Association Between Total Genotype Score and Muscle Injuries in Top-Level Football Players: a Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Genetics
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Genetic predisposition to injury is a growing research area.
• Specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are linked to musculoskeletal injury susceptibility.
• This study examines the combined effect of common gene polymorphisms on muscle injury in Italian soccer players.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the combined effect of four common gene polymorphisms on muscle injury susceptibility in Italian football players.
• To determine if specific genotypes are associated with a higher or lower incidence of muscle injuries.
• To explore the potential of using a total genotype score (TGS) to predict injury risk.

Main Methods:

• Genotyping of 64 Italian male top football players for ACE I/D, ACTN3, COL5A1, and MCT1 gene polymorphisms.
• Collection of muscle injury data over a 10-year period (2009-2019).
• Calculation of a Total Genotype Score (TGS) based on injury-associated genotypes.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in genotype frequencies were observed between injured and non-injured players for ACE, ACTN3, and MCT1 polymorphisms.
• Lower muscle injury incidence was found in players with 'protective' genotypes for ACE, ACTN3, and COL5A1.
• Non-injured players had a significantly higher mean TGS (63.7 a.u.) compared to injured players (42.5 a.u.).
• A TGS cut-off of 56.2 a.u. predicted a 3.5-fold increased odds of injury.

Conclusions:

• Carrying multiple 'protective' gene variants may reduce an individual's susceptibility to muscle injuries in football.
• Tailoring training load based on an athlete's genetic profile is a promising future direction in training methodology.