| Context: overtraining syndrome (OTS) has been seen to affect one in every five endurance athletes. OTS causes increased risk for other more traumatic injuries including, but not limited to, stress fracture, cognitive degeneration, rhabdomyolysis, and even death. Currently, there is not an effective method of measuring or preventing OTS. Objective: to examine the potential of external feedback technology to detect and/or prevent OTS related signs and symptoms and influence training modifications in singular and cluster methods within an elite athlete population. Design: descriptive observational-study. Setting: online questionnaire Participants: Five hundred nine, athletic, 18-26 year old, Division I and Division II, male and female distance runners. Interventions: Subjects were sampled through a Qualtrics questionnaire. The questionnaire was conducted over a period of 8 weeks. Main Outcome Measures: determine participant activity level, injury frequency, and use of external feedback tools for 12 months prior to completing the questionnaire. Results: Relationship between gender and injury rate, p = 0.331. Relationship between injury frequency and number of tools used, p = 0.21. Relationship between overtraining symptoms and number of tools used, p = 0.103. Conclusions: Athletes, coaches, and athletic trainers should work together to modify the training of an injured athlete, or an athlete that is experiencing OTS signs and symptoms. Collegiate distance runners should utilize a training diary to track and/or prevent OTS signs and symptoms. Athletes and coaches should utilize an 80% reduction of current training during a 7-day taper before competition to see performance rate increase and injury rate decrease. Further research should be conducted to determine if there is a relationship between use of external feedback usage and decreased injury frequency in endurance athletes. Clinical Implications: The information gained from this study can lead to more efficient diagnosis of OTS if additional research studies are conducted utilizing this data. If we can reduce the rate of OTS we can lower the financial and psychological burden placed on individuals throughout the world. |
