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Int J Sports Med 1992; 13(2): 133-136
DOI: 10.1055/s-2007-1021244
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Comparison between the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Category Ratio Scale (CR-10) for the Evaluation of Leg Exertion

G. Neely1 , G. Ljunggren1 , C. Sylvén2 , G. Borg1
  • 1Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, S-10691 Stockholm
  • 2Department of Medicine, Section of Cardiology, Huddinge Hospital, S-14186 Huddinge
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Publication Date:
14 March 2008 (online)

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Abstract

Perceptual ratings given on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Category Ratio Scale (CR-10) were compared in 24 healthy male volunteers (18-39 years) subjected to an exercise test using a bicycle ergometer. Ratings of leg exertion were made by means of the CR-10, the VAS and, as a complementary measure, the method of free magnitude estimation (ME). Blood lactate levels (BL) and heart rates (HR) were used as correlates to sensory percep-tion.

The correlation between the CR-10 ratings and BL at 180 W were .59 (p < .01), and between VAS ratings and BL .45 (p < .05). The corresponding correlations with HR were .64 (p < 0.01) and .58 (p < 0.01), respec-tively. No significant correlation was found for ME. It was concluded that both the CR-10 and the VAS scales were found to be useful for the psychophysical estimation of perceptual intensities. The CR-10 scale appeared to be slightly more efficient than the VAS and both these methods much better than ME. The advantage of the CR-10 scale might be due to a greater ability to discriminate at high intensity levels.

Key words

Psychophysics - scaling - leg exertion

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