Hypogonadism as a Cause of Recurrent Muscle Injury in a High Level Soccer Player - A Case Report

Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism is a well known entity in highly trained female athletes. In male sportsmen, resting testosterone levels may be lowered especially in well endurance trained athletes and during high intensity training periods, frequently in combination with excessive weight reduction. However, only few reports illustrate a clinical pathology related to this state. In this report, where we present a case of a high level soccer player with recurrent muscle injuries over several years, hypogonadism was caused by sports activity together with an impaired testicular function (cryptorchidy). Clinical findings included testicular maldevelopment, decreased libido, infertility and a high incidence of muscle strains and delayed post-exercise soreness in mainly eccentric exercised muscle groups. Laboratory findings showed abnormally lowered resting testosterone values, most prominent during training periods, and an unfavourable testosterone/cortisol ratio during recuperation after exercise. With respect to treatment of the problem, neither any form of physical therapy nor rehabilitation program could give long lasting benefit. Using tamoxifen, an anti-oestrogenic drug, which stimulates LH and FSH production, we not only observed normal physiological resting testosterone values and a restoration of the testosterone/cortisol ratio after exercise, but our patient also experienced a higher sexual drive, well being and a spectacular decrease in the muscle injury rate. Although this patient was not a highly endurance trained athlete, we assume that a chronic anabolic/catabolic hormone imbalance may be of greater clinical importance in sports activity based on eccentric and explosive muscle work.