Design of an exercise intensity setting method using ratings of perceived exertion for elderly persons with moderate care needs

[Purpose] To propose a method of setting exercise intensity for low-load, simple knee extension exercise, using the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and weight bands. [Subjects] Sixteen elderly persons with care needs of less than 3 on the long-term care insurance scale. [Methods] With 1RM equivalent to 100%, we investigated the reproducibility of RPE, and its relationship with load at loads of 25, 50, 75 and 100%. The reliability and validity of the simple load setting method was also investigated. [Results] Reproducibility had a weighted kappa statistic ranging from 0.72~0.92, and the relationship between RPE and load had a Spearman rank correlation coefficient of r=0.93, indicating the validity and reliability of the proposed method of setting exercise intensity. [Conclusion] Our results suggest that the method proposed in this study is a simple way of calculating the appropriate exercise load for the elderly.