Response and adaptations of cardiac autonomic system to the 2 weeks of weight based MIIT with respiratory mask: Effectiveness of the surgical and N95 respiratory masks during Covid-19 pandemic

Some evidence suggests that vigorous physical activity with a mask may potentially increase cardiac workload.The aim of the current research is to investigate the effect of 2 weeks of moderate-intensity training group with a face mask on the physiological responses of the cardiac autonomic system.In this practical and semi-experimental research, eighteen female volunteers were randomly were divided to two groups of MIIT with N95 masks and surgery masks.A control group of MIIT without mask was assigned. The MIIT with N95 mask and the MIIT group with surgical mask performed the weight-based interval training protocol while wearing N95 or surgical masks for two weeks.The MIIT group without mask also performed the same exercises without wearing a mask. CAS indices were evaluated using an electrocardiogram device and kubios software at rest and following the submaximal protocol before and after the 2-week MIIT intervention, and statistical analyzes were performed using SPSS software 25 version at the level Significance was done. Based on the Kolmogorov Smirnov test, parametric statistical methods including one-way ANOVA in repeated measurements were used to investigate the effect of submaximal running on a treadmill with two types of masks before and after two weeks of MIIT training. According to the two-way analysis of variance test, there was a non-significant decrease in R-R, RMSSD, SDNN, SD1 and SD2 values and a non-significant increase in the ratio of low frequency ,and the ratio of low frequency/high frequency in the subsequent N95, SURGICAL and NO-MASK groups. According to two-way analysis of variance test, insignificant decrease in R-R, RMSSD, SDNN, SD1 and SD2 values and insignificant increase in low frequency ratio ,and low frequency/high frequency ratio , in groups N95, SURGICAL and NO-MASK was observed following the submaximal protocol.Compared to the MIIT + Nomask group, two weeks of MIIT with mask improved the R-R, SD1 and SD2 values in response to the submaximal protocol, especially in the MIIT + SUR group There was no difference between N95 and SURGICAL groups.The findings of the present study showed that the tolerance of the cardiac autonomic system of healthy women to the sports stress protocol following two weeks of moderate intensity training with a mask, with more significant results in the group of moderate intensity training with a surgical mask.According to the results, healthy women can use a face mask during moderate-intensity exercise during the Covid-19 pandemic without worrying about possible harmful effects on the cardiovascular system.