ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of active recovery [AR] vs passive recovery [PR] on serum levels of interleukin 6 [IL]-6, IL-8, IL-10 and Creatine Kinase [CK] after eccentric strenuous exercise. Twenty-eight female students of physical education participated in this study, age [23.8 +/- 1.99] years, height 164.0315.61 cm, weight 58.21 [8.23] kg and fat percent 27.18 [4.86]]. The subjects were randomly divided into two groups and completed a set of strenuous workouts, including a 30 min of treadmill downhill running [-5% grade] at 80-85% of Maximal Heart Rate [MHR], followed by AR for 15 min at 50-60% of MHR, or complete rest in the seated position [PR]. Blood samples were collected pre- and post exercise, and after recovery in order to measure the levels of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and CK. Both the AR and PR groups showed increase in the levels of serum cytokines after exercise and recovery, except IL-10 that decreased after exercise. IL-6 levels after recovery were higher in AR. Also, there were significant differences between the two groups after recovery in IL-8 and IL-10. The results show no significant differences in the levels of IL-6 in either group. It also seems that the post exercise increase in the levels of circulating cytokines is not due to the muscle damage, in spite of the increase in CK indicating that the increase of cytokines after AR is probably because of their anti-inflammatory effects