Exploring the effects of wearing facemasks on stair safety characteristics in young adults

Skervin, TK, Ellmers, TJ, Kal, EC, Young, WR, Walker, RL, Wharton, E, Thomas, NM, Maganaris, CN, Hollands, MA and Foster, RJ (2025) Exploring the effects of wearing facemasks on stair safety characteristics in young adults. PLoS One, 20 (5). pp. 1-16. ISSN 1932-6203

Preview

Text Exploring the effects of wearing facemasks on stair safety characteristics in young adults.pdf - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution. Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Introduction Facemasks are worn in many industries to protect from infections and harmful substances. Asian countries historically have a wide adoption of facemasks; though due to the COVID-19 pandemic, facemask wearing is also common in western countries. The lower visual field provides important information for safe stair negotiation. A loose fit facemask may obstruct the lower visual field and negatively affect stair negotiation. Pinching a facemask nose clip provides contour around the nose which may reduce lower visual occlusion and negative stair behaviour effects. Here, we explored the effect of wearing a Type IIR facemask and nose clip pinch adjustment on lower visual field occlusion and stair walking behaviour Method Eight young adults ascended and descended stairs with; 1) no facemask, 2) unadjusted facemask, 3) customised facemask (nose clip pinched). Measurements included peak head flexion, lower visual field occlusion, stair duration, foot clearance, foot placement, margins of stability, Conscious Movement Processing and anxiety. Results Unadjusted increased lower visual occlusion during descent (unadjusted = 32° ± 14° vs no facemask = 11° ± 14°, p < 0.001), (unadjusted vs customised = 21° ± 15°, p = 0.009) and ascent (unadjusted = 47° ± 12° vs no facemask = 25° ± 11°, p < 0.001), (unadjusted vs customised = 35° ± 11°, p = 0.005). Unadjusted increased conscious movement processing during descent (unadjusted = 16 ± 5 vs no face mask 11 ± 4, p = 0.040) and ascent (unadjusted = 16 ± 5 vs no face mask = 10 ± 3, p = 0.044). Bayesian inference indicated moderate evidence for the alternative hypothesis for descent duration, peak head flexion and anxiety. Anecdotal and strong evidence for the alternative hypothesis were found for ascent duration and anxiety respectively. No differences were found in foot kinematics or margins of stability. Discussion Simple adjustments (pinching the nose clip) to a Type IIR facemask have the benefit of reducing the lower visual field occlusion an unadjusted mask creates, and helps improve stair safety characteristics in young adults.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	42 Health Sciences; 4207 Sports Science and Exercise; Humans; Masks; Male; Female; Young Adult; COVID-19; Adult; SARS-CoV-2; Visual Fields; Walking; Stair Climbing; General Science & Technology
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HD Industries. Land use. Labor > HD61 Risk Management R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC1200 Sports Medicine
Divisions:	Sport and Exercise Sciences
Publisher:	Public Library of Science
Date of acceptance:	22 April 2025
Date of first compliant Open Access:	27 May 2025
Date Deposited:	27 May 2025 12:36
Last Modified:	27 May 2025 12:45
DOI or ID number:	10.1371/journal.pone.0324333
Editors:	Graci, V
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/26427

View Item