increasing training (not sudden spikes)
● Prioritising sleep, nutrition, and recovery
Takeaway
Training is only effective when it’s balanced with recovery. Pushing too hard, too often can lead to injury, fatigue, and even loss of enjoyment.
The goal isn’t just to train harder, it’s to train smarter and sustainably, so you can stay active, improve performance, and enjoy sport long term.
Newsletter By: Emre Oz (Specialist MSK Physiotherapist/Head of Integrated MSK & Sports Medicine Operations at Crouch Physio).
Reference:
Brenner, J.S. & Watson, A. (2024). Overuse Injuries, Overtraining, and Burnout in Young Athletes. Pediatrics.
