Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/10.69589/hsv.41.1.3
The dual face of systemic inflammation in contact sports: Pathological risk or adaptive mechanism?
Alan García Yánez
; General Practitioner. Independent Researcher, Sports Medicine Specialization. Bogotá, Colombia
Hernando Baquero Aguilera
; General Practitioner. Independent Researcher, Sports Medicine Specialization. Bogotá, Colombia
Kevin Villa Lopera
; Independiente Yumbo FC, Sports Medicine Specialization. Yumbo, Colombia
Miguel Mateo Montañez Soler
; Fortaleza Fútbol Club, Sports Medicine Specialization. Bogotá, Colombia
Sažetak
Systemic inflammation represents a defining yet paradoxical hallmark of athletes participating in contact sports. Repetitive mechanical trauma, impact-induced muscle damage, and concussive or sub-concussive head impacts elicit inflammatory responses that may function either as adaptive signaling mechanisms or as drivers of long-term pathology. On one hand, transient and well-regulated inflammatory cascades support skeletal muscle repair, metabolic remodeling, angiogenesis, and neuroplasticity, thereby facilitating training adaptation and performance enhancement. On the other hand, unresolved or excessive inflammation promotes cumulative tissue damage, accelerates musculoskeletal degeneration, disrupts immune and neuroendocrine homeostasis, and contributes to neurocognitive decline, ultimately increasing injury risk and shortening athletic career longevity. This narrative review synthesizes current experimental, clinical, and translational evidence examining the bidirectional role of systemic inflammation in contact sport athletes. Particular emphasis is placed on the molecular and cellular mechanisms linking mechanical trauma to immune activation, including damage-associated molecular patterns, pattern-recognition receptor signaling, cytokine cascades, and impaired inflammatory resolution. Furthermore, the review explores how chronic low-grade inflammation intersects with overtraining syndrome, immune suppression, cardiovascular dysfunction, and neurodegenerative processes associated with repetitive head impacts. Key circulating biomarkers—including interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, C-reactive protein, creatine kinase, and neurofilament light chain—are discussed as practical tools for distinguishing adaptive inflammatory responses from maladaptive trajectories. Their interpretation is framed within the context of training load, recovery intervals, individual biological variability, and cumulative exposure to contact-related trauma. Finally, the review highlights emerging precision-based strategies aimed at modulating systemic inflammation, integrating longitudinal biomarker monitoring, genetic and microbiome profiling, and targeted recovery interventions. Understanding the dual nature of systemic inflammation is essential for optimizing athletic performance while safeguarding long term health. When appropriately regulated, inflammation constitutes a cornerstone of physiological adaptation; when dysregulated, it becomes a central mediator of injury, disease risk, and premature performance decline. Future approaches in sports medicine should therefore focus on individualized strategies to tilt the inflammatory balance toward adaptation, resilience, and athlete longevity.
Ključne riječi
Inflammation, Athletes, Sports Injuries, Contact Sports
Hrčak ID:
348757
URI
Datum izdavanja:
30.6.2026.
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