A comparison between three rating scales for perceived exertion and two different work tests.

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Human Performance

Background:

• The Borg Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale is widely used.
• Category Ratio scales (CR10 and CR100) offer alternative methods for quantifying exertion.
• Standardization of exercise testing protocols is crucial for reliable data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the performance of Borg's RPE, CR10, and CR100 scales during bicycle ergometer work.
• To investigate the relationship between perceived exertion, heart rate, and blood lactate levels.
• To assess the suitability of different scales and protocols for exercise testing.

Main Methods:

• Two studies were conducted with healthy subjects performing graded bicycle ergometer tests.
• Study 1 compared RPE and CR10 scales with step-wise increases in workload every minute.
• Study 2 included the CR100 scale with workload increases every three minutes; heart rate and blood lactate were measured.

Main Results:

• RPE data showed strong linear correlations (approx. 0.98) with workload.
• CR10 and CR100 scale data were best described by power functions, with exponents differing from previous findings.
• Blood lactate concentration followed power functions with a mean exponent of approximately 2.6.
• Deviations from linearity between RPE and heart rate were observed.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights potential deviations in perceived exertion scaling compared to previous research.
• Standardized work-test protocols are recommended for exercise physiology research.
• Category Ratio scales (CR10 and CR100) may offer advantages in certain exercise testing scenarios.