A combination of on-ice and off-ice testing was conducted during the study to assess the effects of wearing a face mask during different levels of exercise intensity. Credit: Phil Chilibeck, USask

The University of Saskatchewan says a group of its researchers have found that wearing face masks to protect youth hockey players against COVID-19 during play, doesn’t affect their sport performance.

A news release from USask states that ice hockey has been linked to the spread of COVID-19 in the sports community including among youth.

Children under age 12 are, at this time, unable to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. Phil Chilibeck, a co-author of the study which monitored sports performance of hockey players aged 9-14 says, “COVID spread is very prevalent during ice hockey because of close contact between players, heavy breathing during play, and poor ventilation of arenas.”

To determine if wearing a surgical mask during play affected performance, a research team made up of members from the USask College of Kinesiology, College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, and School of Rehabilitation Science assessed physiological factors including heart rate and oxygen levels in the blood and muscles, as well as players’ perceived levels of fatigue.

The news release indicates heart rate and oxygen levels of both male and female youth ice hockey players were measured at different levels of exercise intensity both on and off the ice. One group of youth wore a full face mask while the other wore an adapted version that did not cover the nose or mouth.

Study findings also indicated that wearing a surgical face mask had no clinically significant impact on heart rate or oxygen saturation levels in male or female players.