The PINP data suggests that women synthesize more collagen in response to exercise; however, this collagen may not be incorporated into the tendon to the same degree in women. This is in contrast to men where the same 1 h kicking exercise increased new collagen incorporation 70% by 24 h (Miller et al., 2005). In the first of these studies, a group taking oral contraceptives containing moderate estradiol was compared to non-OC users in the follicular phase, when estrogen levels are naturally low, both at rest and following 1 h of kicking exercise. In fact, women are at lower risk of sustaining an Achilles' tendon rupture than men until menopause, after which the risk becomes similar in both sexes (Hansen and Kjaer, 2014, 2016). Note that even though there is a slight rise in collagen, the stiffness of the grafts decreases concomitant with an increase in estrogen in the media. In these experiments, treating engineered ligaments with physiologically high estrogen for 48 h resulted in an 80% decrease in lysyl oxidase activity without changing LOX expression (Figure 3). Although expression of collagen mRNA didn't change significantly, there was a decrease in the ratio of collagen to elastin at the protein level after the cells were treated with 17β-estradiol. In humans, the level of endogenous testosterone has been reported to fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle which was the highest at around the time of ovulation . In the female of reproductive age, 25% of the circulating testosterone originates from the ovaries while the remaining is derived from conversion of androsteinedione into testosterone in the adrenal gland . Knee joint angle was significantly higher in the presence of relaxin in all groups except in the group receiving both doses of testosterone where no difference in the angles was noted. There are questions about the impact of synthetic oestrogens as well, for example, in the combined pill with research showing that they may impact joint stability, particularly in individuals with hypermobility. Many hypermobile women report worsening of symptoms during specific hormonal phases including menstruation, pregnancy, and perimenopause. Progesterone has muscle-relaxing properties – which may negatively affect exercise performance and coordination. Progesterone may have an indirect influence on bone remodelling – contributing to overall bone health too (although more research is needed in this area). Oestrogen also may influence joint lubrication and reduce inflammation. Oestrogen contributes to the health (elasticity and integrity) of the urethra and vaginal tissues. Indeed, studies measuring local IGF-1 response by means of interstitial fluid sampling methodologies have shown that, after exercise, peritendinous values are consistently higher than those of the circulating hormone40,41. This system includes the binding proteins, namely GH binding proteins and IGF-1 binding proteins (IGFBP)39. Indeed the GH/IGF-1 effects are mediated through endocrine as well as paracrine/autocrine mechanisms. In addition, GH/IGF-I axis increases the number of stem cells in vivo37, and preserves their multipotency in vitro. To attempt to explain the increased ACL rupture in the pre-ovulatory phases, researchers have measured knee laxity throughout the cycle. Since knee laxity changes with estrogen levels through the menstrual cycle (Shultz et al., 2005), estrogen is believed to decrease sinew stiffness. Within the musculoskeletal system, tendons, and ligaments (we will refer to these tissues collectively as sinew) function as connective tissues between bone and muscle and between bone and bone, respectively. Looking at the two different formulations would suggest that the 3,300% higher progesterone level may be more important in inhibiting muscle protein synthesis than the 16% difference in estrogen. The result was that plasma estrogen was highly variable and the mean between the groups was only marginally (2-fold) higher, whereas progesterone levels were increased 40-fold, therefore, the luteal phase was more a measure of high progesterone than high estrogen (Miller et al., 2005). Recently, a case of spontaneous rupture of the long head of the biceps tendon in a woman with hypothyroidism has been reported14. Studies were deemed relevant if they were published in English and contained original research providing relevant knowledge related to the correlation between hormones and tendons, were selected8. The interest in understanding their mechanism of action strives in developing therapeutic strategies for pathologic tendon conditions. The frequent association between human tendinopathies and endocrine disorders, as well as experimental data, suggest that also hormones are involved in modifying tendon homeostasis6,7. It has been shown that adverse metabolic situations (diabetes1,2, obesity3 and hypercholesterolemia4) may alter the normal tendon response, and favor early degeneration5. The biological milieu surrounding the tendon components strongly influences the reaction to loading. Number of quadriceps tendon injuries within 1 year of filling prescriptions for exogenous testosterone The same analysis was performed to assess the odds of quadriceps injury among the testosterone group at any time after the filled prescriptions for testosterone. Using the patients who experienced a quadriceps injury any time after the first timepoint of the initial analysis, we used Current Procedural Terminology codes to analyze the odds of those injuries that were indicated for surgical repair. In contrast to anabolic steroid users who reach supraphysiologic levels of testosterone, the patients evaluated in the present study received testosterone replacement therapy prescriptions of much lower doses. Several factors are known to predispose patients to quadriceps tendon tears, including age, renal disease, diabetes, obesity, osteomalacia, systemic lupus erythematosus, and hyperparathyroidism . Testosterone therapy is not a proven and fully established treatment for ligament injuries. While the potential benefits of testosterone are promising, it’s crucial to acknowledge the limitations and potential risks. The mechanisms through which testosterone potentially influences ligament healing involve several complex biological processes. These properties are the core reason researchers believe testosterone may influence ligament healing.