ligaments and tendons perform a key role in the musculoskeletal system—ligaments attach bones to bones and tendons attach muscles to bones. Understanding if they are fit and functioning in Sturridge’s body could prove invaluable when deciding whether to send him onto the pitch for the full 90 minutes or maybe just the second half—and ensure his legs and ligaments remain happy and healthy for an entire season.
Back in 2014 we asked, Can Off-Season Weight Issues Affect a Player’s Performance? This was after the former Newcastle midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa returned to training a heavier version of his former self after an apparently overly indulgent off-season. But was it his fault, or was he genetically doomed to fail if left alone with a biscuit tin?
Studies show it could be the latter since, according to research published by the Institute of Preventive Medicine at Copenhagen University, some people are cursed with the FTO gene, often dubbed the “fat gene.” They have a high sensitivity to saturated dietary fats and are more likely to store them as body fat after they eat them.