Exploring the effects of wearing facemasks on stair safety characteristics in young adults
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
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.
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.
Editor(s)
Graci, Valentina
Date Issued
2025-05-01
Date Acceptance
2025-04-22
Citation
PLoS One, 2025, 20 (5)
ISSN
1932-6203
Publisher
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Journal / Book Title
PLoS One
Volume
20
Issue
5
Copyright Statement
Copyright: © 2025 Skervin et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
License URL
Subjects
Humans
Walking
Masks
Visual Fields
Adult
Female
Male
Young Adult
Stair Climbing
COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
e0324333
Date Publish Online
2025-05-22