Finally, wearing a mask while playing sports would not harm our body

Is it really necessary to wear a mask during exercise? Wouldn’t covering our nose and mouth interfere with breathing when we are already making more effort than usual to draw air into our lungs? These are legitimate questions that many people, including scientists and health authorities, are asking.

According to the WHO, because masks can reduce our ability to breathe comfortably, they should not be worn during physical activity. However, as the risk of transmission increases, it should or should not be worn during sports practice.

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To see this a little more clearly, Susan Hopkins of the University of California at San Diego and her colleagues conducted a study to evaluate the effects of masks on the cardiorespiratory response during a sporting activity. Their findings were recently published in the journal Annals of the American Thoracic Society.

What happens during physical activity when wearing a mask

Hopkins and his colleagues then reviewed all the scientific literature dealing with the effects of all types of masks on cardiorespiratory activity during physical exertion.

According to them, it is possible to perceive a more intense respiratory effort. However, the effects on physiological parameters such as oxygen and CO₂ in the blood they are minimal, even undetectable.

The masks also cause very small increases in respiratory resistance, but above all sensory discomfort such as a feeling of shortness of breath, a warmer and more sweaty face. But concretely, wearing a mask during physical activities will have almost no impact on cardiorespiratory function in healthy people.

No danger in wearing a mask while playing sports

According to these researchers, the evidence gathered suggests that wearing a mask during sports has no impact on our respiratory system and therefore would not harm our body. It will only cause a feeling of discomfort, especially for people who are not used to it.

However, due to the increased risk of suffering from exertional dyspnea, people prone to cardio-pulmonary pathology tomb are an exception and perhaps should be exempted from wearing a mask during exercise.