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What is Physical Activity?


Children playing wheelchair tennis.
Children playing wheelchair tennis.

Physical activity is defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as any 'bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that result in energy expenditure.' There are five components of exercise: cardiovascular, strength, balance, flexibility, and functional motor skills exercise. According to the CDC, Children should perform 60 minutes of moderate- or vigorous-intensity physical activity per day, which can be assessed using a zero-to-10 scale (where a score of “zero” is sitting and “10” is the perceived highest level of exertion). Moderate intensity on the zero-to-10 scale would be roughly a score of five to six. Vigorous physical activity is classified by a seven or eight. Careful observation of the child’s breathing, heart rate, and speech may provide a great indication of what level of activity they are performing. A simpler test that may be performed to assess intensity of exercise may be the “talk test.” The “talk test” is conducted by asking the child to talk to you or sing. If the child is able to sing then they are working at a mild intensity of exercise. If the child cannot sing but can talk to you, then they are most likely working at a moderate intensity. However, if the child is unable to respond verbally than he/she might be working at a very high intensity of exercise.


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