Dusan Strbac; Dusica L. Maric; Gordana Velikic; Dusan M. Maric; Nikola Vucinic; Marija Maric; Lidija Markovic ; David Cukanovic & Dragana Radosevic

Overuse symptoms, including fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and stiffness, are common among athletes who are exposed to sustained training loads and inadequate recovery. These symptoms can progress into overtraining syndrome or chronic injury, particularly in younger or less conditioned individuals. Despite this, few studies have profiled overuse symptoms across multiple sports and training levels. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, anatomical distribution, and training-related correlates of overuse symptoms in amateur and professional male athletes engaged in football, basketball, and athletics. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 209 male athletes aged 15 to 37 years, who completed a standardized questionnaire assessing the presence and localization of overuse symptoms, as well as training routines. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, ANOVA, and Fisher’s exact tests, were employed to assess differences in symptom prevalence across various sport types, age groups, and levels of athletic engagement. Fatigue was reported by 93.3 % of participants, and pain by 65.1 %. Pain prevalence was significantly higher among amateurs than among professionals (70.6 % vs. 54.8 %, p = 0.033) and showed a trend of increasing prevalence among younger athletes. Sport-specific symptom localization was observed, with lower limb symptoms predominating in football (hamstrings, quadriceps, and groin), ankle and shoulder symptoms in basketball, and lower back and knee symptoms in athletics. Higher weekly training hours and longer warm-up/stretching durations were associated with increased symptom reports, although the association was not statistically significant. Overuse symptoms are widespread among both amateur and professional athletes, with notable sport- and age-specific patterns. These findings support the need for early screening, individualized training load monitoring, and better coach-athlete education to prevent chronic musculoskeletal disorders and performance decline.

KEY WORDS: Overuse syndrome; Athlete health; Football; Basketball; Athletics.

STRBAC, D.; MARIC, D. L.; VELIKIC, G.; MARIC, D. M.; VUCINIC, N.; MARIC, M.; MARKOVIC, L.; CUKANOVIC, D. & RADOSEVIC, D. Who hurts where? Mapping the burden of overuse in youth and amateur athletes across high-impact sports. Int. J. Morphol., 43(6):1954-1963, 2025.