Facial masks can be worn safely during intense exercise and could reduce the risk of spreading Covid-19 to indoor gyms, preliminary results suggest.
Scientists at the Monzino Center for Cardiology (CCM) in Milan and the University of Milan tested the breathing rate, heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels of six women and men on exercise bikes, with and without a mask.
Wearing a face mask reduced participants’ ability to exercise vigorously by about 10%, probably because it was slightly harder for them to breathe through a mask, according to the article published in the European Respiratory Journal.
“This reduction is modest and essentially does not suggest a risk for healthy people exercising with a face mask, even when working at full capacity,” said Dr. Massimo Mapelli, a cardiologist at CCM. “While we are waiting for more people to be vaccinated against Covid-19, this finding could have practical implications for everyday life, for example, it could make the opening of indoor gyms safer.”
More research needs to be done to see if the same would be true for people with heart or lung disease, scientists say.
The volunteers, composed of healthy people, with an average age of 40 years, did three rounds of exercises. One without a face mask, another with a disposable surgical mask and the last with an FFP2 mask. The thicker FFP2 mask resulted in a 10% reduction in maximum oxygen absorption, and the surgical mask had a smaller marginal impact, the researchers say.
Researchers are investigating whether wearing a face mask affects people’s ability to perform daily activities, such as housework or climbing stairs, examining healthy people, as well as those with heart and lung disease.
Prof. Sam Bayat, a physiologist at the University of Grenoble Hospital who was not involved in the research, said: “Although these results are preliminary and need to be confirmed with larger groups of people, they seem to suggest that face masks can be worn. and safe. for indoor sports and fitness activities, with a tolerable impact on performance. ”
Gyms and other indoor fitness facilities are set to reopen in England after April 12. Current guidelines state that people should not wear a face covering during exercise, but should do so at other times when using indoor recreational facilities. The government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport declined to comment on the Italian study.
A spokesman for UK Active, which represents gyms and leisure centers, said the study was “limited” and that much more research was needed before informing the practice. Meanwhile, “people should continue to follow the instructions of the World Health Organization, which recommends not wearing a face mask during exercise,” the spokesman said.
“Gymnasiums in the UK will be reopened safely based on safety measures already in place by Sage, which focuses on social distancing, sanitation and ventilation – allowing visitors to return with confidence.”