TY - JOUR
T1 - Impact of oral contraceptive use and menstrual phases on patellar tendon morphology, biochemical composition and biomechanical properties in female athletes
AU - Hansen, Mette Damborg
AU - Couppe, Christian
AU - Hansen, Christina
AU - Skovgaard, Dorthe
AU - Kovanen, Vuokko
AU - Larsen, Jytte Overgaard
AU - Aagaard, Per
AU - Magnusson, S Peter
AU - Kjaer, Michael
PY - 2013/4/15
Y1 - 2013/4/15
N2 - Sex differences exist with regards to ligament and tendon injuries. Lower collagen synthesis has been observed in exercising women vs. men, and in users of oral contraceptives (OC) vs. nonusers, but it is unknown if OC will influence tendon biomechanics of women undergoing regular training. Thirty female athletes (handball players, 18-30 yr) were recruited: 15 long-term users of OC (7.0 ± 0.6 yr) and 15 nonusers (>5 yr). Synchronized values of patellar tendon elongation (obtained by ultrasonography) and tendon force were sampled during ramped isometric knee extensor maximum voluntary contraction to estimate mechanical tendon properties. Furthermore, tendon cross-sectional area and length were measured from MRI images, and tendon biopsies were obtained for analysis of tendon fibril characteristics and collagen cross-linking. Overall, no difference in tendon biomechanical properties, tendon fibril characteristics, or collagen cross-linking was observed between the OC users and nonusers, or between the different phases of the menstrual cycle. In athletes, tendon cross-sectional area in the preferred jumping leg tended to be larger than that in the contralateral leg (P = 0.09), and a greater absolute (P = 0.01) and normalized tendon stiffness (P = 0.02), as well as a lower strain (P = 0.04), were observed in the jumping leg compared with the contralateral leg. The results indicate that longterm OC use or menstrual phases does not influence structure or mechanical properties of the patellar tendon in female team handball athletes.
AB - Sex differences exist with regards to ligament and tendon injuries. Lower collagen synthesis has been observed in exercising women vs. men, and in users of oral contraceptives (OC) vs. nonusers, but it is unknown if OC will influence tendon biomechanics of women undergoing regular training. Thirty female athletes (handball players, 18-30 yr) were recruited: 15 long-term users of OC (7.0 ± 0.6 yr) and 15 nonusers (>5 yr). Synchronized values of patellar tendon elongation (obtained by ultrasonography) and tendon force were sampled during ramped isometric knee extensor maximum voluntary contraction to estimate mechanical tendon properties. Furthermore, tendon cross-sectional area and length were measured from MRI images, and tendon biopsies were obtained for analysis of tendon fibril characteristics and collagen cross-linking. Overall, no difference in tendon biomechanical properties, tendon fibril characteristics, or collagen cross-linking was observed between the OC users and nonusers, or between the different phases of the menstrual cycle. In athletes, tendon cross-sectional area in the preferred jumping leg tended to be larger than that in the contralateral leg (P = 0.09), and a greater absolute (P = 0.01) and normalized tendon stiffness (P = 0.02), as well as a lower strain (P = 0.04), were observed in the jumping leg compared with the contralateral leg. The results indicate that longterm OC use or menstrual phases does not influence structure or mechanical properties of the patellar tendon in female team handball athletes.
U2 - 10.1152/japplphysiol.01255.2012
DO - 10.1152/japplphysiol.01255.2012
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 23429870
SN - 8750-7587
VL - 114
SP - 998
EP - 1008
JO - Journal of Applied Physiology
JF - Journal of Applied Physiology
ER -