The easing of lockdown rules will undoubtedly be leaving many business owners breathing a sigh of relief. For the fitness industry, however, there are several complications which need to be addressed before customers can use them safely. One major concern is the issue of masks when exercising.
The issue of face masks
There is still a degree of controversy over the effectiveness of face masks (with Donald Trump famously refusing to wear one). The UK government, however, has made it clear that mask-wearing is going to form a key part of its strategy for moving on from COVID19. This means that most people are going to end up wearing one, at least some of the time, regardless of their personal opinion on the matter.
Understanding face masks
There are three main types of face mask. Respirators (N95 masks) have filters which can process up to 95% of airborne particles. Although they are most associated with the construction industry, they are also very effective at stopping viruses, when used properly. This is why they are used for some medical purposes, such as treating patients with tuberculosis.
The problem with respirators is that they only work if they are fitted to form a tight seal with the face. Furthermore, men have to be cleanly shaven so the face mask sits right against the skin. They are also expensive and cumbersome.
Putting all this together means that, although N95 masks could, theoretically, be a great option for stopping the Coronavirus, in reality, they are probably not practical for mainstream use.
Plastic face masks are commonly used in medical environments, but not all plastic face masks are surgical-grade. In fact, the ones commonly sold at standard retailers are highly unlikely to have the fine-mesh interior needed to trap tiny organisms such as viruses.
Proper surgical masks also need to be put on correctly to work properly. It is, however, possible to use them with facial hair. Regular plastic masks can be worn however the individual likes as long as the nose and mouth are covered.
With plastic masks, the real value is in the fact that they act as a barrier between a person’s nose and mouth and the outer world. This means both that the user cannot spray other people with their germs and that they are protected from inhaling other people’s germs. Unlike respirators, however, plastic masks do not protect the eyes. In a surgical environment, people wear eye-coverings.
Cloth face masks are increasingly referred to as “fashion face-masks”. They serve much the same purpose as plastic face masks, but are intended to be washed and re-worn rather than either disposed of or wiped clean and worn again. The best cloth face masks have multiple layers to provide more of a barrier. Even so, the fact that they are cloth rather than plastic can make them much more comfortable to wear.
Face masks and exercise
This is where life can get complicated, especially for gyms which wish to reopen. The problem is that any face mask, no matter what kind, obstructs breathing to some extent. It impedes the flow of oxygen to our noses and mouths (and hence our lungs) and also makes it harder to release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This is exactly why it is standard advice for people with breathing issues to avoid using face masks if possible and to be very careful if they do need them.
For most people, however, using face masks is not really an issue in low-energy situations such as the average business environment or as we’re performing everyday tasks. If, however, we undertake aerobic exercise, such as cardio, then our need for oxygen increases as does our need to release carbon dioxide.
It may, therefore, be that, for the time being at least, gyms will need to stick to low-cardio exercises and possibly make arrangements for people to take regular breaks in areas where they can remove their masks.
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