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The purpose of this investigation was to identify a perceptually based warning zone to anticipate termination of Bruce treadmill tests. Apparently healthy adult women (n = 116) and men (n =55) participated. The time to test termination was measured from the point during the treadmill test at which participants estimated a rating of perceived exertion of 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17 using the Borg 6-20 scale to specify the rating of perceived exertion which was less than or equal to one exercise test stage. Women exercised for 141.9 [+ or -] 99.2 sec. after reporting a rating of perceived exertion of 14. Men terminated the treadmill test 120.1 [+ or -] 80.0 sec. after estimating their rating of perceived exertion to be 15, indicating volitional test termination will occur before the next exercise stage is completed. Accurate and timely prediction of test termination using ratings of perceived exertion may enhance the safety of exercise tests administered to apparently healthy adults and facilitate obtaining endpoint measures upon which to prescribe exercise intensity. DOI 10.2466/PMS.110.1.213-223

The purposes of this study were to identify a zone of normality based upon ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and compare the RPE of women with coronary artery disease to this zone. 45 healthy women (34.8 [+ or -] 9.1 yr.) completed a Bruce treadmill test. RPE were estimated during the last minute of each workload. The zone of normality was established as the 95% confidence interval spanning the average line when RPE was regressed against MET. 51 women (66.6 [+ or -] 9.3 yr.) with coronary artery disease completed a symptom-limited treadmill test. 3i of the women with coronary artery disease were taking beta blockers. RPE were compared to the RPE/MET relation of the zone. 57% of the women with coronary artery disease estimated RPE above the zone during the treadmill test. RPE responses above the zone of normality indicate an elevated perceptual strain for a given energy expenditure (i.e., MET). The zone of normality might be used as an aid in discriminating between normal and abnormal RPE responses during graded treadmill tests by women with coronary artery disease.

The purposes of this investigation were to identify a zone of normality for ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) and to compare the RPE responses in patients with coronary artery disease to this zone. The zone was generated from RPE estimated during the last minute of each stage of a Bruce treadmill test in 44 normal adult men. RPE were regressed against the corresponding MET level for each exercise stage. The zone was established as the 95% confidence interval (CI) spanning the average RPE vs MET regression line. RPE estimated during the last 1.0 min. of a Bruce or Modified Balke treadmill test administered to adult men (n = 37) with coronary artery disease were compared to the 95% CI zone. A total of 19 (51%) of the coronary artery disease patients estimated RPE during a progressively incremented treadmill test that were above the zone, indicating a comparatively greater than normal perception of strain for a given metabolic stress. The presently generated zone provides a practical use of RPE in the interpretation of clinical exercise tests.

The object of this investigation was to establish a group-normalized perceptual response, using the Borg 15-category rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale, that is consistent with the Surgeon General's recommendations for physical activity intensity. This normalized response is defined as a range of RPEs corresponding to a target physiological outcome during exercise common to a specified group of individuals. 24 college-age students (12 men; 12 women) underwent a progressive exercise test administered on a semi-recumbent leg cycle machine to estimate V[O.sub.2] peak and 12 6-min. exercise trials on a combined arm and leg exercise machine. Three trials were conducted per day, and at least 24 hr. separated testing sessions. RPEs between 7 and 10 were consistently estimated during trials categorized as light to moderately intense (35 to 53% V[O.sub.2] peak). These exercise intensities resulted in an energy expenditure of between 5.38 (SD = 1.37) to 7.56 (SD=0.60) and 3.58 (SD=0.58) to 5.30 (SD=0.97) kcal * [min..sup.-1] for these men and women, respectively. RPEs corresponding to 7: extremely light to 10: very light or light are sufficient in healthy young college students to achieve the target activity with respect to exercise intensity. Therefore, this group-normalized perceptual response, i.e., RPE = 7 to 10, may be expressed as a prescriptive reference enabling college-age individuals to produce an exercise intensity designed to promote health and studied longitudinally to assess the effects long term.

A review of the physiological validation and some clinical applications of G. A. V. Borg's measure of perceived exertion for a range of physical activities and settings illustrates the widely generalized base of Dr. Borg's experimental findings and scientific insight.

This investigation examined the validity of the Borg 15-category Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale during semirecumbent exercise in 32 [degrees] C water. 9 men undertook 12 8-min. trials at 3 power outputs and 4 pedal-crank rates. The power output was distributed between the arms (20%) and legs (80%). RPEs were measured for the arms, legs, chest, and over-all body. Correlation coefficients for RPE expressed as a function of power output and gross metabolic efficiency (M[E.sub.G]) ranged from .56 to .83 and .54 to .70, respectively, for each pedal-crank rate. Validity coefficients were greatest at those pedal-crank rates having the highest M[E.sub.G]. The Borg 15-category RPE scale is valid for use during semirecumbent exercise in water.