Rating of Perceived Exertion: Development and Clinical Applications for Physical Therapy Exercise Testing and Prescription

Abstract

Since its development in the early 1960s, Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale (RPE) have been embraced by clinicians, researchers, and exercise enthusiasts as an inexpensive and simple technique for monitoring and adjusting exercise intensity. This paper provides an overview of the historical development of RPE scales. The complex factors influencing perception of effort are described using the global explanatory model. Highlights from research examining the validity and reliability of RPE in healthy adults and patients with cardiovascular disease follow. The paper concludes with guidelines and recommendations for using RPE during exercise testing and in exercise prescription.