IntensityPostpartum women may use e

IntensityPostpartum women may use either the RPE scale or training heart rate to monitor exer-cise intensity, although RPE may still be a more accurate measure. Some women may have problems palpating a pulse because of numbness in the fingers caused by carpal tunnel or thoracic outlet syndrome, or they may have muscle fatigue that is not reflected by heart rate. Your client’s rating of perceived exertion (RPE) should be in the moderate to somewhat hard level during exercise. Begin with exercise rated on the lower end of the Borg RPE scale, and monitor how she feels during and after exercise. The intensity of exercise can be increased when the client feels fully recovered from the birth and has not experienced any symptoms that suggest she is overworking. Train-ing heart rate can be used after a woman feels recovered from the birth, but RPE should still be recorded to make sure her training heart rate is appropriate.