Effect of Surgical Mask use on Peak Physical Performance During Exercise Treadmill Testing-A Real World, Crossover Study
Background: Mask wearing is an essential strategy to combat the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Some individuals may wear masks during physical activity to reduce disease transmission. This study aimed to investigate the real-world effect of wearing a surgical face mask on physiological parameters at peak exe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.913974/full |
| _version_ | 1811255784060747776 |
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| author | Mayank Dalakoti Cheryl Long Arshia Bains Andie Djohan Isabel Ahmad Siew Pang Chan Jieli Kua Po Fun Chan Tee Joo Yeo |
| author_facet | Mayank Dalakoti Cheryl Long Arshia Bains Andie Djohan Isabel Ahmad Siew Pang Chan Jieli Kua Po Fun Chan Tee Joo Yeo |
| author_sort | Mayank Dalakoti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Mask wearing is an essential strategy to combat the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Some individuals may wear masks during physical activity to reduce disease transmission. This study aimed to investigate the real-world effect of wearing a surgical face mask on physiological parameters at peak exercise in healthy individuals.Methods: In this crossover design study, participants underwent maximal treadmill electrocardiogram exercise tests using the Bruce protocol on two separate occasions, once with a standard 3-ply surgical face mask and once without. Heart rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, rate pressure product, metabolic equivalents (METS) and total exercise time were measured. Subjective rate of perceived exertion was also assessed using the modified Borg Scale.Results: 50 adults (mean age = 31.7 ± 6.5 years; 27 males) completed both treadmill tests. Mask wearing resulted in a significant reduction in peak METS by 1.5 units, maximum speed by 0.5 km/h, exercise time by 68.4 s with a significantly lower peak heart rate by 4.4 bpm, and lower percentage of age-predicted maximum heart rate by 2.5% (p < 0.001 for all parameters). During each corresponding stage of the Bruce protocol, the average modified Borg score was found to be significantly higher in subjects exercising with mask after adjusting for age, gender and body mass index (p < 0.03).Conclusion: In a cohort of healthy individuals, wearing of a surgical face mask during maximal treadmill exercise lead to reduced physical performance and increased rate of perceived exertion. Individuals exercising with surgical masks need to be mindful of these limitations while undergoing physical training in order to differentiate these physiological responses from symptoms of early respiratory illness. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:30:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-818fae0dbf9b4f4d91388a208e16def7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:30:21Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-818fae0dbf9b4f4d91388a208e16def72022-12-22T03:23:09ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2022-05-011310.3389/fphys.2022.913974913974Effect of Surgical Mask use on Peak Physical Performance During Exercise Treadmill Testing-A Real World, Crossover StudyMayank Dalakoti0Cheryl Long1Arshia Bains2Andie Djohan3Isabel Ahmad4Siew Pang Chan5Jieli Kua6Po Fun Chan7Tee Joo Yeo8National University Heart Centre, Singapore, SingaporeYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeNational University Heart Centre, Singapore, SingaporeNational University Heart Centre, Singapore, SingaporeNational University Heart Centre, Singapore, SingaporeYong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeNational University Heart Centre, Singapore, SingaporeNational University Heart Centre, Singapore, SingaporeNational University Heart Centre, Singapore, SingaporeBackground: Mask wearing is an essential strategy to combat the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Some individuals may wear masks during physical activity to reduce disease transmission. This study aimed to investigate the real-world effect of wearing a surgical face mask on physiological parameters at peak exercise in healthy individuals.Methods: In this crossover design study, participants underwent maximal treadmill electrocardiogram exercise tests using the Bruce protocol on two separate occasions, once with a standard 3-ply surgical face mask and once without. Heart rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, rate pressure product, metabolic equivalents (METS) and total exercise time were measured. Subjective rate of perceived exertion was also assessed using the modified Borg Scale.Results: 50 adults (mean age = 31.7 ± 6.5 years; 27 males) completed both treadmill tests. Mask wearing resulted in a significant reduction in peak METS by 1.5 units, maximum speed by 0.5 km/h, exercise time by 68.4 s with a significantly lower peak heart rate by 4.4 bpm, and lower percentage of age-predicted maximum heart rate by 2.5% (p < 0.001 for all parameters). During each corresponding stage of the Bruce protocol, the average modified Borg score was found to be significantly higher in subjects exercising with mask after adjusting for age, gender and body mass index (p < 0.03).Conclusion: In a cohort of healthy individuals, wearing of a surgical face mask during maximal treadmill exercise lead to reduced physical performance and increased rate of perceived exertion. Individuals exercising with surgical masks need to be mindful of these limitations while undergoing physical training in order to differentiate these physiological responses from symptoms of early respiratory illness.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.913974/fullexercise testingphysiological stressCOVID–19surgical maskenvironmental physiology |
| spellingShingle | Mayank Dalakoti Cheryl Long Arshia Bains Andie Djohan Isabel Ahmad Siew Pang Chan Jieli Kua Po Fun Chan Tee Joo Yeo Effect of Surgical Mask use on Peak Physical Performance During Exercise Treadmill Testing-A Real World, Crossover Study Frontiers in Physiology exercise testing physiological stress COVID–19 surgical mask environmental physiology |
| title | Effect of Surgical Mask use on Peak Physical Performance During Exercise Treadmill Testing-A Real World, Crossover Study |
| title_full | Effect of Surgical Mask use on Peak Physical Performance During Exercise Treadmill Testing-A Real World, Crossover Study |
| title_fullStr | Effect of Surgical Mask use on Peak Physical Performance During Exercise Treadmill Testing-A Real World, Crossover Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of Surgical Mask use on Peak Physical Performance During Exercise Treadmill Testing-A Real World, Crossover Study |
| title_short | Effect of Surgical Mask use on Peak Physical Performance During Exercise Treadmill Testing-A Real World, Crossover Study |
| title_sort | effect of surgical mask use on peak physical performance during exercise treadmill testing a real world crossover study |
| topic | exercise testing physiological stress COVID–19 surgical mask environmental physiology |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.913974/full |
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