Athlete Burnout Syndrome (Over-training Syndrome)

Naomi Osaka is one of the highest paid athletes in the country. The tennis superstar has won four grand slams, started an international tennis academy for girls in underserved communities, is a tireless advocate for Black Lives Matter, and launched a skincare brand for melanated skin (1).

But even a dynamic powerhouse like Naomi Osaka sometimes needs to pull back. In fact, an athlete that pushes herself/himself like Naomi Osaka is exactly the type of athlete susceptible to athlete burnout syndrome. This year Naomi Osaka announced she would be skipping interviews during the French Open, for the sake of her mental health. In a statement released by Osaka, she announced that “I've often felt that people have no regard for athletes' mental health and this rings very true whenever I see a press conference or partake in one”

The organizers of the French Open responded by fining her $15,000 for missing interviews, and threatened her with suspension. Naomi Osaka made the decision to prioritize her mental health over competing, and both the athletic world and professional world cheered for her. In a world that is so often too much, she made stepping back look possible for all of us. She faced a penalty, she was fined and treated like a bad employee for caring for her mental health, but she stood her ground. In doing so, she brought up important conversations throughout the athletic world.

But here’s the thing; we are not all Naomi Osaka, with legions of supporters and lucrative deals. In fact, most youth athletes are propelled by self, by family and by a desire for important college scholarships. Many youth athletes don’t have a support system. But why is the support system missing? Largely because athlete burnout syndrome can be fairly ambiguous. It can masquerade as laziness, illness, ineptness; when in fact it is the prolonged result of drowning in stress that has produced a desert of emptiness, known as athlete burnout syndrome. It is also commonly known as overtraining syndrome.

In a quest to discover the symptoms, causes, and treatments of burnout in youth athletes, a simple but blaring truth presented itself: Adult, professional athletes often have mandated time off to recover from the rigors of training and competition as a result of their collective bargaining agreements. (3). It’s not always enough, but it’s a starting point. Because in youth and collegiate athletes, more is still the way to go. Less is not more. More is more. More is better. But is it, really? When does “more” simply become too much?

What is burnout in athletes? Burnout (also called over-training syndrome), is a condition where an athlete experiences both physical and emotional fatigue along with a decline in performance in his/her sport. (2) Here are a few of the physical and emotional signs of athlete burnout. (2). If you or your child are experiencing these, it’s a good idea to see a doctor to rule out a physical injury or illness. (2)

Chronic Muscle and Joint Pain
Weight Loss and Loss of Appetite
Increased Heart Rate at Rest
Fatigue
Prolonged Recovery Time
Decreased Sports Performance
Frequent Illnesses
Sleep Disturbances (difficulty sleeping, or sleeping without feeling refreshed)
Decreased School Performance
Personality or Mood Changes
Loss of interest in his/her sport
Increased Anger or Irritability

Although burnout syndrome often occurs when an athlete increases training, it’s important to note that an increase in training doesn’t automatically create burnout syndrome. There are a few ways that parents and coaches can help prevent burnout. Parents can help prevent athlete burnout out by:

Reward your child for more than their sports performance.
Introduce other topics of conversation at home and at the dinner table in particular; don’t let the child’s sport rule the conversation and house.
Monitor your child’s eating habits; make sure they remain well balanced and don’t become extreme.
Encourage your child to become or stay well rounded; an interest in more than one sport or activity is healthy and should be encouraged.

There isn’t a test for athlete burnout syndrome. It’s diagnosed based on the athlete’s history, symptoms, and the lack of alternative explanation.(4). Prevention of athlete burnout syndrome begins in the home, but it definitely doesn’t end there. There are a variety of preventative strategies that coaches can utilize to help prevent burnout. Even better, some of these strategies will increase camaraderie of a team, and increase morale and performance. Here they are:

Rest 1-2 Days from the Primary sport - I encourage participation in other activities, even as a team.
Every 3-4 months, take a longer break from training and competition. Take 2-3 weeks to focus on other activities. These activities can be done alone or even as a team. Take the team out for putt-putt golf, shoot some hoops, or play tennis - basically anything other than your normal sport.
Focus one day a week on conditioning activities that are fun. It’s an old adage, but it’s true; when you love what you do, it’s not work. This can be applied to training as well. It doesn't have to be traditional 5 days a week to be effective.
Last but not least, make sure your athletes are getting a well balanced, healthy diet and plenty of water.

Professional athletes have staff designed to keep their lives well rounded and their diets healthy and nutritious. They have agents that create contracts that mandate rest breaks to prevent athlete burnout syndrome. And sometimes, as in the case of Naomi Osaka, burnout syndrome can still happen. But we can learn from her experience, and we can learn from each other. When the athlete, the coaches, and the athlete's family work together to ensure a well rounded life and training program, athlete burnout syndrome can largely be avoided. And, if burnout still somehow occurs, we can spot it earlier and rebound faster.

Works Cited

Bendlin, Karli. "What we can Learn about Workplace Burnout from Naomi Osaka.", June 3, 2021.
Sitzler, Beth. "Burnout in Athletes.", April 19, 2016.

Written by Leigh Miller Agency

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