Sex Hormones and Tendon.

Hansen M, et al. Adv Exp Med Biol. 2016.

Authors

Hansen M1, Kjaer M2,3.

Author information

1Department for Public Health, Section for Sport Science, Aarhus University, Dalgas Avenue 4, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark.

2Institute of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopedic Surgery M, Bispebjerg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.

3Center for Healthy Aging, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Citation

Adv Exp Med Biol. 2016;920:139-49. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-33943-6_13.

Abstract

The risk of overuse and traumatic tendon and ligament injuries differ between women and men. Part of this gender difference in injury risk is probably explained by sex hormonal differences which are specifically distinct during the sexual maturation in the teenage years and during young adulthood. The effects of the separate sex hormones are not fully elucidated. However, in women, the presence of estrogen in contrast to very low estrogen levels may be beneficial during regular loading of the tissue or during recovering after an injury, as estrogen can enhance tendon collagen synthesis rate. Yet, in active young female athletes, physiological high concentration of estrogen may enhance the risk of injuries due to reduced fibrillar cross linking and enhanced joint laxity. In men, testosterone can enhance tendon stiffness due to an enhanced tendon collagen turnover and collagen content, but testosterone has also been linked to a reduced responsiveness to relaxin. The present chapter will focus on sex difference in tendon injury risk, tendon morphology and tendon collagen turnover, but also on the specific effects of estrogen and androgens.