The Effect of Wearing a Mask for Balance and Reaction Time

Does Wearing a Mask Affect Balance and Reaction Time?

A mask is a protective equipment that covers the mouth and nose and is routinely used in workplaces, public transport and other communal settings preventing harmful particles, dust, droplets, bacteria, viruses, fog, gas, smoke and steam from entering the respiratory system. However, wearing a mask may impair the visual field, potentially affecting balance and reaction time. The investigators' aim is to determine whether the use of masks affects people's balance and reactions.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Reaction Time; Balance
• Intervention / Treatment: Diagnostic test: balance tests, reaction time evaluation

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 25
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Beykoz
    • Istanbul, Beykoz, Turkey
      • İstanbul Medipol University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• To be healthy

Exclusion Criteria:

• present or previous balance disorder

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Evaluation Arm; Only one group evaluated	Diagnostic test: balance tests, reaction time evaluation; Only 3 tests were applied to participants

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Functional reach test	Functional Reach Test (FRT) is a clinical outcome measure and assessment tool for ascertaining dynamic balance in in simple task. As we know that this test measures the distance between the length of an outstretched arm in a maximal forward reach, while maintaining a fixed base of support.	baseline-5 hours later

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
COP displacement	Displacement of the center of pressure (COP) and center of gravity (COG) a: COP ML displacement. Distance of the inflection point from a stationary baseline. b: Maximum ML separation. Maximum distance between the COP and COG. Source publication.	baseline-5 hours later
BlazePod evaluation	A new technology (BlazePod™) that measures response time (RT) is currently on the market and has been used by strength and conditioning professionals.	baseline-5 hours later

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Istanbul Medipol University Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 8, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 30, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): January 10, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 12, 2024
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 22, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): July 26, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 26, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 22, 2024
• Last Verified: July 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 10840098-772.02-E.43565

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No