Effect of Current and Former Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Abuse on the Patellar Tendon.

This article investigates the effects of current and former anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) abuse on the patellar tendon (PT) in recreational athletes, including both males and females. The study found that while AAS abusers reported a higher incidence of upper body tendon injuries compared with nonusers, there were no significant differences in PT cross-sectional area, cell density, or most gene expression markers between groups. Current AAS abusers exhibited increased insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) mRNA expression, and former abusers showed greater tendon strain and deformation, but overall mechanical properties and tendon morphology were not substantially altered. The findings suggest that AAS abuse does not directly cause major structural or mechanical changes in the PT, indicating that other indirect factors may contribute to the increased tendon injury risk observed in AAS users.