FarooqShad
Senator (1k+ posts)
Covid-19: Should you be jogging or running with a mask on? Find out here
With the mask covering one's mouth, the flow of air through the nose is constricted. Then should you be running or jogging?
Not long ago, a Chinese man suffered shortness of breath and had to undergo surgery when his condition worsened after a jog with a mask on for 2.5 miles in Wuhan, the city of the coronavirus outbreak. It was reported that the man, who had started jogging a couple of weeks ago, suffered from a collapsed lung, known by its medical term pneumothorax, which happens when air leaks outside the lungs.
Earlier, two teenagers were reported to have died in separate incidents when they were taking part in track events as part of two distinct physical examinations while wearing masks to protect themselves from the contagious infection.
While it is not clear whether putting on masks while running and jogging caused these incidents, experts from the medical as well as fitness field are of the opinion that high-intensity exercises like running and jogging must be done with extreme caution while wearing masks.
But, why is that? In general, any cardiovascular activity increases one’s breathing which results in the person panting and then even breathing from the mouth. With the mask covering one’s mouth, the flow of air through the nose is constricted and even the breathing from the mouth is difficult, which might result in trouble for some.
Dr Ravi Shekhar Jha, senior consultant and head of the department, pulmonology, Fortis Escorts Faridabad explained how it happens. “A tight fitting mask like N95 adds inspiratory resistance which increases the work of breathing. A mask which is not valved, changes the blood gas equation, and it leads to a special phenomena called PEEP (Positive End-Expiratory Pressure). This PEEP may lead to pneumothorax (punctured lungs), especially when there is too much strain on lungs, like when we are running, or doing strenuous exercise,” he said.
So, is it advisable to jog or undertake running with a mask on? While Dr Jha suggested one look for a mask with a valve which has an “expiratory port” so that when one breathes out heavily, like during running, airway resistance is increased only mildly. Dr Animesh Arya, senior consultant, respiratory medicine, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute cautioned against high-intensity running. “Jogging or running fast is an activity in which more oxygen is needed to meet the extra demand of energy of the body, and wearing a mask while running is not advisable as a person may find it difficult to catch required oxygen and may faint. Hence, if at all one needs to jog or run, prefer stationary jogging at home near the window, in the garden, balcony or lawn without a mask. Crowded places for jogging must be avoided,” he said.
Twenty seven-year-old Ankush Kumar, who jogs for at least nine kilometres every day in Central Delhi, initially had breathing troubles with an anti-pollution mask and now has switched to surgical masks (and changes them every two days) that help him manage his breathing better, especially in the “shoot phase or the last leg of the run”, he shared.
So, are surgical masks a better option? “N95 masks should be avoided as they are primarily for healthcare workers, and other surgical masks are worn to save others if we have any type of infection. In daily life, one can wear simple double-layered cloth masks. Before going out of the house, make sure it is not too tight or too lose and covers the required area. Follow every other required precaution as well and stay safe,” asserted Dr Arya.
Given the current situation of the pandemic which demands all of us to wear mask and follow proper social distancing norms, certified fitness trainers like Sameeran Chetia believe it is better to indulge in low-intensity exercises. “Due to the prevailing situation, people have started using masks and scarfs to cover their mouth and nose. It’s good to see people becoming socially responsible towards each other. If people want to wear a mask while running, then I would suggest they do low-intensity exercises. They can opt for walking, brisk walking or slow jogging which will put less strain on their breathing. I personally wouldn’t recommend high-intensity running,” he commented.
indianexpress.com
Two boys drop dead in China while wearing masks during gym class
Two Chinese boys dropped dead within a week of one another while wearing face masks during gym class, according to a report.
The students, who were both 14, were each running laps for a physical examination test when they suddenly collapsed on the track, Australian outlet 7News reported.
One of the teens was only minutes into his gym class when he fell backward April 24 at Dancheng Caiyuan Middle School in Henan province, according to the outlet.
“He was wearing a mask while lapping the running track, then he suddenly fell backwards and hit his head on the ground,” his father, who was only identified as Li, told the outlet.
His dad said teachers and students tried to help him, to no avail.
The death certificate listed the cause as sudden cardiac arrest, but no autopsy was performed, the outlet said.
The boy’s father said he believes that the mask his son was required to wear to school played a role in his death.
“I suspect it was because he was wearing a mask,” he said, adding that “it couldn’t have been comfortable wearing a mask while running.”
But Cao Lanxiu, professor at Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, said it’s unlikely that the mask caused the boy to suffocate.
“I don’t think mask-wearing has caused this sudden death,” Cao said, though she added that it was impossible to say without an autopsy.
Six days after his death, the second student collapsed at Changsha’s Xiangjun Future Experimental School in Hunan province, the outlet reported.
He had been wearing an N95 respirator and running a 1,000-meter exam when the fatal incident occurred, the report said. It’s unclear whether an autopsy had been ordered.
Though it’s not known whether the masks played a role in either death, several schools in Tianjin and Shanghai have canceled physical education exams, according to the report.
nypost.com
With the mask covering one's mouth, the flow of air through the nose is constricted. Then should you be running or jogging?

Not long ago, a Chinese man suffered shortness of breath and had to undergo surgery when his condition worsened after a jog with a mask on for 2.5 miles in Wuhan, the city of the coronavirus outbreak. It was reported that the man, who had started jogging a couple of weeks ago, suffered from a collapsed lung, known by its medical term pneumothorax, which happens when air leaks outside the lungs.
Earlier, two teenagers were reported to have died in separate incidents when they were taking part in track events as part of two distinct physical examinations while wearing masks to protect themselves from the contagious infection.
While it is not clear whether putting on masks while running and jogging caused these incidents, experts from the medical as well as fitness field are of the opinion that high-intensity exercises like running and jogging must be done with extreme caution while wearing masks.
But, why is that? In general, any cardiovascular activity increases one’s breathing which results in the person panting and then even breathing from the mouth. With the mask covering one’s mouth, the flow of air through the nose is constricted and even the breathing from the mouth is difficult, which might result in trouble for some.
Dr Ravi Shekhar Jha, senior consultant and head of the department, pulmonology, Fortis Escorts Faridabad explained how it happens. “A tight fitting mask like N95 adds inspiratory resistance which increases the work of breathing. A mask which is not valved, changes the blood gas equation, and it leads to a special phenomena called PEEP (Positive End-Expiratory Pressure). This PEEP may lead to pneumothorax (punctured lungs), especially when there is too much strain on lungs, like when we are running, or doing strenuous exercise,” he said.

So, is it advisable to jog or undertake running with a mask on? While Dr Jha suggested one look for a mask with a valve which has an “expiratory port” so that when one breathes out heavily, like during running, airway resistance is increased only mildly. Dr Animesh Arya, senior consultant, respiratory medicine, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute cautioned against high-intensity running. “Jogging or running fast is an activity in which more oxygen is needed to meet the extra demand of energy of the body, and wearing a mask while running is not advisable as a person may find it difficult to catch required oxygen and may faint. Hence, if at all one needs to jog or run, prefer stationary jogging at home near the window, in the garden, balcony or lawn without a mask. Crowded places for jogging must be avoided,” he said.
Twenty seven-year-old Ankush Kumar, who jogs for at least nine kilometres every day in Central Delhi, initially had breathing troubles with an anti-pollution mask and now has switched to surgical masks (and changes them every two days) that help him manage his breathing better, especially in the “shoot phase or the last leg of the run”, he shared.
So, are surgical masks a better option? “N95 masks should be avoided as they are primarily for healthcare workers, and other surgical masks are worn to save others if we have any type of infection. In daily life, one can wear simple double-layered cloth masks. Before going out of the house, make sure it is not too tight or too lose and covers the required area. Follow every other required precaution as well and stay safe,” asserted Dr Arya.
Given the current situation of the pandemic which demands all of us to wear mask and follow proper social distancing norms, certified fitness trainers like Sameeran Chetia believe it is better to indulge in low-intensity exercises. “Due to the prevailing situation, people have started using masks and scarfs to cover their mouth and nose. It’s good to see people becoming socially responsible towards each other. If people want to wear a mask while running, then I would suggest they do low-intensity exercises. They can opt for walking, brisk walking or slow jogging which will put less strain on their breathing. I personally wouldn’t recommend high-intensity running,” he commented.

Covid-19: Should you be jogging or running with a mask on? Find out here
With the mask covering one's mouth, the flow of air through the nose is constricted. Then should you be running or jogging?

Two boys drop dead in China while wearing masks during gym class

Two Chinese boys dropped dead within a week of one another while wearing face masks during gym class, according to a report.
The students, who were both 14, were each running laps for a physical examination test when they suddenly collapsed on the track, Australian outlet 7News reported.
One of the teens was only minutes into his gym class when he fell backward April 24 at Dancheng Caiyuan Middle School in Henan province, according to the outlet.
“He was wearing a mask while lapping the running track, then he suddenly fell backwards and hit his head on the ground,” his father, who was only identified as Li, told the outlet.
His dad said teachers and students tried to help him, to no avail.
The death certificate listed the cause as sudden cardiac arrest, but no autopsy was performed, the outlet said.
The boy’s father said he believes that the mask his son was required to wear to school played a role in his death.
“I suspect it was because he was wearing a mask,” he said, adding that “it couldn’t have been comfortable wearing a mask while running.”
But Cao Lanxiu, professor at Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, said it’s unlikely that the mask caused the boy to suffocate.
“I don’t think mask-wearing has caused this sudden death,” Cao said, though she added that it was impossible to say without an autopsy.
Six days after his death, the second student collapsed at Changsha’s Xiangjun Future Experimental School in Hunan province, the outlet reported.
He had been wearing an N95 respirator and running a 1,000-meter exam when the fatal incident occurred, the report said. It’s unclear whether an autopsy had been ordered.
Though it’s not known whether the masks played a role in either death, several schools in Tianjin and Shanghai have canceled physical education exams, according to the report.

Two boys drop dead in China while wearing masks during gym class
Two Chinese boys dropped dead within a week of one another while wearing face masks during gym class, according to a report. The students, who were both 14, were each running laps for a physical ex…

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