Patient care

Two common rating scales are used to assess RPE. One is scored from 0 (no effort) to 10 (maximal effort), with descriptions in between, such as "very light" or "very hard" exercise. The scale correlates well with cardiorespiratory and metabolic variables such as minute ventilation, heart rate, and blood lactate levels, and can be used as a substitute for monitoring these variables directly. Another RPE scale ranges from 6 to 20. In this self-scoring system "very, very light exertion" is rated as a 7, and "very, very hard exertion" is rated as 19. Optimal physical training occurs in the range that exceeds "fairly light exertion" but is less than "very hard" exertion (about 12–16). The scales help people to monitor their workouts, and may be esp. helpful in clinical settings when patients are unable to take their own pulse during exercise or if they have abnormal heart rate responses to exercise.