Cardiovascular Parameters in Women Following 2 Weeks of Functional Interval Training with Various Intensities with or without Respiratory Mask: Evaluation of Response and Adaptations during Covid-19 Pandemic

The World Health Organization recommends wearing facemasks in public. Some have reported detrimental concern that these may affect the cardiovascular (CV) system during physical activity. The current study aims to evaluate the effect of two weeks of high- (HIIT) or moderate-intensity interval training (MIIT) with respiratory masks on women’s CV function. Thirty six healthy female volunteers were randomly divided into 6 groups (age; 25-45 years and BMI; 23 kg/m2) including: HIIT with N95 (HIIT-N95 mask), and surgical (HIIT-SUR mask) masks, MIIT with N95 (MIIT-N95 mask), and surgical (MIIT-SUR mask) masks, and HIIT (Nomask + HIIT) or MIIT (Nomask + MIIT) without masks groups. Three-weekly HIIT (2-4 bouts of 20-60 second intervals at 80–90% and or 60-70% of HRmax, interspersed by 4 min at 65% HRmax), MIIT (4 bouts of 4 min intervals at 55–75 HRmax, interspersed by 15-60 seconds between intervals) was performed for 2 weeks. Cardiovascular parameters were devalued by ECG and Oximeter pulse systems. A bout of the moderate and high intensity running on treadmill, while women wearing surgical and in particular, N95 face masks, causes significant transiently increase in HR, SBP, rate pressure product (RPP) and insignificant change in SPo2% at first and after two weeks of HIIT and MIIT, as compared to control group. Two weeks of HIIT led to greater improvement in exhaustion time and VO2max on treadmill and insignificant reduction in resting cardiovascular parameters, when compared to MIIT groups. In healthy women, wearing respiratory masks during exercise is safe, and associated with only temporary changes of cardiovascular parameters. Overall, performing two weeks of HIIT with respiratory masks improved performance, and wearing respiratory masks during exercise training was safe in healthy women and was associated with only transient changes in CV parameters.