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Perceived exertion and exercise intensity in children with or without structural heart defects
B L Eakin1, K M Finta, G A Serwer
1Division of Pediatric Cardiology, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0204.
The Journal of Pediatrics
|January 1, 1992
Summary
Children with heart conditions can effectively use the Borg perceived exertion scale to gauge exercise intensity. This validated tool helps set safe exercise levels for cardiac patients in unsupervised settings.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Exercise Physiology
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Assessing exercise intensity in children with cardiac disease is crucial for safe and effective rehabilitation.
- The Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale is widely used in adults but its pediatric application requires validation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate children's ability to use the Borg RPE scale for quantifying exercise effort.
- To validate the Borg RPE scale against objective measures of exercise intensity in pediatric cardiac patients.
Main Methods:
- 36 children with cardiac defects and 15 healthy children underwent maximal exercise testing using the Bruce treadmill protocol.
- Children rated their perceived exertion using the Borg scale during exercise.
- RPE ratings were compared with direct measurements of exercise intensity.
Main Results:
- Children with and without cardiac disease could reliably quantify their exercise intensity using the Borg RPE scale.
- Perceived exertion ratings correlated well with objective measures of exercise intensity.
- The scale demonstrated validity for use in this pediatric population.
Conclusions:
- The Borg RPE scale is a valid and reliable tool for children with cardiac disease to monitor exercise intensity.
- RPE can be used to prescribe and monitor exercise intensity in unmonitored settings for pediatric cardiac patients.
- This facilitates the development of tailored and safe exercise programs for children with heart conditions.