Wearing a protective mask only has a modest effect on the ability of healthy people to exercise vigorously, according to a study published today (Monday) in European Respiratory Journal [1].
The researchers performed detailed tests of breathing, cardiac activity, and physical performance in a group of 12 people while using an exercise bike with and without a mask.
Although they found differences in some measures between wearing a mask and not wearing it, they say none of their results indicate any health risks. This suggests that masks could be used safely during intense exercise, for example to reduce COVID-19 transmission among people visiting an indoor gym.
The study was conducted by a team of researchers, including Dr. Elisabetta Salvioni of the Centro Cardiologico Monzino, IRCCS, Milan, Italy, and Dr. Massimo Mapelli and Professor Piergiuseppe Agostoni of the Centro Cardiologico Monzino and the University of Milan.
Dr Salvioni said: “We know that the main route of coronavirus transmission is through drops in respiration and it is possible that breathing harder during exercise may facilitate transmission, especially indoors. Research suggests that wearing a mask can help prevent the spread of the disease, but there is no clear evidence on whether masks are safe to wear during vigorous exercise. “
To address this issue, the researchers worked with a group of healthy volunteers consisting of six women and six men with a mean age of 40 years. Each person participated in three rounds of exercise tests: once without wearing a face mask, once wearing a surgical mask (blue, disposable mask) and once wearing a “filtering 2” or FFP2 mask. (Disposable white mask that is believed to offer slightly better protection than a surgical mask)
While the volunteers used an exercise bike, the researchers measured breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen levels.
Test results showed that wearing a face mask had a small effect on volunteers. For example, there was an average reduction of about ten percent in your ability to do aerobic exercise (according to your “peak VO2,” which is a measure of your greatest possible oxygen uptake).
The results also indicate that this reduction was probably caused by the difficulty for volunteers to breathe in and out through the masks.
Dr. Mapelli said: “This reduction is modest and basically does not suggest a risk for healthy people exercising with a face mask, even when working at full capacity. While we expect more people to be vaccinated against COIVD – 19, this finding could have practical implications for daily life, for example, making it safer to open indoor gyms.
“However, we should not assume that the same goes for people with a heart or lung condition. We need to do more research to investigate this issue.”
The team is now studying the impact of wearing a face mask while performing daily activities, such as climbing stairs or doing household chores, on healthy people with heart or lung disease.
Professor Agostoni added: “COVID-19 has affected both our region and our hospital, with devastating effects on a personal, professional and organizational level. Despite this, this was one of many studies conducted enthusiastically by our young researchers.
“We are particularly proud of this work because it began spontaneously during our free time in the depressing period of the current pandemic and our findings demonstrate the need for clinical research, even during an emergency.”
Professor Sam Bayat of the University Hospital of Grenoble, France, is the chair of the Clinical Respiratory Physiology, Exercise and Functional Imaging Group of the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and did not participate in the research. He said: “There are still gaps in our knowledge on how to limit the spread of COVID-19, but we believe that face masks have a role to play and we are getting used to wearing face masks in public spaces like shops, trains and buses. .
“While these results are preliminary and need to be confirmed with larger groups of people, they seem to suggest that face masks can also be used safely for indoor sports and fitness activities, with a tolerable impact. in performance “.
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