WEARING A MASK WHILE EXERCISING

Wearing a mask over the past few months has soon become the new norm. It must be worn at all times when outside of the home, but the rules can be a bit confusing when it comes to wearing the mask during exercise.

At The Physio Centre, we would encourage all of our clients to wear the mask while they are doing light to moderate exercise indoors or outdoors without social distancing. It has been reported that once we start breathing the distances that the virus can spread have been seen over 20 feet. So, it’s important that we all do our bit and stick to the rules as much as we can.

But does wearing a mask hinder your performance during your workout?

Scientifically, wearing a mask does not limit the amount of oxygen we breathe in, however it does restrict our airflow. Therefore, it can feel quite strange during a high-intensity workout if you feel like you aren’t breathing in enough air.

Our advice is simple.

1. Get moving outdoors and socially distance so that you can remove your mask safely without endangering your health and the health of others.

2. Always keep your mask closely to hand in case you come into closer contact with others.

3. Make sure that you sanitise your hands and clean down any equipment with disinfectant after you’ve used it.

4. As soon as you reach the house use your common sense i.e., wash your hands, take a shower, and put your clothes in the wash. Remove all items of clothing and wash them immediately.

5. Keep moving, exercise is a major part of staying healthy and should not be stopped or reduced. If you would like more advice on how to stay safe during exercise, please contact us today.