Cardiovascular, perceived exertion and affective responses during aerobic exercise performed with imposed and a self-selected intensity in patients with Parkinson’s disease

BACKGROUND: Exercise with self-selected intensity (SSI) has emerged as a new strategy for exercise prescription aiming to increase exercise adherence in Parkinson's disease (PD).

OBJECTIVE: We compared the cardiovascular, perceived exertion and affective responses during traditional aerobic exercise and with SSI in PD.

METHODS: Twenty patients with PD performed two aerobic exercise sessions in random order with an interval of at least 72 h between them: Traditional session (cycle ergometer, 25 min, 50 rpm) with imposed intensity (II) (60-80% maximum heart rate [HR]) and SSI: (cycle ergometer, 25 min, 50 rpm) with SSI. The HR (Polar V800 monitor), systolic blood pressure (auscultatory method), rating of perceived exertion (Borg scale 6-20) and affective responses (feeling scale) were assessed during the exercise at 8th and 18th minute. The Generalized Estimating Equation Model was used for comparison between both sessions (P < 0.05).

RESULTS: The exercise intensity was not significantly different between both exercise sessions (8th minute: II -76.3±1.0 vs. SSI -76.5±1.3 % of maximal HR; 18th minute: II -78.9±0.9 vs. SSI -79.1±1.3 % of maximal HR, p = 0.93). Blood pressure, perceived exertion and affective responses were also not significantly different between both sessions (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: Cardiovascular and psychophysiological responses were not different during aerobic exercise performed with II and with SSI in patients with PD.