How genetic predispositions may have impact on injury and success in sport

Introduction. Studies investigating the determinants of physical endurance were initiated nearly 30 years ago. The research was inspired by the curiosity to find out about the nature of talent for sport and why some athletes are better than others, despite the same or even greater effort in training routine, diet and the supplementation. An attempt was therefore made to determine the genotype of a perfect athlete, but conducted research showed that it is a very difficult task. Although 140 genes were proposed to affect of ideal sportsman fitness, scientists are still far from formulating answers about the nature of physical abilities and genotype. Aim. Our main goal was to review the literature about the selected genes and polymorphisms which are most often investigated in the context in relation to injury in sports. Materials and methods. Analysis of literature from US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, PubMED, Google Scholar. Results. We review the selected genes and polymorphisms which are most often investigated in the context in relation to injury in sports, we also present the function of genetic variants prevalent in athletes which are able to achieve better physiological adaptation during the training. Conclusions. There are probably more than 140 genes involved in physical performance. Changes in even one nucleotide within the gene (SNP) can improve the body’s adaptation to better physical performance and the frequency of injury to athletes.