Aging & Sports

Abstract

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to severe restrictions and strict behavioral rules for daily life. To minimize the risk of infection, the wearing of facemasks is recommended in public areas, as well as in sports. Many people find this annoying or obstructive.The purpose of this study was to investigate the physiological effects of wearing a facemask during endurance exercise. A total of 16 male and 22 female subjects each completed two endurance runs of 15 minutes each, once with and once without a facemask, at the same speed. Heart rate and oxygen saturation were measured at the beginning and at the end of the two efforts and a classification of perceived exertion according to Borg was performed.Heart rate and Borg classification were significantly higher at the end of the exercise with mask (HR without mask: 151.4 17.7 bpm; HR with mask: 156.4 17.4 bpm; p = 0.009; Borg with mask: 12.9 1.8; Borg without mask: 14.9 1.6; p < 0.001). In contrast, the oxygen saturation shows no significant difference (SaO2 without mask: 96.9 1.4 %; SaO2 with mask: 96.9 1.3%; p = 0.814).The results suggest that wearing a facemask during steady-state exercise primarily has a negative effect on the subjective perception of exertion, and slightly on the heart rate. Despite the mask, however, the body is able to ensure uniform oxygen saturation in the blood. Key Words: Mouth-Nose-Covering, Perception of Exertion, COVID-19 Pandemic, Respiration