Heart Rate, Perceived Exertion, And Speed Acute Effects On Three Different Walking Trails: Easier Project

Innovative strategies are needed to help reduce sedentary behaviors and improve physical fitness through a combination of exercise, and digital gamification. The EASIER project is developing different walking trails to use in a mobile app with the intention to achieve an adequate level of physiological stimulus. PURPOSE: The aim was to compare the heart rate (HR), the local perceived exertion (L-RPE), the chest RPE (C-RPE) and Speed in 3 walking trails: A Park Trail (PT), an Urban Trail (UT) and Walkways Trail (WT) were set with similar distance (1630 ± 53.5 m). METHODS: A total of 12 males (age = 27.5 ± 9.7 years; body mass = 71.5 ± 6.8 kg; height = 175.7 ± 5.3 cm) and 8 females (age = 41.8 ± 22.1 years; body mass = 65.8 ± 8.3 kg; height = 169.1 ± 5.4 cm) classified as active and very-active (IPAQ) perform 3 walking trails. The PT (+27.9% and -22.6% slope), the UT (+19.4% and -23.2% slope) and the WT (+63.84% and -59.52%) were made in different days. The HR and Speed were assessed through 10 Hz GPS and HR monitor. The 5 levels HR zones were based in ACSM (2020) and maximum HR determined by equation: 206,9-0,67*age. The walking speed zones (km/h) were Z1 (0-5.4) and Z2 (5.4-10.8), and the Borg scale (0-10 AU) was used to assess RPE. RESULTS: The ANOVA showed no differences in average Speed with values in WT (2.85 ± 0.40 km/h) compared to UT (2.84 ± 0.46) and PT (2.81 ± 0.53), neither between different speed zones (p > 0.05). For percentage of time in HR zones, the WT was done in Moderate (38.9%), Vigorous (22.4%) or Maximum (0.9%) intensity, the PT in Very-Light (33.1%) and Light (36.3%) intensity and the UT in Very Light (34.5%) and Light (38.6%) intensity. The L-RPE and C-RPE were higher in WT (6.40 ± 1.23 and 6.15 ± 0.98 AU) compared to PT (4.55 ± 0.94 and 4.55 ± 0.99 AU) and to UT (3.10 ± 0.96 and 2.75 ± 0.786 AU) with differences between the 3 walking trails (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The WT was linked to more time in Moderate-to-Vigorous exercise intensity, to higher levels of L-RPE and C-RPE and to a topographic profile suitable to obtain exercise benefits for active and very-active participants, and the PT and UT were linked to lower intensity and RPE. Walking trails with specific degrees of physiological stimulus can be use as a novel strategy to reduce sedentary behaviors. Suported by EASIER - hEalth And wellneSs promotIng gamE platfoRm (072637/Portugal 2020)