Burnout: It’s something many people experience and for athletes who are focused on being the best at their sport, it is common. While this includes professional adult athletes, it is also prevalent among child athletes.
Dr. Keyur Desai, a primary care sports medicine physician at Children’s National, said fatigue, a lack of desire to not participate in a sport they’ve loved, as well as new stress and anxiety toward achieving goals are among the signs of burnout.
“A lot of the same things when we talk about feeling burned out at work apply to athletes, in their sport as well,” he said.
For parents, he said, knowing your child and what is uncharacteristic for them can help you spot burnout as it sets in. You may notice your child randomly deciding not to participate in the sport.
“Or is there something more severe going on, you know, they had a big injury, and now they’ve completely detached from their social network and they’re having symptoms of a kind of loneliness and depression,” Desai said.
If you suspect your child is suffering from burnout, Desai recommends you begin “that vulnerable conversation” about it sooner rather than later.
“If an athlete or a parent feels like their athlete is struggling with something like this, we want to be able to get them the help that they need early on,” he said.
For athletes of any age, Desai encourages them to talk about how they are feeling with someone, whether it be a parent, coach or even a doctor. Getting the support for an athlete is key in combating burnout.
“This is something that all athletes go through, you know, decorated Olympians, all the way down to junior athletes and everybody in between,” Desai said.
Just like a person may need a break from work, Desai said athletes can benefit from spending some time taking part in another activity or interest.
“Finding those things that keep you well balanced and enjoying your activity of choice, whether it’s a sport or something else, so that you can participate in it to the degree you want for as long as you want,” he said.
For kids, parents may want to encourage them to participate in a hobby outside of sports to prevent burnout from setting in.
Desai said Michael Phelps and Simone Biles are among the athletes who have announced publicly that they have experienced burnout. In a majority of cases he said, after seeking the support they need, those athletes have returned to their sport.
“They step away, they do what they need to do to help their mental health kind of return and recover,” he said.
In cases where burnout is a result of an injury, keeping the athlete connected with their team in some way as they recover can help. Also, mental health counseling in some cases may be needed.
