Overexertion: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Prevention

“No amount of sleep can cure the tiredness I feel now!” Do you ever feel so? If yes! Then perhaps you have come across overexertion, maybe in your work, in sports or in your regular exercises. More than 3 million people visit hospital in a year with the injuries related to overexertion. This shows how common this condition is! There are various reasons behind overexertion and so also there are various signs of overexertion in an individual. If overexertion is constant, it can lead to various complex conditions. However, there are various ways one can prevent self from this condition. In this current article, we will talk about Overexertion where we will discuss on the signs, the causes and various preventive measures for overexertion.

Following are some of the most noted signs and symptoms of overexertion:

1. Inability to Talk: One of the most common signs of overexertion, especially while exercising is the inability to talk. While working out, make a check if you are able to talk properly. In case you are facing difficulties speaking out or if you are breathing out too hard so as to speak up, then you are probably overexerting self. It is essential to slow down your workout and relax you for sometimes so as to avoid the overexertion injuries.
2. Overuse Injuries/Chronic Injuries of Overexertion: There are chances of chronic injuries or the overuse injuries by overexerting certain body parts or muscles over a period of time. Stress fractures and tendinitis are some of the common injuries of overexertion. Soreness or aching of the joint or the muscles may be the first signs and symptoms of overuse injuries like stress fractures or tendinitis. It is essential to slow down or discontinue your workout for temporary period in case of any pain. Continuing the exercise may worsen your condition.
3. Dehydration: One more common signs of overexertion is dehydration. Dry mouth, dizziness, scant urine and fatigue are some of the common signs of dehydration. In case you are strenuously working out, especially during hot weathers and not taking enough of fluids and water, you are going to meet with the symptoms of dehydration. Dehydration can also lead to muscle cramps. It is essential to give a break from overexerting self and move down to a cooler place and take enough of water and fluids so as to overcome the symptoms of dehydration due to overexertion. In case you get frequent muscle cramps, it is essential for you to have a check with the doctor and go for its effective treatments.
4. Fatigue due to Overexertion: Overexertion can also lead to fatigue. Burning the body and mind for too long and too hard without proper sleep can lead to fatigue. It is essential to take enough of sleep required for a good mind and keep away from overexerting your mind. You also need to keep a check on how much you are forcing your body for workouts or exercises. Avoiding alcohol, caffeine etc, taking proper sleep, healthy diet and regular exercises can help prevent fatigue.
5. Serious and Warning Signs of Overexertion: There are some dangerous symptoms of overexertion which include chest pain, problems in breathing, dizziness etc. There are also symptoms like wheezing or continuous coughing which do not get resolved in few minutes of rest. Such signs indicate you suffering from exercise-induced asthma. There are also chances of heart attack which come up with the symptoms like crushing, or tightening chest pain. An immediate call to 911 is essential in case you experience such symptoms due to overexertion.

There are various causes of overexertion and the injuries related to overexertion. Following are some of them.

• Overexertion caused due to excessive work at workplace
• Overexertion due to sports
• Overexertion due to exercise
• Tripping and falling
• Overexertion injuries due to motion control video games like PS3 Move and Wii.

If you are suffering from any kind of overexertion injuries, you can help yourself to treat the conditions and symptoms by following ways.

• Heat treatments work well in reducing the symptoms of overexertion in muscles, joints etc. In case you have tense or stressed muscles due to overexertion, you can help self in reducing the conditions by a warm water bath with Epsom salt in it and get a bit of relaxation.
• Pain due to overexertion can be reduced by anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or naproxen. However avoid these in case you have aspirin allergy.
• It is essential to take proper rest in case of overexertion and also an immediate consultation with a healthcare professional is essential for treating the warning signs of overexertion.

There are ways to protect self from overexertion and overexertion injuries. Following are some of the important tips for preventing overexertion:

• It is important to limit the amount of weight you carry. Make sure you are also keeping a room to work in a neutral position. It is essential to replace the broken or worn out tools while workouts.
• There can be an excess of stress on the wrong parts of your body if you are working in an awkward posture. You must keep a note to keep your body well positioned square to your work.
• It is also essential to check that your toes are pointing in the same direction as that of your nose.
• Repetitive jobs create tension in muscles as they do not allow the muscles enough time to recover. Apart from this, repeating certain movements for longer periods over time can also increase your stress level and lead you to become tense. So, in order to prevent this you need to take short and frequent breaks which are highly essential to prevent overexertion and injuries linked with overexertion.
• It is important to maintain proper sleep so as to prevent you from overexerting the mind and keeping safe from various symptoms of overexertion like fatigue, dizziness etc.
• It is essential to keep your body hydrated with plenty of water and fluids and also take healthy diet so as to prevent self from symptoms of overexertion like dehydration, fatigue etc.
• It is essential to have regular exercise and stretching for preventing self from overexertion. A proper strength training so as to maintain a stronger core can be beneficial here. Below are some of the safe lifting techniques. Make sure you keep a check on the following while lifting weights or strength training:
  • It is essential for you to stretch and warm up before lifting.
  • Never twist or bend your back while lifting
  • Bend your knees
  • Never lift weights with extended arms
  • Lift with your legs and not with your back
  • Make a check that your footing is solid with your foot- shoulder width apart
  • Make sure you are keeping the load to be lifted pretty close to your body
  • Limit the amount of weight you carry
  • Keep you pathways clear so as to avoid tripping.

Apart from all these preventive measures; it is essential to keep a note to report any signs of discomfort while exercising or while at work and keep safe from the symptoms going worst or causing any overexertion injury. “Fit is not a destination; it is a way of life.” Make sure your fitness moves, your training processes and physical activities strengthen you for life and not get you down or keep you injured. Train well, keep safe and have a fit life!

Also Read:

• Overexertion: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Prevention