Severe overtraining, should I see a doctor and which one?

[PierreH]

This year I started taking cycling seriously and took on structured training. I improved dramatically and all went well until it didnt. I believe that I wrecked myself doing a few very hard and very long sessions. My current situation is as follows:

 

My last proper ride was in October. It was a 205km solo effort at the end of a 860tss week. It broke me. I was tired that following week but nothing too bad. I waited for my legs to feel better but it never happened. Every ride thereafter was chilled but my legs would need a week to get back to feeling normal.

 

I am now completely off the bike because even a Sunday stroll down the street would cause my legs to feel as sore and heavy as if I had done a 150km ride the previous day. I wake up with very sore muscles and as they warm up it gets better until the evening when it really starts hurting again ( all the cycling muscles are affected, quads, ITB, inner thighs, glutes).

 

This is pretty depressing and I am just not recovering.

 

So the question. Do I need to see a doctor / sports physician? And who would be best to help me through this ( prefferably in Pretoria).

 

Thanks!

[Sitting@89]

Obviously see a doctor, and this is by no stretch of imagination medical advice.

 

1. I would look at recovery routines, are you eating (enough) after a ride, and is your diet overall sufficient.

Sleep are you getting enough sleep 8 hours as a baseline and an extra 30 minutes for every hour over 2

Off days, are you taking at least a rest day a week

2. Burnout (or rather adrenal fatigue) could very easily be a factor as well.

3. Psychology, does your training still inspire and motivate you.

[Dicky DQ]

Not so sure if that is over trained. Based on that Weekly TSS score and the subsequent ride I do not suspect it is an overtraining issue. TSS scores of 1 to 1.7k are surely not above normal training values.

 

You may need to rather look at other health issues. Go see the doc.

 

I just checked my TSS scores for the past 5 weeks and they are between 800 and 1k per week. Barring last week they have all been 1 or 2 rides per week OK they have been long solo-ish rides, and I am a bit unfit at the moment.

 

Again, I do not believe it is overtraining but rather something else, especially the fact that it was just one big week and so long ago. just my 2c's.

[Chris_]

As above, go to a doctor. Rather get the all clear from them before you go play games with a sports physio, self-help, etc.

 

Maybe while there get some blood work done. Perhaps you're just chronically low in some element and that's an easy ID and fix.

 

Also, maybe just chill out a bit. I don't know about you but's been a *** year for most and maybe your body is saying it's time for R & R.

 

Edit: sorry, more to the point, no I don't know a doc in Pretoria

Edited December 1, 2020 by Chris_

[RobertWhitehead]

Dr Merchen Naude is based in Gemmer street: https://forefitnessandhealth.co.za/index.php/news/48-sports-doctor-in-pretoria-forefitness 

 

My 2 cents about this topic is based on: This year I started taking cycling seriously and took on structured training.

 

If you were riding once maybe twice a week prior to this year and you had a massive uptick in activity in 2020 then you'll definitely feel fatigued and sore  

[Jbr]

Not so sure if that is over trained. (...)

 

You may need to rather look at other health issues. Go see the doc.

 

(...)

 

Again, I do not believe it is overtraining but rather something else, especially the fact that it was just one big week and so long ago. just my 2c's.

100% go to a doctor, I hope you're just ow on something and it's going to be an easy fix !

Edited December 1, 2020 by Jbr

[splat]

There is a saying : There is no such thing as overtraining. There is only under-recovery

 

Sounds like you also need a course of physio/massage.

 

But that's my opinion from the couch as I am not a coach or a doctor...

[Rapunzel]

Just one suggestion regarding visiting a doctor - if you are diagnosed with anything chronic (ie needing long term treatment or medication), get a second opinion before embarking on long term medication. Your symptoms can easily mimic depression and you do not want to be too quick to start meds which are very difficult to stop taking at a later stage.

Don't underestimate your body's ability to heal itself but it sometimes takes longer than we are prepared to wait. I had a severe over-training spell 2 years back and it took 6 months to recover and it was humbling to go from hero to zero and starting from scratch again but it was worth the wait.

[TNT1]

There is a saying : There is no such thing as overtraining. There is only under-recovery

 

100% People underestimate just how slow and easy they should be going on their recovery days, and just how many of those they actually need.

[Edereese]

I had a similar situation as yours and the main factor was stress. Between work, colic baby and high intensity exercise my body was stuck in a cycle of constantly producing cortisol. It got to a point where sleeping became an issue which affected recovery. I took some time off, only did occasional easy rides, focused on getting my sleeping pattern back and dealing with stress. It took a while for everything to get back to normal, but what I've learnt, there is no reason to push the body to the point of no return as cycling is merely a hobby and if taken to far, more harm vs good. Also, try to incorporate different kinds of training into your plan like weight and running etc.

[Nico van Loggerenberg]

Another amateur medical opinion here, but Covid can cause these sorts of burnt out / zero energy / full body pain symptons.

Edited December 1, 2020 by Nico van Loggerenberg

[eddy]

It may be overtraining, or something very different and much worse.

 

Go and see your GP let them do bloods, a full examination and get a proper diagnosis.

[lechatnoir]

Definitely go and see someone that you can trust and have faith in. They must have experience in what you're facing too, so keep looking until you find that person. The road to getting better isn't a one-shot deal - it needs to be with you for the rest of your life. Heck, I'd even extend it to a psychologist too if needs be

 

Good luck getting through this.

[EddieV]

I'm also not a doctor or expert on any level ... just talking from a personal experience point of view. About 1 and a half decades ago, after many years of letting my body go I wanted to get back into shape again, but as soon as I upped my program I got knocked with illness, sore body etc. time after time .....

 

I do not know if it is a real thing, but I found many articles on it ie. Toxins stored in the body over years and releasing at a high rate when losing weight rapidly might have been the cause of my roller-coaster ride then.

 

It took about 2 years of intermittent illness before it got better for me .... 

 

This article touches on it.

 

ref: https://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/09/08/3005218.htm#:~:text=Long%2Dterm%20weight%20loss%20can,in%20the%20Republic%20of%20Korea.

[eddy]

Not so sure if that is over trained. Based on that Weekly TSS score and the subsequent ride I do not suspect it is an overtraining issue. TSS scores of 1 to 1.7k are surely not above normal training values.

 

 

Off topic question:

 

Do I misunderstand TSS ?

 

As I have the definition, a TSS of 100 is 1 hour at FTP, so a weekly TSS of 1.7k is either 17hours at FTP or 34 hours at 50% thereof.

 

Either way, not "normal training values" for a person in his first year of structured training.

[TNT1]

Another amateur medical opinion here, but Covid can cause these sorts of burnt out / zero energy / full bdoy pain symptons.

But - so can any number of both minor and major illnesses...