Wearing a Surgical Face Mask Has Minimal Effect on Performance and Physiological Measures during High-Intensity Exercise in Youth Ice-Hockey Players: A Randomized Cross-Over Trial

Keely A. Shaw, Scotty Butcher, Jong Bum Ko, Abdi Absher, Julianne Gordon, Cody Tkachuk, Gordon A. Zello and Philip D. Chilibeck
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Keely A. Shaw: College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B2, Canada
Scotty Butcher: School of Rehabilitation Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B2, Canada
Jong Bum Ko: College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B2, Canada
Abdi Absher: College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B2, Canada
Julianne Gordon: College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B2, Canada
Cody Tkachuk: Pediatric Physical Therapy, Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B2, Canada
Gordon A. Zello: College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B2, Canada
Philip D. Chilibeck: College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5B2, Canada

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 20, 1-12

Abstract: COVID-19 transmission is prevalent during ice-hockey; however, it is unknown whether wearing face masks as a mitigation strategy affects hockey players’ performance. We used a randomized cross-over study to compare wearing a surgical mask to a sham mask (control) in youth hockey players (21 males, 5 females, 11.7 ± 1.6 y) during a simulated hockey period (cycle ergometry; six shifts of 20 s of “easy” pedaling (40% peak power), 10 s of “hard” pedaling (95% peak power), 20 s of “easy” pedaling, with shifts separated by 5 min rests). A seventh shift involved two 20 s Wingate tests separated by 40 s rest. Heart rate, arterial oxygen saturation and vastus lateralis tissue oxygenation index (hemoglobin saturation/desaturation) was assessed each shift. On-ice testing was conducted with the maximal Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test. No differences between mask and control conditions for performance were found (Wingate average power: 245 ± 93 vs. 237 ± 93 W, Peak power: 314 ± 116 vs. 304 ± 115 W, on-ice distance: 274 ± 116 vs. 274 ± 110 m) and for heart rate or arterial oxygen saturation during simulated hockey shifts. Tissue oxygenation index was lower from shifts one to six for males ( p < 0.05) and shift seven for females ( p < 0.01) while wearing a mask. Wearing a face mask had no effect on performance in hockey players with only minor effects on muscle oxygenation. ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04874766) (accessed on 6 May 2021).

Keywords: physical activity; coronavirus; pulse oximetry; near-infrared spectroscopy; COVID-19; pandemic; performance; surgical mask (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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