Skip to main content

Post-Exercise Inflammatory Response

Meaning

The Post-Exercise Inflammatory Response is the acute, transient cascade of immune and cellular events that occurs immediately following a bout of physical activity, particularly intense or unaccustomed exercise, designed to initiate tissue repair and adaptation. This biological process is characterized by the localized release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and acute-phase proteins from damaged muscle fibers and immune cells. While essential for muscle remodeling and growth, an excessive or prolonged response can lead to delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and systemic overtraining syndrome. Clinically managing this response is key to optimizing recovery and training adaptation.