Wearing a face mask has only 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 conducted 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 a mask, they say none of their results indicate any health risk. This suggests that the masks can be used safely during intense exercise, for example, to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 among people who visit a covered gym.
The study was carried out by a team of researchers including Dr. Elisabetta Salvioni from Centro Cardiologico Monzino, IRCCS, Milan, Italy, and Dr. Massimo Mapelli and Professor Piergiuseppe Agostoni from Centro Cardiologico Monzino and the University of Milan.
Dr. Salvioni said: “We know that the main route of transmission of the coronavirus is through droplets in the breath and it is possible that breathing harder during exercise facilitates 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 the masks are safe for use during vigorous exercise. “
To answer this question, the researchers worked with a group of healthy volunteers made up of six women and six men with an average age of 40 years. Each person participated in three rounds of exercise tests: once without a face mask, once with a surgical mask (blue single-use mask) and once using a ‘filter facepiece 2’ or FFP2 mask (white single-use mask that believed to offer slightly better protection than a surgical mask).
While the volunteers used an exercise bike, the researchers measured their breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and blood oxygen levels.
The test results showed that the use of a face mask had a small effect on the volunteers. For example, there was an average reduction of about ten percent in their ability to perform aerobic exercise (according to their ‘peak VO2’, which is a measure of their highest possible oxygen consumption).
The results also indicate that this reduction was probably caused by the fact that it was a little more difficult for the volunteers to inhale and exhale through the masks.
Dr. Mapelli said: “This reduction is modest and, fundamentally, does not suggest a risk for healthy people who exercise with a face mask, even when they are working at their maximum capacity. While we expect more people to be vaccinated against COIVD – 19, this discovery may have practical implications for daily life, for example, making it potentially safer to open internal gyms.
“However, we should not assume that the same is true for people with heart or lung problems. We need to do more research to investigate this issue.”
The team is now studying the impact of wearing a face mask during daily activities, such as climbing stairs or doing housework, on healthy people with heart or lung problems.
Professor Agostoni added: “COVID-19 hit our region and our hospital hard, with devastating effects on a personal, professional and organizational level. Despite this, this was one of many studies carried out with enthusiasm by our young researchers.
“We are particularly proud of this work because it started 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 chairman of the Group on Clinical Respiratory Physiology, Exercise and Functional Imaging at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) and was not involved 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 masks have a role to play and we are getting used to wearing masks in public spaces like stores, trains and buses.
“While these results are preliminary and need to be confirmed with larger groups of people, they seem to suggest that masks can also be used safely for indoor sports and physical activities, with a tolerable impact on performance.”
###
Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of the press releases posted on EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.