A submaximal treadmill test for developing target ratings of perceived exertion for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation.

For patient populations whose heart rates cannot be used to regulate exercise intensity, the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Scale is the preferred way to prescribe exercise intensity. Individual perceptual variations are best quantified by measuring perceptual intensity during maximal exercise testing; however, many situations require a submaximal protocol. Here, a submaximal treadmill procedure for establishing individualized target Ratings of Perceived Exertion is described. Target ratings of exertion were developed for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation patients using the new method and compared to target Ratings of Perceived Exertion obtained using standard techniques. A total of 144 target ratings at intensities ranging from 50% to 85% VO2max were compared. Over-all, the average difference between the two methods was 0.27 units and was not significant at any intensity. Therefore, the Treadmill Slope Method appears to be a valid submaximal test for generating target Ratings of Perceived Exertion for outpatient cardiac rehabilitation patients.

The slope method for prescribing exercise with ratings of perceived exertion (RPE).

The Borg Ratings of Perceived Exertion scale (RPE) has been shown to be a valuable tool for prescribing exercise; however, use of RPE-based exercise prescriptions in field settings has often been problematic because RPE data derived from maximal exercise testing are needed. We describe a simple method for obtaining target RPEs for exercise training from submaximal exercise data. Target RPEs for 50%, 60%, 70%, and 85% VO2 peak exercise intensities obtained using the new method did not differ significantly from those obtained using data from a maximal graded exercise test. The mean difference was less than one RPE unit and was not significant (p < .05). Therefore, the Slope Method appears to be valid for developing RPE-based exercise prescriptions.