Blog Review: “Overtraining Syndrome: A Practical Guide” by Kreher & Schwartz
In their 2012 article published in Sports Health, Drs. Jeffrey B. Kreher and Jennifer B. Schwartz deliver a concise and practical overview of Overtraining Syndrome (OTS), a condition of prolonged performance decline caused by excessive training without adequate recovery. The article is especially useful for clinicians, coaches, and rehab professionals seeking a clearer understanding of how to recognize and manage OTS in athletes.
The authors do an excellent job distinguishing between functional overreaching (FOR), non-functional overreaching (NFOR), and true OTS. While FOR can be part of effective training, OTS involves lasting disruptions across multiple systems — including mood, immunity, endocrine function, and cardiovascular response. Their emphasis on a multisystem approach is a highlight, as it encourages providers to look beyond just physical fatigue when evaluating underperforming athletes.
A key takeaway is that OTS remains a diagnosis of exclusion. There’s no single lab test to confirm it, so clinicians must rely on careful history-taking, training load analysis, and ruling out conditions like anemia or hypothyroidism. This makes clinical judgment and awareness of subtle behavioral and physiological shifts critical.
The article’s strength lies in its balance of evidence and practicality. Management focuses on rest, education, and structured training adjustments rather than medical intervention. Prevention strategies include monitoring mood, sleep, heart rate variability, and perceived effort — tools accessible to both clinicians and athletes.
Overall, Overtraining Syndrome: A Practical Guide is an essential read for those working with athletic populations. It reinforces the value of early recognition, balanced recovery, and the need to respect the limits of even the most conditioned individuals.
Link to full article: PubMed Central – PMC3435910
