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Prescribing and Regulating Exercise with RPE after Heart Transplant: A Pilot Study
Emmanuel Gomes Ciolac1, Rafael Ertner Castro, Júlia Maria D'Andréa Greve
11Exercise and Chronic Disease Research Laboratory, Physical Education Department, School of Sciences, São Paulo State University - UNESP, Bauru, BRAZIL; 2Heart Institute, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BRAZIL; 3Institute of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, BRAZIL.
Purpose:
The objective of this study is to analyze the use of the 6-20 RPE scale for prescribing and self-regulating heated water-based exercise (HEx) and land-based exercise (LEx) in heart transplant recipients.
Methods:
Fifteen (five females) clinically stable heart transplant recipients (time since surgery = 4.0 ± 2.5 yr) age 46.7 ± 11.8 yr underwent a symptom-limited maximal graded exercise test on a treadmill to determine their HR at anaerobic threshold (HRAT), respiratory compensation point (HRRCP), and maximal effort (HRmax). After a week, patients were randomized to perform 30 min of both HEx (walking inside the pool) and LEx (treadmill walking) sessions at a pace between 11 and 13 on the 6-20 RPE scale and had their HR measured every 4 min. The interval between sessions was 48-72 h.
Results:
No significant differences between sessions were found in the average HR during HEx and LEx. Patients showed a delay in HR increase during both interventions, with the stabilization beginning after 8 min of exercise. Exercise HR was maintained between the HRAT and HRRCP (in the aerobic exercise training zone) for the most part of both HEx (72% of HR measurements) and LEx (66% of HR measurements). Only a few HR measurements stayed below HRAT (HEx = 9%, LEx = 13%) or above HRRCP (HEx = 19%, LEx = 21%) during both exercise sessions.
Conclusion:
Exercise HR was maintained in the aerobic exercise training zone (between HRAT and HRRCP) for the most part of both sessions, suggesting that the 6-20 RPE scale may be an efficient tool for prescribing and self-regulating HEx and LEx in heart transplant recipients.
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