Investigating the effect of mouth guard use on aerobic performance in amateur boxers

Objectives To assess if wearing a mouth guard impacts maximal aerobic capacity in amateur boxers. Materials and Methods A prospective crossover cohort (pilot) study was conducted to assess maximal aerobic capacity in amateur boxers using the 20 m multi stage fitness test (MSFT). Two primary outcomes measures were recorded: (1) the maximum oxygen uptake (peak VO2—mL/kg/min) and (2) distance run (meters—m). Thirteen amateur boxers completed the MSFT 7 days apart under control (no mouth guard—C) and intervention conditions (mouth guard—MG). Participants also submitted data on height, weight, type of mouth guard and Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) during the test. Statistics Paired T‐test. Results Mouth guard use was shown to reduce peak VO2 and distance run during the 20 m MSFT from 56.31 to 54.12 mL/kg/min and 2572 to 2380 m respectively (p