Contribution of physical training for relief of heat stress during exercise while wearing mask due to aerobic capacity improvement
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, mask wearing in public places has been recommended. Information regarding the impact of wearing a mask on thermoregulation is essential, especially during exercise or hard physical labor. While well-trained athletes who perform intense physical training can acquire heat acclimatization and adapt well to thermoregulatory responses, there are no known reports regarding how mask wearing affects body temperature fluctuations during exercise. For the present study, core body temperature (CBT) changes while wearing a surgical mask (SM) during exercise (TCBT) were analyzed in nine female university softball players. Ergometer exercise was performed with (mask group) and without (control) an SM for 30 minutes at 60 W under a non-hot condition, determined based on wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT). Measurements to determine TCBT, mean skin temperature (TMST), heart rate (HR), and humidity in the perioral region of the face (%RH) were performed. Increased values for each of the markers were noted during exercise, though the differences between the mask and control groups were not significant. Furthermore, HR reserve (%HRR), derived as load intensity during exercise, was also not different between the groups. All subjects completed each experimental protocol without pain or discomfort. It was found that wearing an SM during mild exercise did not change %HRR, an index of exercise intensity, nor contribute to increased TCBT under non-heated conditions in the present well-trained subjects. Therefore, exercise training may contribute to reduce the risk of increased CBT associated with mask wearing by improving aerobic capacity. Additional investigations will be necessary using methods that adequately control for confounding factors that may have an influence on thermoregulation, such as age, exercise method and intensity, and ambient condition.
Language: English
Subfield: Physiology (medical)
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7164090969