ArticlePloS one2021
Effects of wearing facemasks on the sensation of exertional dyspnea and exercise capacity in healthy subjects.
Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effects of Wearing a Mask During Exercise on Physiological and Psychological Outcomes in Healthy Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2023Pooled it
- Facial mask acute effects on affective/psychological and exercise performance responses during exercise: A meta-analytical review.Frontiers in physiology · 2022Pooled it
- The pandemic legacy face mask: hidden barrier or insignificant factor in exercise performance?: A randomized crossover trial.Medicine · 2026Trial
- Effect of face masks on dyspnea perception, cardiopulmonary parameters, and facial temperature in healthy adults.Narra J · 2024Trial
- Tolerability of facemask during physical exercises during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review.Journal of public health in Africa · 2025Review
- The mask paradox between perception of discomfort and reality of physiological effects in healthy college students in China: a panel study.BMC public health · 2024Article
- The effects of wearing face masks on the perception and mood of male healthy male adults during treadmill running: A pilot study.Physiological reports · 2024Article
- Effects of no mask, a surgical mask and a fabric buff on peripheral oxygenation saturation during moderate intensity exercise: a randomised cross-over study.Journal of thoracic disease · 2024Article
- Influence of an Exercise-Specific Face Mask on Physiological and Perceptual Responses to Graded Exercise.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2024Article
- Sports despite masks: no negative effects of FFP2 face masks on cardiopulmonary exercise capacity in children.European journal of pediatrics · 2024Article
- Article
- Volatile sulfide compounds and oral microorganisms on the inner surface of masks in individuals with halitosis during COVID-19 pandemic.Scientific reports · 2023Article
- Effects of cloth face masks on physical and cognitive performance during maximal exercise testing.Proceedings (Baylor University. Medical Center) · 2023Article
- Impact of Post-Covid-19 on driver behaviour: A perspective towards pandemic-sustained transportation.Journal of transport & health · 2023Review
- Oral microbiome of the inner surface of face masks and whole saliva during the COVID-19 pandemic.Frontiers in oral health · 2023Article
- Effect of Wearing Surgical Face Masks During Exercise: Does Intensity Matter?Frontiers in physiology · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Due to the currently ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is strongly recommended to wear facemasks to minimize transmission risk. Wearing a facemask may have the potential to increase dyspnea and worsen cardiopulmonary parameters during exercise; however, research-based evidence is lacking. We investigated the hypothesis that wearing facemasks affects the sensation of dyspnea, pulse rate, and percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation during exercise. Healthy adults (15 men, 9 women) underwent a progressive treadmill test under 3 conditions in randomized order: wearing a surgical facemask, cloth facemask, or no facemask. Experiment was carried out once daily under each condition, for a total of 3 days. Each subject first sat on a chair for 30 minutes, then walked on a treadmill according to a Bruce protocol that was modified by us. The experiment was discontinued when the subject's pulse rate exceeded 174 beats/min. After discontinuation, the subject immediately sat on a chair and was allowed to rest for 10 minutes. Subjects were required to rate their levels of dyspnea perception on a numerical scale. Pulse rate and percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation were continuously monitored with a pulse oximeter. These parameters were recorded in each trial every 3 minutes after the start of the exercise; the point of discontinuation; and 5 and 10 minutes after discontinuation. The following findings were obtained. Wearing a facemask does not worsen dyspnea during light to moderate exercise but worsens dyspnea during vigorous exercise. Wearing a cloth facemask increases dyspnea more than wearing a surgical facemask during exercise and increases pulse rate during vigorous exercise, but it does not increase pulse rate during less vigorous exercise. Wearing a surgical facemask does not increase pulse rate at any load level. Lastly, wearing a facemask does not affect percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation during exercise at any load level regardless of facemask type.
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