Is wearing a mask while in dance class safe for my dancer?

As in most things during this COVID-19 Pandemic, we are in uncharted territories when it comes to operating our school under new conditions and safety regulations. What is very clear is that we must wear masks to help protect our students, families and faculty while participating in classes at the studio. However, dancing in a mask also raises concerns for safety as airflow into the lungs will undoubtedly be restricted.  It is encouraging to know that this is not the first time masks have been used for athletic training - many high level athletes use specialized masks that restrict airflow to simulate training at higher altitudes! Experts have said that exercising in masks is safe, as long as you take a few things into consideration. When training at altitude athletes gradually ramp up to allow their bodies time to adjust to the smaller amount of oxygen that is available to the muscles as they work. Eventually the body will adjust to accommodate, allowing the body to become more efficient at using the oxygen it has. 

DCSA faculty has discussed the implications of wearing a mask while dancing and the safety measures that need to be taken.  All instructors will be ramping up intensity and length of exercises accordingly to help our students' bodies adjust as they get used to the restricted airflow. Additionally, all instructors have been made aware of the warning signs that dancers are not getting enough air and will remind students often to take a break and let the instructor know if they are experiencing any of the following: lightheadedness, dizziness, tingling, numbness, or shortness of breath. As parents, you can help us by having a conversation with your dancer, reinforcing the importance of taking a break if they are feeling any of these symptoms. Additionally, if your dancer has an existing respiratory condition, such as asthma, please make sure to inform DCSA staff so that we can help them to be safe. DCSA is also taking additional measures to help dancers to be as comfortable as possible, such as allowing breaks where dancers can go outside and take off their masks to get some fresh air!

CNET wrote a wonderful article about exercising with masks. They interviewed 2 physical therapists and conditioning specialists, Grayson Wickham and Scott McAfee. CNET writes:

“Different masks have varying levels of airflow restriction, depending on the thickness of the material," McAfee says. "With less air, your body has less available oxygen to utilize during exercise to convert glucose [sugar] into energy.”

McAfee says that anyone, even those who have a relatively high level of fitness, should expect to fatigue faster when exercising with a face mask, comparing this scenario to altitude training or wearing an oxygen deprivation mask to elicit greater respiratory fitness (this is something that elite athletes do). 

“Over a few weeks, your body will certainly adapt by becoming more efficient at metabolizing oxygen, but this takes time," McAfee says. "If you start to feel dizzy, imbalanced, or overly fatigued, stop.  Be smart [and] don't over do it.”

While we would all prefer to dance mask-less, let’s keep this silver lining in mind as we approach these uncharted territories. As we carefully ramp back up, this is an opportunity to be stronger than we were before!

To read the full article by CNET, click here.