Perceived Exertion in Children's Physical Activity
Summary
Perceived exertion refers to an individual’s subjective appraisal of the intensity of physical effort and strain during activity. In children, this self-reported measure offers a practical complement to objective indicators such as heart rate or oxygen uptake, accommodating developmental variations in physiology and cognition. Reliable assessment of perceived exertion can inform the design of age-appropriate exercise programmes, support safe participation in sport and play, and help to monitor both daily physical activity and structured training. Recent advances have explored how children interpret exertion scales, how these perceptions correlate with physiological markers, and how cultural, environmental and developmental factors shape children’s reporting. Understanding perceived exertion in young populations is pivotal for optimising long-term health trajectories, preventing overtraining, and embedding lifelong habits of active living.
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Perceived Exertion in Children's Physical Activity publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in perceived exertion in children's physical activity across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Perceived exertion: The subjective sensation of effort and fatigue experienced during physical activity.
Borg scale: A numerical scale from 6 to 20 used to rate perceived exertion, originally developed for adults to correlate with heart-rate responses.
OMNI scale: A pictorial and numerical rating scale designed to assess perceived exertion across various exercise modes, with versions adapted for children and resistance activities.
Test–retest reliability: A measure of the consistency of responses on the same assessment administered on separate occasions.
References
- The application of Borg scale in cardiopulmonary resuscitation: An integrative review. PLOS Digital Health (2024).
- Effect of living area and sports club participation on physical fitness in children: a 4 year longitudinal study. BMC Public Health (2014).
- The Omni Scale Is Not Suitable for Assessing Self-Perceived Exertion during Physical Activity in Preschoolers. Children (2023).
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