Exertional Observation in Adults Performing Intermittent Treadmill Walking and Running.

The present investigation examined the Adult OMNI Walk-Run Scale for use by an independent observer to rate an individual's perception of exertion during intermittent treadmill walking and running. Forty (22.4 ± 2.9 yrs) recreationally active males (n = 18) and females (n = 22) completed three 5-min intermittent bouts of treadmill exercise. The exercise bouts were a level walk (LW; 4.0 km·hr-1, 0% grade), hill walk (HW; 5.6 km·hr-1, 5% grade), and run (R; 8 km·hr-1, 2.5% grade). Each bout was separated by a 5-min recovery period. RPE responses were simultaneously estimated by an observer and self-estimated by the participant during each bout using the Adult OMNI Walk-Run Scale. Session RPE responses were simultaneously estimated by the same observer and self-estimated by the participant 5-min post-exercise session. Analysis of variance indicated no significant mean differences between observer RPE and participant RPE (p > 0.05) except for males during the running bout (p < 0.05). Additionally, there were no significant mean differences between the observer RPE and the participant RPE for the session ratings (p > 0.05). Finally, strong positive correlations were found between observer and participant RPE ranging from 0.79-0.84 for exercise bouts and moderate-strong positive correlations ranging from 0.58-0.64 for the exercise session. Results support the use of the OMNI RPE Scale in a direct observation procedure to estimate exertion in female and male young adults performing intermittent treadmill walking and running. This observation-based procedure provides the practitioner with an opportunity to independently evaluate the perceptual intensity of individuals involved in aerobic exercise.

The asthma awareness patch program for Girl Scouts: an evaluation of educational effectiveness.

BACKGROUND: Carefully designed educational programs can improve asthma knowledge, management practices, and health outcomes. We used pre-post testing to determine if the curriculum provided in the Girl Scouts of the USA Asthma Awareness Patch Program improved recipients' knowledge of basic respiratory system function, asthma pathophysiology, triggers, and asthma exacerbation recognition and management. We hypothesized that participants would have improved post-test scores following an interactive asthma educational program. METHODS: Girl Scouts ages 5-17 years from a 4-county area in northeastern Ohio were recruited. Educational components were in compliance with the guidelines established by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. Participants completed a demographic form and pre-test before, and a post-test and program evaluation immediately following, the program. Descriptive statistics were used to report participant demographics. Frequencies and percentages described the participants' responses to pre- and post-test questions. Cronbach's alpha analysis determined internal consistency and reliability of post-test items. T tests assessed differences in pre-post scores. Fishers exact tests determined differences in proportions of responses, between the pre- and post-test time points. A P value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Eighty-six girls, between 5 and 16 years of age (mean ± SD 8.97 ± 2.36 y) participated, 84% of whom were white. Twenty-one percent of the participants were diagnosed and treated for asthma, 48% resided with an asthmatic, and 72% knew someone with asthma. The post-test scores (mean ± SD 89.6 ± 9.0) were significantly higher (P < .001) than the pre-test scores (62.5 ± 20.8). A Cronbach alpha raw score of 0.448 and a standardized score of 0.518 were realized. CONCLUSIONS: The assessment tool demonstrated moderate internal reliability. Participation in the program enhanced participants' knowledge of lung function, trigger identification, asthma pathophysiology, and treatment.

Physiological and Perceptual Responses to Nintendo® Wii Fit™ in Young and Older Adults.

Physically active video gaming (AVG) provides a technologically-modern, convenient means of increasing physical activity (PA). This study examined cardiovascular, metabolic, and perceptual responses in young adult (AP) and older adult (OP) participants engaging in Wii FitTM AVG play, and compared PA levels during play to recommended PA levels. Heart rate (HR), percent heart rate reserve (%HRR), oxygen consumption (VO2), energy expenditure (EE), rating of perceived exertion (RPE), enjoyment level (EL), and step count data were obtained from 10 YP and 10 OP during 15 minutes of rest and four 15-minute bouts of Wii FitTM activities (yoga, balance, aerobics, strength). For all participants, AVG significantly increased HR, VO2, and EE measures above rest, with significant between-activity differences. Responses were similar between YP and OP, except that the activities were more intense for OP, in terms of %HRR and RPE. Most games elicited responses consistent with light-intensity PA, though peak HR and VO2 values for aerobic and strength games met or approached recommended PA intensities. Wii FitTM appears to provide an enjoyable form of light PA for both YP and OP, which can reduce inactive screen time and provide beneficial cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and metabolic stimulation.

Comparison of perceived exertion ratings during graded peak cycle exercise between cigarette smokers and nonsmokers.

This study compared differentiated Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) for the chest (RPE-Chest) and legs (RPE-Legs) and undifferentiated ratings (RPE-Overall) between cigarette smokers (n = 10) and nonsmokers (n = 10) during graded, peak cycle exercise. Linear regression analyses expressed RPE-Chest, RPE-Leg, and RPE-Overall as a function of VO2 for smokers and nonsmokers. RPE equivalent to 50, 70, and 90% VO2 peak were compared between. Chest, Leg, and Overall RPE were similar at each % VO2 peak. In the combined smokers and nonsmokers, RPE-Chest was lower (p < .05) than the RPE-Overall at each % VO2 peak. RPE-Leg did not differ from RPE-Overall at 50% VO2 peak, but was higher (p < .05) at 70% and 90% VO2 peak. These results validate Assumption 4 for application of the Borg 15-category scale in that this assumption is also valid for differentiated RPE. Smoking did not influence the intensity of differentiated or undifferentiated RPE during graded cycle exercise.

Concurrent muscle hurt and perceived exertion of children during resistance exercise.

PURPOSE: Rating of muscle hurt (RMH) and RPE were concurrently measured for 10- to 14-yr-old females (n = 50) and males (n = 50) performing unilateral biceps curl (BC) and knee extension (KE) isotonic exercise. METHODS: BC and KE exercises were counterbalanced within subjects. Three counterbalanced, 10 repetition sets (30%, 50%, and 70% one repetition maximum (1-RM)) were performed for both exercises. RMH and RPE were obtained for active muscles using the Children's OMNI-Hurt Scale and the Children's OMNI-Resistance Exercise Scale of Perceived Exertion, respectively. RESULTS: For both females and males, RMH ranged across sets from 1.5 to 6.0 during BC and 3.2 to 6.7 during KE. RPE ranged from 3.4 to 8.3 during BC and 5.0 to 8.9 during KE. Ratings expressed as percent scores were lower (P < 0.01) for RMH than for RPE at the 30%, 50%, and 70% 1-RM during BC and KE for females and males. Regression coefficients for weight lifted as a function of RMH ranged from r = 0.67 to r = 0.87 (P < 0.01) for BC and KE. Correlations between RMH and RPE ranged from r = 0.19 to r = 0.82 across sets for both genders. CONCLUSIONS: Female and male children can concurrently and differentially rate their perceived intensity of muscle hurt and exertion during upper and lower body resistance exercise using numerical category metrics (i.e., OMNI scales) having construct-specific pictorial and verbal descriptors.