Achilles tendon injury includes degenerative and painful conditions that affect athletes in a wide range of sports, including up to 20% of runners. This is a multifactorial condition for which various genetic risk factors have been identified. Some genetic variants contribute to the risk of achilles tendinopathy, while genetic variant in the MMP3 has been found to be protective.

Aerobic capacity or performance can be measured by the body’s ability to deliver and use the maximal volume of oxygen for producing energy that can be used by the muscles during maximal intensity exercise. The VO2 max (known as maximum aerobic power) test is the most effective measurement of aerobic fitness. Aerobic fitness is a determinant of endurance capacity during prolonged exercise, especially in certain competitive sports. 

Dust mites are tiny insects invisible to the eye that are commonly found in dusty places and are a common allergen. Symptoms include itchy eyes, a stuffy nose, sneezing, and more. Some allergies are more severe, and can have effects that are more easily triggered, more potent, and/or more long-lasting. Almost 20 million Americans have a dust mite allergy.

Mold is a fungus that can typically be found in moist places and is a common allergen. A mold allergy is similar to other allergies, in that its symptoms include swelling, rashes, nausea, and more. Some allergies are more severe, and can have effects that are more easily triggered, more potent, and/or more long-lasting.

Your genes determine how quickly you lose weight! There are also medical conditions that impair weight loss such as hypothyroidism, hormonal changes in women, gastrointestinal issues, and depression.

Your muscle endurance measures your ability to repeat an activity for an extended period of time without getting tired. If your muscle structure favors endurance, you have the potential to thrive in exercises that leverage your endurance. Studies have identified that genes influence the fiber type that makes up muscles, and that is linked to strength and endurance.

Your motivation for exercise is partly influenced by your genes. How your body feels during a workout and how you respond mentally can be related to genetics. Studies indicate that up to 50% of your like or dislike for exercise comes down to your genetic makeup. 

Flexibility refers to the range of movement in a joint or series of joints, and length in muscles that cross the joints to induce a bending movement or motion. Flexibility varies between individuals, while it can be improved with regular stretching, some people have inherent joint flexibility. Genetics accounts for a large part in determining our flexibility.

A lark, early bird, morning person, or, in Scandinavian countries, an A-person, is a person who usually gets up early in the morning and goes to bed early in the evening.

Optimism is the ability to look at a situation and see the best in it. It’s an important tool in life, as it keeps you motivated and eager to keep pushing forward, giving you the energy to do things you never thought you could. Optimism is a great asset when coping with stress and trauma.

The muscle power measures the maximum amount of force you can exert in a short period of time. Your power/strength has been estimated to be up to 80% dependent on the proportion of muscle fiber type you inherit. Fast-twitch muscle fibers generate a relatively high amount of force in a short period of time, thus supporting power or strength exercises. 

Seasonal affective disorder, often called seasonality, is an annual depressive cycle that typically begins and ends at the same time every year. This condition can lead to people feeling depressed and lonely during the winters, as opposed to clinical depression, which is typically year-round.

Are you one of those people who take a very long time to heal after a muscle injury? Prolonged strenuous exercise, like high-intensity weight training, results in the activation of inflammatory factors. Several genes enhance the inflammatory response that may slow down the repair of muscle damage following exercise.