OMNI scale perceived exertion at ventilatory breakpoint in children: response normalized

ROBERTSON, R. J., F. L. GOSS, N. BOER, J. D. GALLAGHER, T. THOMPKINS, K. BUFALINO, G. BALASEKARAN, C. MECKES, J. PINTAR, and A. WILLIAMS. OMNI scale perceived exertion at ventilatory breakpoint in children: response normalized. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., Vol. 33, No. 11, 2001, pp. 1946–1952. Purpose: The Children’s OMNI Scale of Perceived Exertion was used to identify a response normalized rating of perceived exertion (RPE)-Overall, RPE-Legs, and RPE-Chest that corresponds to the ventilatory breakpoint (Vpt) in 8- to 12-yr-old female and male children. Methods: Subjects were a priori stratified into two fitness groups on the basis of peak oxygen uptake (V̇O 2 peak): average (A) (41.0–49.0 mL·kg−1·min−1;N = 24) and above average (AA) (50.0–58.0 mL·kg−1·min−1;N = 24). Vpt was determined by a progressive cycle ergometer protocol to V̇O 2 peak. Results: A gender effect was not observed for any descriptive or dependent variable. Mean V̇O2 eak for the A group was 1.72 L·min−1 and for the AA group 2.04 L·min−1. Vpt corresponded to 64.0% V̇O2 peak for A and 74.0% V̇O2peak for AA. RPE-Overall (mean A and AA, 6.1), RPE-Legs (mean A and AA, 7.2), and RPE-Chest (mean A and AA, 4.5) did not differ between the fitness groups. Conclusion: Findings indicated that undifferentiated and differentiated RPE-Vpt were similar between female and male children who varied in V̇O2peak and Vpt. A comparatively stable RPE-Vpt for 8- to 12-yr-old children that vary in V̇O2peak and Vpt indicates a group normalized perceptual response.