Face Pain Scale and Borg Scale compared to physiological parameters during cardiopulmonary exercise testing

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Clinical Assessment
• Sports Science

Background:

• Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is crucial for monitoring exercise intensity during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET).
• The Borg Scale is widely used, but alternative measures like the Face Pain Scale warrant investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the Face Pain Scale and Borg Scale for RPE during CPET in healthy adults.
• To examine the relationship between these RPE scales and physiological variables (work rate, heart rate, oxygen uptake, minute ventilation).

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational study involving two experiments with healthy adults.
• Participants underwent CPET using ramp protocols, with RPE assessed by either the Face Pain Scale or Borg Scale (Experiment 1), or both (Experiment 2).
• Physiological data (work rate, HR, VO2, VE) and RPE were recorded at one-minute intervals.

Main Results:

• Both scales showed significant correlations with physiological variables during CPET.
• The Face Pain Scale exhibited slightly lower correlation coefficients compared to the Borg Scale.
• A significant correlation was observed between the Face Pain Scale and the Borg Scale in Experiment 2.

Conclusions:

• The Face Pain Scale demonstrates utility in assessing exercise intensity during CPET.
• It appears to be a comparable alternative to the Borg Scale for healthy adults.
• Further research may validate its use across diverse populations.