Exhaustive exercise with high eccentric components induces prothrombotic and hypofibrinolytic responses in boys

It is known that coagulation and fibrinolysis are activated after exercise, and that the response is related to exercise intensity. The contribution, however, of eccentric exercise has not yet been investigated. Twenty boys (age 13 years) were randomly assigned to two experimental groups, which had to perform a monopedal stepping exercise until exhaustion. One group had to step up and down (U/D) in the same rhythm of one second each, while the other group (U/DD) had to step up during one second and to step down during two seconds, thereby experiencing a higher eccentric load. Blood samples were collected before and at 0, 1, and 24 hrs after exercise, and F VIII, t-PA, PAI-1, and D-dimer were determined as markers for coagulation or fibrinolysis, respectively. While the tendency for hypercoagulability was counterbalanced by fibrinolysis in the U/D group, the U/DD group showed a prothrombotic and hypofibrinolytic hemostatic response. It is assumed that eccentric exercise, beyond the well-known muscle fiber damage, also leads to some damage of the endothelial cells, affecting their capacity to liberate sufficient amounts of fibrinolytic agents.