Abstract
Wearing face masks is recommended for the prevention of contracting or exposing others to cardiorespiratory infections, such as COVID-19. Controversy exists on whether wearing face masks during vigorous exercise affects performance. We used a randomized, counterbalanced cross-over design to evaluate the effects of wearing a surgical mask, a cloth mask, or no mask in 14 participants (7 men and 7 women; 28.2 ± 8.7 y) during a cycle ergometry test to exhaustion. Arterial oxygen saturation (pulse oximetry) and tissue oxygenation index (indicator of hemoglobin saturation/desaturation) at vastus lateralis (near-infrared spectroscopy) were assessed throughout the exercise tests. Wearing face masks had no effect on performance (time to exhaustion (mean ± SD): no mask 622 ± 141 s, surgical mask 657 ± 158 s, cloth mask 637 ± 153 s (p = 0.20); peak power: no mask 234 ± 56 W, surgical mask 241 ± 57 W, cloth mask 241 ± 51 W (p = 0.49)). When expressed relative to peak exercise performance, no differences were evident between wearing or not wearing a mask for arterial oxygen saturation, tissue oxygenation index, rating of perceived exertion, or heart rate at any time during the exercise tests. Wearing a face mask during vigorous exercise had no discernable detrimental effect on blood or muscle oxygenation, and exercise performance in young, healthy participants (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04557605).
Highlights
The coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has created serious challenges to global health, for which face mask use is recommended as a mitigation strategy [1]
Social distancing is recommended in the absence of face masks and a “two-meter rule” is generally recommended; this distance might need to be increased during vigorous exercise, where respiratory droplets may travel further during high rates of forceful respiration [5]
This study used a randomized counterbalanced cross-over design where 14 participants (7 men: age 26.1 ± 5.8 years, mass 86 ± 12 kg, height 180 ± 5 cm, and 7 women: age 30.3 ± 10.9 years, mass 77 ± 17 kg, height 167 ± 5 cm), who participated in 288 ± 197 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week, were randomized to perform a progressive cycle ergometer exercise test to exhaustion while wearing a cloth face mask, a disposable surgical face mask, or no mask on three separate occasions, with at least 48 h separating conditions
Summary
The coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has created serious challenges to global health, for which face mask use is recommended as a mitigation strategy [1]. Evidence exists that the use of face masks prevents contracting and transmitting COVID-19 [2,3,4]. Social distancing is recommended in the absence of face masks and a “two-meter rule” is generally recommended; this distance might need to be increased during vigorous exercise, where respiratory droplets may travel further during high rates of forceful respiration [5]. Wearing face masks during vigorous exercise might, be important for the prevention of spread of infectious respiratory droplets; the ability to exercise vigorously while wearing a face mask is a concern [6].
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