The Effect of Surgical Mask Use on Respiratory Functions of Healthcare Professionals at Different Physical Activity Levels
Sertaç Yakal
, Şensu Dinçer, Sergen Devran, Aysun Ertuna, Bülent Bayraktar
Department of Sports Medicine, İstanbul University, İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Türkiye
Keywords: Oxygen saturation; physical activity; pulmonary function test; surgical mask.
Abstract
Objectives: We aimed to show the effect of surgical mask use on pulmonary functions in healthy healthcare workers at different physical activity levels.
Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study included healthy and active sports physicians and sports physiotherapists. Participants were subjected to respiratory function tests and arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2 ) measurements at rest and after the non-inclined treadmill activities at constant speeds of 3 km/h and 6.5 km/h with a surgical mask.
Results: SpO2 measurements taken immediately after the participants’ physical activities at a speed of 6.5 km/h were significantly lower than the basal SpO2 measurements (p=0.045) as well as 1st second of forced expiration (FEV1 )/forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV1 /FVC% in pulmonary function test measurements were significantly higher than baseline measurements (p=0.005; p=0.012, respectively). The flow velocity value in the last quarter of the forced expiration (FEF75) and its percentile were (FEF%75) found to be significantly higher than the measurements taken at rest after walking at 6.5 km/h (p=0.005 vs. p=0.004, respectively). The differences between the ERV values obtained after the participants’ physical activities at two speeds (3 km/h vs. 6.5 km/h) were significant (p=0.045).
Conclusion: Using surgical masks by health workers while performing their low-moderate occupational activities may cause changes in respiratory parameters due to the microenvironment formed in the mask and increased respiratory resistance.
Cite This Article: Yakal S, Dinçer Ş, Devran S, Ertuna A, Bayraktar B. The Effect of Surgical Mask Use on Respiratory Functions of Healthcare Professionals at Different Physical Activity Levels. Koşuyolu Heart J 2024;27(3):103–107
The study was approved by the İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine Ethics Committee (no: E-29624016-050.99- 206319, date: 18/05/2021).
Externally peer-reviewed.
Concept – S.Y., Ş.D., B.B.; Design – A.E., S.D.; Supervision – S.Y., B.B.; Funding – B.B.; Materials – A.E., S.D.; Data collection and/or processing – S.Y., Ş.D., S.D.; Data analysis and/or interpretation – S.Y., S.D.; Literature search – A.E., Ş.D.; Writing – S.Y., A.E.; Critical review – Ş.D., B.B.
All authors declared no conflict of interest.
No AI technologies utilized.
The authors declared that this study received no financial support.