Covid and gym, a question that still remains open.
Between sectors most penalized from the Coronavirus emergency, in fact, there is undoubtedly that of sport and in particular of gyms and fitness centers, places considered at risk for the spread of the infection not only because closed spaces.
If on the one hand, in fact, while playing sports and therefore also in the gym, it is more difficult to wear the mask, on the other hand, it is true that the wheezing typical of when training could easily increase the number of viral particles emitted into the environment.
But go in gym during the pandemic it really exposes at a greater risk in terms of contagion? And especially, wear the mask during intense physical activity it could be dangerous from the point of view of breathing and therefore of the salute?
These are the two crucial questions to which two scientific studies they tried to give an initial answer, thus providing useful information and, albeit cautious, reassurance also in view of a gradual reopening of fitness centers.
Wearing a mask while playing sports is not dangerous if you are in good health
According to the WHO guidelines l’use of the mask would be to avoid during intense physical activity, as it may reduce the ability to breathe. A recommendation that would actually make it extremely difficult to imagine going back to the gym safely.
But is the mask really dangerous when doing sports?
It was a study done by a team of researchers from the Monzino Cardiology Center, including Professor Piergiuseppe Agostoni, to investigate the possible related effects the use of the mask during sports activities.
The research, published inEuropean Respiratory Journal, was based on the evaluation of cardiorespiratory parameters, at rest and under exertion, of 12 healthy people.
During the study, in fact, the subjects were subjected to three stress tests, respectively without mask, with surgical mask and with Ffp2; alongside these assessments, standard lung function tests were conducted.
The results highlighted how the use of the mask determined a slight decrease in exercise capacity ma no health hazard.
In fact, from the analysis it emerged that the sports performance of the participants was decreased by 10%, due to the greater resistance to air flow given by the mask, but at the same time that the use of the masks had not constituted no risk for the subjects, not even during intense exercise.
Certainly encouraging results even if, as the researchers themselves have pointed out, they must be confirmed by large-scale studies and that anyway refer to healthy people: it cannot be taken for granted that these indications therefore also apply to people with particular heart or lung conditions.
Spread of the virus in the gym: the previous study and the measures to be taken
The first study to examine the spread of the virus in gyms was the one conducted last July, by the epidemiologist of Hawaii Department of Health Sarah K. Kemble.
Assumption of the research, i Covid 19 outbreaks broke out in three sports facilities of Hawaii in a period in which the use of the mask was not required in gyms: the research studied the spread of the virus, examining various variables and was conducted on the basis of responses provided by patient zero, by the participants in the fitness classes and by the staff of the facilities, to standardized questionnaires.
This study also had the merit of underlining the importance of wearing personal protective equipment in sports venues, even during intense physical activity, as a useful measure to ensure, together with others, safety inside gyms.
Although it is difficult to pinpoint the extent to which fitness spaces can contribute to the spread of the virus, according to the study best strategy to make gyms safe would be to take multiple measures at the same time. In addition to the obligation to wear the mask extended to all, fitness centers should guarantee the distancing of people, even by decreasing the number of participants in group lessons, ensure one optimal ventilation within the spaces, sanitize surfaces and equipie, of course, forbid access to people with flu symptoms. Finally, another useful recommendation could be to carry out intense physical activity preferably in open spaces.
Beyond the results that emerged in these studies, the reopening of gyms remains a fundamental question, especially in the light ofimportance which covers, today more than ever, physical activity for individual well-being.
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