Patellar tendon adaptations to resistance training in young women using combined oral contraceptives

Background The study aimed to examine the impact of combined oral contraceptive pill (OC) use on patellar tendon (PT) adaptation to resistance training in young women. Methods Fifteen users of OC (28 ± 3 years) (OC group) and 17 eumenorrheic non-users (32 ± 5 years) (NOC group) performed heavy resis...

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Main Authors: Ingvild Vesterhus, Eirik R. Hesseberg, Ken Fjeldberg, Martin K. Engstad, Gøran Paulsen, Mette Hansen, Antoine Nordez, Lilian Lacourpaille, Olivier R. Seynnes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: PeerJ Inc. 2025-06-01
Series:PeerJ
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Online Access:https://peerj.com/articles/19581.pdf
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author Ingvild Vesterhus
Eirik R. Hesseberg
Ken Fjeldberg
Martin K. Engstad
Gøran Paulsen
Mette Hansen
Antoine Nordez
Lilian Lacourpaille
Olivier R. Seynnes
author_facet Ingvild Vesterhus
Eirik R. Hesseberg
Ken Fjeldberg
Martin K. Engstad
Gøran Paulsen
Mette Hansen
Antoine Nordez
Lilian Lacourpaille
Olivier R. Seynnes
author_sort Ingvild Vesterhus
collection DOAJ
description Background The study aimed to examine the impact of combined oral contraceptive pill (OC) use on patellar tendon (PT) adaptation to resistance training in young women. Methods Fifteen users of OC (28 ± 3 years) (OC group) and 17 eumenorrheic non-users (32 ± 5 years) (NOC group) performed heavy resistance training of the knee extensors over a period equivalent to three menstrual or pill cycles. Maximal isometric strength of the knee extensor muscles, PT cross-sectional area (CSA), tensile stiffness, and shear wave velocity (SWV) were measured before and after the intervention using combined ultrasonography and dynamometry. Results The training period increased maximal isometric strength in both groups (≈11%, P < 0.001) with no significant interaction with OC use (p = 0.965). Likewise, a small yet significant increase in proximal tendon CSA was observed (1.5 ± 1.6% for both groups, main training effect P < 0.001) without any significant interaction with OC use (p = 0.267). Tendon tensile stiffness also increased significantly (18.9 ± 26.3% in the OC group and 28.2 ± 35.1% in the NOC group, main effect: P < 0.001) but was not significantly affected by OC use (interaction effect: p = 0.428). Tendon SWV measurements yielded similar results, indicating a main effect of training (+12% on average, p = 0.024) but no significant interaction with OC use. Conclusion These findings suggest that OC use does not affect the increase in PT CSA and mechanical properties following short-term resistance training in young untrained females.
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spelling doaj-art-0c27f3292ff94cc9bfcdd4bbe01f93622025-08-20T02:07:40ZengPeerJ Inc.PeerJ2167-83592025-06-0113e1958110.7717/peerj.19581Patellar tendon adaptations to resistance training in young women using combined oral contraceptivesIngvild Vesterhus0Eirik R. Hesseberg1Ken Fjeldberg2Martin K. Engstad3Gøran Paulsen4Mette Hansen5Antoine Nordez6Lilian Lacourpaille7Olivier R. Seynnes8Department for Physical Performance, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, NorwayDepartment for Physical Performance, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, NorwayDepartment for Physical Performance, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, NorwayDepartment for Physical Performance, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, NorwayDepartment for Physical Performance, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, NorwayDepartment for Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, DenmarkMouvement - Interactions - Performance, Université de Nantes, Nantes, FranceMouvement - Interactions - Performance, Université de Nantes, Nantes, FranceDepartment for Physical Performance, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, Oslo, NorwayBackground The study aimed to examine the impact of combined oral contraceptive pill (OC) use on patellar tendon (PT) adaptation to resistance training in young women. Methods Fifteen users of OC (28 ± 3 years) (OC group) and 17 eumenorrheic non-users (32 ± 5 years) (NOC group) performed heavy resistance training of the knee extensors over a period equivalent to three menstrual or pill cycles. Maximal isometric strength of the knee extensor muscles, PT cross-sectional area (CSA), tensile stiffness, and shear wave velocity (SWV) were measured before and after the intervention using combined ultrasonography and dynamometry. Results The training period increased maximal isometric strength in both groups (≈11%, P < 0.001) with no significant interaction with OC use (p = 0.965). Likewise, a small yet significant increase in proximal tendon CSA was observed (1.5 ± 1.6% for both groups, main training effect P < 0.001) without any significant interaction with OC use (p = 0.267). Tendon tensile stiffness also increased significantly (18.9 ± 26.3% in the OC group and 28.2 ± 35.1% in the NOC group, main effect: P < 0.001) but was not significantly affected by OC use (interaction effect: p = 0.428). Tendon SWV measurements yielded similar results, indicating a main effect of training (+12% on average, p = 0.024) but no significant interaction with OC use. Conclusion These findings suggest that OC use does not affect the increase in PT CSA and mechanical properties following short-term resistance training in young untrained females.https://peerj.com/articles/19581.pdfOestrogenTendon hypertrophyTendon stiffnessHormonal influence
spellingShingle Ingvild Vesterhus
Eirik R. Hesseberg
Ken Fjeldberg
Martin K. Engstad
Gøran Paulsen
Mette Hansen
Antoine Nordez
Lilian Lacourpaille
Olivier R. Seynnes
Patellar tendon adaptations to resistance training in young women using combined oral contraceptives
PeerJ
Oestrogen
Tendon hypertrophy
Tendon stiffness
Hormonal influence
title Patellar tendon adaptations to resistance training in young women using combined oral contraceptives
title_full Patellar tendon adaptations to resistance training in young women using combined oral contraceptives
title_fullStr Patellar tendon adaptations to resistance training in young women using combined oral contraceptives
title_full_unstemmed Patellar tendon adaptations to resistance training in young women using combined oral contraceptives
title_short Patellar tendon adaptations to resistance training in young women using combined oral contraceptives
title_sort patellar tendon adaptations to resistance training in young women using combined oral contraceptives
topic Oestrogen
Tendon hypertrophy
Tendon stiffness
Hormonal influence
url https://peerj.com/articles/19581.pdf
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