Identifying the predisposing factors, signs and symptoms of overreaching and overtraining in physical education professionals

Introduction

Overtraining syndrome (OVT) is characterized by multiple signs and symptoms. It involves the accumulation of stress, leading to a decrease in physical/mental/working performance during the sports season (Budgett, 1990). OVT is commonly attributed to an imbalance between training/working stimulus (generally, aerobic training (Elliott, Wagner & Chiu, 2007)) and rest periods, therefore, the individual is subjected to high intensity and/or high volumes without an appropriate recovery time (Lemyre, Roberts & Stray-Gundersen, 2007; Jones & Tenenbaum, 2009; Meeusen et al., 2013). Psychological and/or social stressors can also contribute to this syndrome (Kreher & Schwartz, 2012). Apart from a decrease in performance, OVT syndrome is usually accompanied by physiological, immunological, biochemical and psychological alterations (Fry, Morton & Keast, 1991; Lehmann, Foster & Keul, 1993; Kuipers, 1998; Carfagno & Hendrix, 2014). For example, the following alterations are common in OVT: parasympathetic (fatigue, depression, bradycardia and loss of motivation), sympathetic (insomnia, irritability, tachycardia, agitation, hypertension and restlessness) and others (anorexia, weight loss, lack of concentration, anxiety, heavy/stiff muscle, and awakening unrefreshed) (Carfagno & Hendrix, 2014).

During some periods of the sports season, such as a shock microcycle, coaches can plan an intentional increase in volume/intensity of training load in order to potentiate physiological adaptations that would result in a chronic increase of performance (Issurin, 2010). Frequently, this training manipulation leads the athlete to develop transitory signs and symptoms similar to OVT syndrome known as overreaching (OVR) (Fry, Morton & Keast, 1991; Lehmann, Foster & Keul, 1993; Kuipers, 1998). However, OVR recovery can occur a few days after refraining from training or decreasing exercise volume/intensity. Conversely, OVT can last for weeks or months and might even lead to the interruption of an athlete’s carrer (Ackel-D’Elia et al., 2010).

At least in Brazil, many physical education professionals work in gyms and exercise facilities and centers (Da Silva, Santos & Araújo, 2016). According to Brazilian legislation (Brazil, 1998), the physical education professionals are responsible for exercise prescription in these workplaces. It is reasonable to assume that these professionals present a high level of physical exertion, constituted by physical exercise performed in working environment (e.g., during group-based activities) added to their own training routine. In addition, these professionals may be exposed to other external factors to the training, such as family, economic, social and emotional problems, which may further predispose to symptoms of OVR and/or OVT syndrome (Hjälm et al., 2007; Fletcher & Scott, 2010; Mazerolle et al., 2011).

Thus, it is possible that this specific population has predisposing factors, signs and symptoms of OVR and OVT due to a high load and volume of exercise followed by suboptimal recovery time. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the predisposing factors, signs and symptoms of OVR and OVT in physical education professionals. We hypothesized that physical education professionals who work in gyms/exercise facilities have a high load and volume of exercise accompanied by inappropriate recovery. This might be especially true for professionals who participate in aerobic activities, which could potentiate OVT syndrome. Thus, these professionals could present predisposing factors, signs and symptoms of OVR and OVT.

Materials and Methods

Results

The results showed that none of the question groups for any of the analyzed groups presented scores above four (Table 3).

As mentioned in the methods, a decreased performance was considered in those volunteers who were located at the extreme right in at least two of the following three self-evaluated aspects: training (Fig. 1A); performance (Fig. 1B); and recovery (Fig. 1C). In this context, only 2.7%, 15% and 18.4% of the RG (n = 2), AG (n = 3), and RAG (n = 7), respectively, were considered to have decreased performance. The exact Fisher’s test showed that distribution frequency was significantly different between groups (p = 0.009).

Regarding the assessment of mood state by POMS, 67.5%, 80.0% and 60.5% of the RG (n = 50), AG (n = 16), and RAG (n = 23), respectively, were classified as absent of mood disorders (Standard Graphic Iceberg—Fig. 2). There were no statistical differences (p = 0.82) in the total mood disorder among RG (13.9 ± 24.5), AG (10.3 ± 25.1) and RAG (14.6 ± 27.9) groups.

Discussion

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of OVR and OVT (related to physical/mental work stress) in physical education professionals. The results showed that the sample did not present predisposing factors, signs and symptoms of OVR and OVT. In addition, we observed a low presence of performance impairment. However, it is noteworthy that workplaces—especially for professionals whose bodies are a working tool—can place workers at a higher risk of injuries, disabilities, morbidities, and mortality (Knoblauch & Cassaro, 2017).

Our results are in line with Ackel-D’Elia et al. (2010), who assessed the prevalence of predisposing factors, signs and symptoms of OVR and OVT in 413 members of 17 gyms in São Paulo (Brazil). The authors found a low prevalence of signs and symptoms of OVR and OVT, including among individuals classified as belong to a higher risk subgroup.

The findings of the present study do not support the initial hypothesis, that the high weekly volume of exercise (that includes own training session and exercise performed professionally), would put physical education professionals at a high risk of developing OVR and/or OVT syndrome. In fact, when we compare the weekly amount of exercise performed by volunteers evaluated (5.1 ± 0.9 h) with that recommended by scientific societies, such as the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) (Garber et al., 2011), we found that the weekly volume of exercise is greater than recommended for the maintenance and development of cardiorespiratory and neuromuscular fitness (Garber et al., 2011). The ACSM recommends that individuals should engage in a moderate-intensity program for at least 30 min a day for five or more days a week, totalizing a minimum of 150 min (2.5 h) per week or perform an intense training for at least 20 min a day for three or more days a week, totalizing a minimum of 75 min (1.25 h) per week (Garber et al., 2011).

Considering the weekly volume recommended by the ACSM for moderate exercise (150 min) (Garber et al., 2011), the assessed volunteers trained more than twice the recommended time/volume (∼400 min). However, when the weekly training volume of the sample is compared with that of high-level athletes, 25–38 hours/week (Woods et al., 2017), it might be considered low. In this regard, the findings of the present study appear consistent; that is, they show an absence of predisposing factors, signs and symptoms of OVR and OVT in physical education professionals. Even if we evaluate only the AG, the average weekly exercise of the participants in this group is around 13 hours/week, also very distant from that found for professional athletes.

Another variable related to the development of OVR and OVT is training intensity (Purvis, Gonsalves & Deuster, 2010). In the present study, with regard to training intensity (question 14), 80 (60.6%) of the 132 subjects reported that their training intensity was at least as a little heavy. Many authors advocate that high-intensity exercise is necessary to evoke physiological adaptations, and consequently to improve physical performance (Rogero, Mendes & Tirapegui, 2005; Bosquet et al., 2007). However, coaches should be aware of training load and fatigue-related parameters in order to avoid OVR symptoms. In this context, it is clear that training stimulus must be accompanied by adequate periods of recovery and a proper nutrition and hydration (Rogero, Mendes & Tirapegui, 2005; Bosquet et al., 2007).

Regarding recovery (question 16), 120 (90.9%) reported a ‘reasonable’, ‘good’, ‘very good’ or ‘very, very good’ recovery. Therefore, even though the training intensity was ‘a little heavy’ for more than half of the volunteers, they reported an adequate recovery. As a result of a fairly heavy training and a considerable recovery, 91.6% (n = 121) of the volunteers achieved at least regular performance.

Sleep disorders, occupational hazards, injuries and illnesses could impact professional and worker overall health (Kalliny & McKenzie, 2017). Sportsmen and women with OVR and OVT usually reported sleep disorders (Winsley & Matos, 2010). In this regard, the participants of the present study can be considered as having no sleep disorders, with the score of three groups showing an average below 3.0. A similar pattern was found for groups of questions that assessed external obligations to training, nutritional factors, hydration pattern, changes in appetite, weight loss, respiratory tract infections, excessive sweating, monotony, fatigue and motivation in relation to training. Particularly, in relation to nutritional factors, it has been suggested that, to ensure a more efficient replacement of energy stocks, especially muscle glycogen, the post-workout meal should be eaten in the first hours of post-exercise recovery (Beelen et al., 2010). Of the 132 volunteers evaluated, 90.9% (n = 120) ate within two hours after the training session.

Regarding monotony, we found that RG, AG and RAG showed low tiredness and monotony in relation to training (scores lower than 3.0). This suggests that monotony was not singled out as a factor that interferes in the training sessions for the volunteers. This data combined with the results of training intensity, recovery and performance suggest that the training carried out by volunteers was adequate. Considering that the volunteers are physical education professionals, it is reasonable to assume that they had current and scientifically relevant information about exercise prescription and training planning.

Finally, regarding mood, 64.4% (n = 89) volunteers had an absence of signs and symptoms of mood disorders (positive iceberg), while 32.6% (n = 43) had an outside graphic pattern or inverted/negative iceberg. Despite the relatively high number of individuals with altered mood state, it seems prudent to not associate this fact to the characteristics of the training, but possibly to psychosocial stressors related to work/modern life, since the RG, AG and RAG had an average score close to 4.0 in the group of questions related to the work activity and/or study (one of the highest scores among those evaluated).

Conclusion

Despite the relatively high-volume work/training performed by the physical education professionals surveyed, we can conclude that they did not have predisposing factors, signs and symptoms of OVR and OVT. Additionally, no differences between RG, AG and RAG were identified.

Supplemental Information