Effects of laboratory versus field exercise on leukocyte subsets and cell adhesion molecule expression in children

In adults, exercise is a powerful and natural stimulator of immune cells and adhesion molecules. Far less is known about these exercise responses during childhood and whether or not exercise in real-life activities of healthy children might influence immune responses. We compared laboratory exercise (10 x 2 min periods of heavy, constant intensity, cycle ergcometer exercise with 1 min rests between exercise in nine subjects, aged 9-15 years) with field exercise (90 min soccer practice in nine different subjects, aged 9-11 years). Blood was sampled before both protocols, 5 min after the 30 min laboratory protocol, and 10-15 min after the 90 min field protocol. Both field and laboratory exercise protocols led to significant (P