[Musculoskeletal Laboratory Diagnostics in Competitive Sport]

Background: Laboratory diagnostics represent a valuable tool for the optimization and assessment of the performance and regeneration ability in professional athletes. Blood parameters play an important role in the prevention, diagnosis and rehabilitation of injuries and physical overload.

Objectives: The aim of this article is to present an overview of musculoskeletal laboratory parameters and to provide relevant information for the medical care of competitive athletes.

Methods: Literature search and narrative review.

Results: The laboratory assessment of bone metabolism includes vitamin D, calcium and bone turnover and aims to provide a preventive benefit with respect to skeletal complications (e.g., to minimize the risk of bone stress injuries). In addition, muscular serum markers, such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), myoglobin and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) can be used to monitor metabolic adaptation to physical exercise and to obtain information about the muscular workload and potential damage. The energy availability can be estimated and optimized by appropriate balancing and laboratory determination of macro- and micronutrients.

Conclusions: Laboratory diagnostics have a clinical relevance across different sport disciplines. They are intended to support athletes and medical staff on their way to the highest possible performance and help to ensure the optimal prevention of bone and muscle injuries. Parameters with deficiency results (e.g., vitamin D) should be adequately compensated. A periodization of the laboratory tests, with at least two tests per year, and the establishment of individual variability and reference ranges can improve the assessment.