Comparison of Rating of Perceived Exertion Scales During Incremental and Interval Exercise

Abstract

The Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) is an important measure of exercise intensity, which is useful both as a primary and adjunctive method of exercise prescription. However, there are multiple variants of the Borg RPE scale, primarily the BORG-RPE (6-20) and the BORG-CR (0-10) scales. There are inadequate data available to address the comparability and interchangeability of these two widely used variation of the scales. Well-trained non-athletes performed two increment cycle tests, with each scale used in a random sequence. They also performed interval sessions at three intensities (50, 75 and 85% of peak power output) with each scale used in a random sequence. There were very large correlations during incremental exercise between conventional physiologic measures (% heart rate reserve (r = 0.89 & r = 0.87; and %VO2reserve (r = 0.88 & r = 0.90)) and RPE measured with either BORG-RPE or BORG-CR10, respectively. This pattern was also evident during interval exercise (% heart rate reserve (r = 0.85 & r = 0.84, and blood lactate concentration (r = 0.74 & r = 0.78)) and RPE measured with either BORG-RPE or BORG-CR10, respectively. The relationship between RPE measured with BORG-RPE and BORG-CR10 was large and best described by a non-linear relationship for both incremental (R2=0.89) and interval (R2=0.89) exercise. The incremental and interval curves were virtually overlapping. We conclude that the two most popular version of the RPE scale, BORG-RPE and BORG-CR10 are both highly related to conventional physiologic measures and very strongly related to each other, with an easily described conversion.
Key Words: exercise prescription, perceived exertion, heart rate, oxygen uptake, lactate