Whether youre a competitive athlete or have a job that requires you to be on the move, youre likely familiar with hard work. Many occupations and hobbies require repetitive and continuous activities.

However, its possible to overdo it. This can be stressful on your body and mind which can result in overexertion.

Overexerting yourself can lead to pain, discomfort, or even injury. Thats why its important to be mindful of your limits and listen to your body.

The good news is that its possible to protect yourself from overexertion. In this article, well explore the causes and symptoms of overexertion, plus ways to avoid it.

When you push yourself too hard, its known as overexertion. This involves physical or mental effort thats beyond your current abilities.

Overexertion depends on many factors, such as your:

Due to these factors, different people will become overexerted at different points. We all have our own physical and mental limits.

Overexertion can be unsafe. It can lead to serious injuries, like:

It may also limit your ability to keep doing an activity in the future.

Typically, overexertion is related to certain activities or motions. Lets take a closer look at some of the most common causes of overexertion.

When you repeatedly move a joint or muscle over a long period of time, it can lead to overexertion. The repetitive movements can put strain on your body, leading to pain or discomfort.

Repetitive movements are often associated with activities like:

Overexertion may stem from doing an activity or task incorrectly. This can place stress on your muscles, bones, joints, and connective tissues and cause overexertion injuries.

Examples of improper technique include:

A sudden, forceful movement can also cause overexertion. This is more likely to happen if your technique is incorrect.

Abrupt movements that can lead to overexertion injuries include:

If you continuously do an activity without regular breaks, youll eventually become fatigued. The excess physical effort can be hard on your body.

Prolonged activity might be related to:

Similarly, you can develop mental overexertion after focusing on a cognitive activity for an extended period of time. For instance, you may feel mentally burned out after many hours of studying or working.

Another potential cause is doing an activity in extreme temperatures.

When its very hot or cold, your body needs to work extra hard to maintain its normal temperature. As a result, you may need to push yourself harder to do basic activities, resulting in overexertion.

Overexertion due to extreme temperatures is often associated with activities like outdoor manual labor and exercising outdoors.

If youve overexerted yourself, you may have the following signs and symptoms:

Pain is a common sign that youre overexerting yourself. You may have pain that feels sharp or achy. It may also be more of a burning, tingling, throbbing, or pinching sensation.

If you have pain, stop the activity immediately. Rest and take a break. If the pain continues or get worse, talk with your doctor.

An overuse injury, or a repetitive strain injury, typically develops slowly over time. Some examples of common overuse injuries include:

Common symptoms of overuse injuries include:

Its possible that you may only feel these symptoms when youre doing a specific activity.

Youll typically need to connect with a doctor, so they can help you treat this type of injury. Treatment for a repetitive strain injuries often involves:

Another common symptom is fatigue. It can be physical or mental, depending on the cause of overexertion.

Signs of physical fatigue can include:

Mental fatigue may cause symptoms such as:

In either case, avoid forcing yourself to work for extended periods of time.

Allow yourself to rest and focus on healthy lifestyle habits, like:

Overexertion makes it difficult for your body to heal after strenuous activities. Likewise, it can impair your immune system, making you more prone to sickness.

If you keep getting injured or sick, it may be time to take a mental or physical break from what youve been doing. Again, eating healthy and getting enough sleep can help your body recover.

If youre unable to breathe during a physical task, try reducing the intensity of the activity.

Avoid holding your breath, and breathe deeply to help your body and brain get the oxygen they need. Deep breathing can also help your body relax.

There are ways to avoid physical overexertion while working or doing physical activities.

Follow these tips to prevent physical burnout and injuries:

If you feel mentally exhausted or overwhelmed from work, parenting, or daily stressors, you can take certain steps to help you cope. Some options include:

Overexertion is typically caused by repetitive movements, sudden motions, or prolonged effort. It may also be related to incorrect technique or working in extreme temperatures. If youre overexerted, you may develop fatigue, pain, or become more prone to injuries.

Overexertion isnt only physical. You can also overexert yourself mentally if you work too hard or feel overwhelmed by too many tasks and challenges.

Its worth noting that overexertion doesnt mean youre weak or unable to do something. Instead, its a sign that your body or mind needs to rest. To avoid overexertion, take regular breaks, dont overdo things, and pay attention to your bodys warning signs.

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Overexertion Definition, Signs and Symptoms, Prevention - Healthline