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

Figure 1. Fitting of the sham (A) and regular (B) masks (photo use by permission).

Figure 2. Simulated hockey period; RPE = rating of perceived exertion; HR = heart rate; SpO2 = atrial oxygen saturation.

Figure 3. Change in average power during repeated Wingate tests for mask and sham conditions. There were no differences between conditions. There was a time main effect (p < 0.001) with Wingate 2 < Wingate 1. Values are means and error bars are SD.

Figure 4. Change in peak power during repeated Wingate tests for mask and sham conditions. There were no differences between conditions. There was a time main effect (p < 0.001) with Wingate 2 < Wingate 1. Values are means and error bars are SD.

Figure 5. Skating distance during the maximal Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery on-ice test. There was no difference between the mask and sham conditions. Values are means and error bars are SD.

Figure 6. Heart rate during each simulated hockey shift. There were no differences between mask and sham conditions. There was a time main effect (p < 0.01) with heart rate higher after the seventh shift (i.e., the repeated Wingate tests) compared to all other shifts. Values are means and error bars are SD.

Figure 7. Arterial oxygen saturation during each simulated hockey shift. There were no differences between mask and sham conditions. There was a time main effect (p < 0.01) with oxygen saturation lower after the seventh shift (i.e., the repeated Wingate tests) compared to all other shifts. Values are means and error bars are SD.

Figure 8. Tissue oxygenation index for females (A) and males (B). There was a sex × mask × time interaction (p < 0.01). LSD post hoc testing: ** Tissue oxygenation index was lower during the mask compared to the sham condition after shift 7 for females (p < 0.01). * Tissue oxygenation index was lower during the mask compared to the sham condition during shifts 1–6 for males (p < 0.05). Values are means and error bars are SD.

Figure 9. Rating of perceived exertion for females (A) and males (B). There was a sex × mask × time interaction (p < 0.01). LSD post hoc testing: * Rating of perceived exertion was higher during the mask compared to the sham condition during shifts 5–7 for females (p < 0.05). There were no differences between mask and sham conditions for males. Values are means and error bars are SD.