In the first of a series of scientific reviews, courtesy of the IBFI’s scientific subcommittee, Glasgow-based fitter Nuno Gama summarises research looking at the cardiopulmonary impact of wearing surgical and N95 masks during exercise.
T
he use of face masks to limit or stop
FFP2/N95 mask. The study involved 12 male
indirect pathogenic transmission of
volunteers (age 38.1; SD = 6.2 years) with a BMI
the coronavirus disease 2019
of 24.5 (highest normal; SD of 2kg/m2), recruited
(COVID-19) is perhaps one of the most
from the medical staff at the Leipzig University
controversial topics in the sports performance
Hospital. Cardiac output, stroke volume, heart
scene of current times. With most governments
rate, VO2max and spirometry data (see digram,
adopting compulsory mask usage policies, there
below) were collected continuously at rest, during
is debate emerging whether respiratory capacity
the task and during recovery.
is diminished in healthy, athletic or populations with decreased lung function.
Fikenzer and colleagues (2020) looked at the
Participants completed three ramp tests to exhaustion (with 48h between tests, each one corresponding to a mask condition, randomised
differences in cardiopulmonary exercise capacity
prior to testing) but were not blinded to the type of
between three mask conditions: no
mask. The stepwise protocol consisted of a 50W
mask, disposable surgical mask and disposable
increments with the duration of 3 minutes and an
Tidal volume - amount of air breathed during normal respiration Inspiratory reserve volume - amount of air inhaled above tidal volume during a deep breath Expiratory reserve volume - amount of air exhaled below tidal volume during forceful breath out Residual volume - amount of air left in the lungs after max exhalation Vital capacity - the most amount of air in a max exhalation after a max inhalation Inspiratory capacity - total volume that can be inspired after the end of a normal breath cycle at rest Functional residual capacity - volume of air left in the lungs at the end of a passive respiration at rest
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash
Cycling through Covid: Do face masks affect exercise capacity?
