DOI: 10.3390/life15071023 ISSN: 2075-1729

Next-Generation Approaches in Sports Medicine: The Role of Genetics, Omics, and Digital Health in Optimizing Athlete Performance and Longevity—A Narrative Review

Alen Juginović, Adrijana Kekić, Ivan Aranza, Valentina Biloš, Mirko Armanda

This review aims to provide a comprehensive framework for implementing precision sports medicine, integrating genetics, pharmacogenomics, digital health solutions, and multi-omics data. Literature review was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases (January 2018–April 2024), focusing on precision medicine applications in sports medicine, utilizing key terms including “precision medicine”, “sports medicine”, “genetics”, and “multi-omics”, with forward and backward citation tracking. The review identified key gene variants affecting athletic performance: endurance (AMPD1, PPARGC1A), power (ACTN3, NOS3), strength (PPARG), and injury susceptibility (COL5A1, MMP3), while also examining inherited conditions like cardiomyopathies (MYH7, MYBPC3). Pharmacogenomic guidelines were established for optimizing common sports medications, including NSAIDs (CYP2C9), opioids (CYP2D6), and cardiovascular drugs (SLCO1B1, CYP2C19). Digital health technologies, including wearables and predictive analytics, showed potential for enhanced athlete monitoring and injury prevention, while multi-omics approaches integrated various molecular data to understand exercise capacity and injury predisposition, enabling personalized assessments, training regimens, and therapeutic interventions based on individual biomolecular profiles. This review provides sports medicine professionals with a framework to deliver personalized care tailored to each athlete’s unique profile, promising optimized performance, reduced injury risks, and improved recovery outcomes.

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