If you’ve tried exercising while wearing a face mask, you’ll know that it’s not the most comfortable experience. Mask-wearing is a necessary measure to slow the spread of COVID-19, so anything we can to do make this a little easier is welcomed.
Enter: Under Armour. The sportswear brand will soon be releasing a face mask specifically designed for athletes to wear while training, Finder has reported.
The reusable face-covering features a bendable nose bridge that lies close against the face while the structured bottom half is designed to leave space between your mouth and the fabric. The ear loops keep the mask tight around you face, while the breathable fabric keeps you cool.
This design is also said to prevent your glasses from fogging up while wearing them, which is a big plus.
The mask has a three-layer system that includes an antimicrobial treatment and an open-cell foam layer that allows air to come in while making it difficult for moisture and sweat to pass through. Its also water-resistant, so if you’re caught out in a patch of drizzly weather, the rain should roll right off the mask and not stick to your face.
According to Finder, the UA Sports Mask is due to arrive in Australia later this month and will retail for $40. It will be available in a range of sizes from SM, ML to XL and XXL. Head to the Under Armour website to sign up to be notified when the product is available for purchase.
If you’re worried about what exercising with a mask on might to do your oxygen levels, you needn’t worry. According to Men’s Health, Tom Lawton, an ICU doctor from the United Kingdom, recently tested the effect of mask-wearing on your breathing while he completed a marathon and found it to be A-OK.
“I thought: How can I demonstrate it? How can I reassure people who would like to do their bit and wear a mask but are scared?” Lawton told CTV News.
Lawton monitored his oxygen levels during his 35 kilometre run using a pulse oximeter to track how the mask actually impacted his breathing. Every half an hour, Lawton used the device to check his oxygen levels. Men’s Health says that anything above a reading of 95% is considered normal.
“The [reading was] 98 to 99 all the time, completely normal oxygen levels all the way,” Lawton said.
This means that wearing a mask had no physiological effect on Lawton’s ability to breathe while running.
“It’s certainly unpleasant and I feel for the people who don’t like wearing them, but this is one of the things that’s going to help us,” he said.
There are a number of reasons why some people can’t wear a mask (including disability, severe anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder), but if you can mask up, please do. While running or exercising in a mask is far from pleasant, if you aren’t safely able to socially distance while working out, it might be necessary to pop one on.
If you’ve yet to purchase a reusable face mask, we’ve compiled a list here that support small businesses in Australia.