The leukocytes that are found in skeletal muscles after intense muscular activity have been shown to infiltrate areas of injury in skeletal muscle tissue. We believe that leukocyte enzymes, which appear in the tissue after the degranulation or destruction of leukocytes, could play a role in tissue enzyme activities. Neutrophil proteinases were investigated. Histological data provided evidence of rat muscular tissue infiltration by leukocytes after intense physical loading. To reduce the influx of leukocytes in rat muscles, a rabbit antiserum against rat peritoneal leukocytes was injected into rats after muscle loading. This resulted in a reduction in muscle cytosol proteolytic activity as compared to control animals (who received saline injections). The levels of proteolytic activities of media conditioned by the soleus muscle isolated from antiserum-treated rats were also reduced. These data provide evidence that the increase in proteolytic activity observed in rat skeletal muscles after physical loading is partially induced by neutrophil proteinases.