He mandatory use of the mask It is increasingly spread throughout the world. However, practicing sport exempts us from that obligation. Thus, it is up to each athlete to choose whether or not to wear this facial protection against the coronavirus. Many of those who do not wear it claim that they get wet with sweat or make it difficult to breathe. But Can masks really affect sports performance?
Antonio Montoya-Vieco, doctor of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, doctor Darío San Miguel and coach Nacho Martínez got together to find answers. To find out if the use of the mask was harmful when exercising, they carried out an investigation that consisted of a series of physical tests for three days six runners, three men and three women, with different physical conditions. Some They wore masks provided by the company 42k running, model 42K 3D-SPORT, and others were not.
The study focused on this type of mask because, according to providers, it is hygienic and reusable, in addition to being designed to promote maximum breathability, ergonomics and comfort during physical activity. Data on heart rate, blood lactate levels (indicator of fatigue), partial oxygen saturation, and perceived exertion (a subjective variable) were recorded.
???? 42K 3D-SPORT sports mask from #42krunning.
Water-repellent fabric. Endorsed for sports use by the Sports Health Unit of the VITHAS Valencia Hospital October 9.
Remember … “my mask protects you, your mask protects me”. pic.twitter.com/Zxt4Kj7329
— 42k Running (@42kRunning) June 18, 2020
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Your safety was confirmed
The test results revealed a slight growth of between 0% and 2% in partial oxygen saturation, between 3 and 9 beats in the heart rate, between 0 and 1.7 millimoles of lactate and one point in the perceived effort. This means that experience changes very little. None of the increases is so significant as to be worrisome, so it is ensured that wearing a mask while doing sports is safe.
For their part, effort levels perceived increased between 13% and 50%. “The greater the numerical value, the effort made by the athlete is interpreted to be greater. If the mask is not comfortable, it is possible that the person realizes that they breathe worse and that this affects their performance ”, he explains in The country.
On the opposite side to those who are against the mask, there are those who claim that its use could even make athletes stronger. Recently some social network users have indicated that, by making it difficult to breathe, they could strengthen respiratory muscles, something that the physical trainer doubts: “I do not consider that a sports mask, let alone the one used in this study, after knowing its results, serves to strengthen the training of the respiratory muscles. If so, athletes would have started using it before COVID-19”.
What masks are best for sports?
It has become clear that the use of the mask for sports is safe. However, we must choose the most appropriate so that it does not affect our performance. It is not enough that they are sports brands, but must contain certain characteristics.
The main thing is to strike a balance between self-protection through approved filters, a good fit, breathability and possibility of reuse after washing at 60º. The mask of the Spanish brand IdawenFor example, it achieves this thanks to a technical neoprene and ultra-light elastic fabric two millimeters thick, with 3D polyester mesh and elastic mesh, according to its co-founder, Lara Harranz. In addition, these masks avoid the feeling of suffocation incorporating “two exhalation valves that are placed on the filter and allow the expulsion of CO2 and moisture.”
On the other hand there is the 226ers company, who manufactures his Hydrazero mask with a 96% filtration According to the UNE-EN 149: 2001 + A1-2010 standard, it is liquid repellent. Instead those of the BUFF company they get a “filtering efficiency (BFE) of 98% and breathability <40 Pa / cm2, so we offer the same quality as surgical masks (UNE EN 14683) and much higher than UNE EN 0065 of conventional reusable hygienic masks ”, as detailed by Danae Malet, product manager of brand. Finally, Decathlon he also made his own mask, which complies with the UNE065 / 2020 specification, with acceptable breathability (differential pressure <60 Pa / cm2) and resistant to up to 500 washes.
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