Borgschaal

Borgschaal, often referred to as the Borg scale, is a subjective rating system used to assess perceived exertion during physical activity. It asks individuals to indicate how hard they feel they are working, taking into account overall effort, breathlessness, and fatigue. The scale provides a simple alternative to physiological measurements.

Two principal versions are in common use. The original 6-20 Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale ranges from 6, indicating no exertion, to 20, indicating maximal exertion. A more recent category-ratio version, the CR10 scale, covers a range from 0 to 10 and uses descriptive anchors to reflect different intensity levels. Both versions aim to reflect internal effort in a way that correlates with physiological responses.

Originating with Swedish psychologist Gunnar Borg in the 1960s and 1970s, the Borg scales were designed to enable comparison of effort across individuals and situations while remaining easy to apply. They are commonly used because perceived effort tends to track with heart rate and oxygen uptake, yet does not require complex equipment.

Applications include exercise testing, training prescription, and rehabilitation. Coaches, clinicians, and researchers use RPE to tailor intensity, monitor progress, and adjust workloads when heart-rate monitoring is impractical or unreliable.

Interpretation and limitations: for the 6-20 scale, a common guideline is that the score roughly corresponds to heart rate divided by 10, though there are individual differences. The method is subjective and can be influenced by mood, temperature, caffeine, motivation, and cognitive factors. Standardized instructions help improve reliability, and the scales are widely used across sports and clinical settings. See also heart rate, exercise intensity scales, and fitness testing.