title: The genetics of sports injuries and athletic performance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  in the last two decades, several evidences have been provided to support the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms and the susceptibility to develop injuries participating in sport and performance related to sports activity. We report up-to-date review of the genetics factors involved in tendon injuries and athletic performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  we searched PubMed using the terms "sports injuries", "athletic performance" and "genetics" over the period 1990 to the present day. We also included non-English journals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  most of the currently established or putative tendinopathy susceptibility loci have been analyzed by candidate gene studies. The genes currently associated with tendon injuries include gene encoding for collagen, matrix metallopeptidase, tenascin and growth factors. Several genes have been related to the physical performance phenotypes affecting endurance capacity and muscle performance. The most studied include ACE and ACTN3 genes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  genetics determines the response of an individual to the surrounding environment. Recently, some of the individual genetic variations contributing to the athletic performance and the onset of musculoskeletal injuries, particularly in tendon and ligament tissues, have been identified. However, the identification of the genetic background related to susceptibility to injuries and physical performance of the athletes is challenging yet and further studies must be performed to establish the specific role of each gene and the potential effect of the interaction of these.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sports and Exercise Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Mile End Hospital, London, UK Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Maffulli
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Pathology, Campus Bio-Medico University, Trigoria, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Katia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Margiotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-Medico University, Trigoria, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Umile Giuseppe
authors.initials: UG
authors.lastname: Longo
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-Medico University, Trigoria, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mattia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loppini
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Pathology, Campus Bio-Medico University, Trigoria, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Vito Michele
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Fazio
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, Campus Bio-Medico University, Trigoria, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Denaro
keywords: athletic performance; genetics; single nucleotide polymorphisms; sports injuries