Impact of Two Methods of Listening to Music During Exercise on Perceived Exertion and Overall Physic

1
Impact of Two Methods of Listening to Music
During Exercise on Perceived Exertion and
Overall Physical Activity
Stephen Clement, MD, Rebecca Over, MD, Uha
Reddy, MD Department of Medicine, Georgetown Univ
ersity Hospital, Washington, DC Georgetown
University Medical Center, Washington, DC

Georgetown University
Outcome Measures
Control Group and Intervention Group
Introduction

Control Group Participants randomized to the
control group will be given a 60 minute lecture
on the benefits of regular exercise and how music
can enhance the exercise experience. They will be
given Kenz Lifecorder Plus accelerometers to wear
during the duration of the study (6 weeks) and
asked to keep an exercise diary. They will
participate in the same testing as the
intervention group (please see testing section
below). Intervention Group Participants randomiz
ed to the intervention group will receive
instruction on how to exercise in synchrony to
music, which includes practice using the video
game Dance Dance Revolution TM. In addition to
the accelerometers, the intervention group will
receive MP3 music players on which playlists have
been downloaded. The songs on the playlists have
specific beats per minute (BPM) which can be used
for synchronous exercising.

• Change in RPE from baseline to 6 weeks
  (submaximal test)
  
• Difference in total activity between groups
  (accelerometer)

Because exercise produces marked health
benefits, health organizations recommend that
adults exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes a
day on most days of the week.1 But, motivating
people to exercise is difficult. One strategy
commonly used to reduce the boredom and
monotony of exercise is to listen to music.
Previous studies have shown that listening to
music while exercising reduces the Borg Rating of
Perceived Exertion (RPE) compared to not
listening to music. The RPE is a rating of how
strenuous the activity feels to the subject.2
There are several mechanisms through which music
may enhance the exercise experience, including
reducing the sensation of fatigue, improving the
mood state, influencing psychomotor arousal, and
encouraging synchronization.3 Synchronous
exercise occurs when the body moves in synchrony
to the beat of the music. The focus of this study
is to evaluate whether exercising in synchrony to
music produces different outcomes than exercising
while passively listening to music (asynchronous
exercise).

3. Difference in heart rate between groups
(submaximal test) 4. Change in weekly RPE and MET
score between groups (supervised
sessions) 5. Difference in affect, fatigue, and t
ranquility between groups (PAAS questionnaire)
6. Difference in interest/enjoyment and pressure
/tension after exercise between groups (IMI ques
tionnaire)
Focus Group
Testing and Data Collection
After week 6 of the study, a focus group will be
held with the participants to assess their
qualitative impressions with regard to listening
to music while exercising. The participants will
be separated by control group and intervention
group. Their responses will be analyzed and
compared through a partnership with Georgetown
University Hospitals Department of Psychiatry.
Objective

• Exercise Stress Test (Georgetown Heart Station)
• First, the participant will have a resting EKG
  done. If there are no baseline EKG abnormalities,
  then he/she will participate in an exercise
  stress test (treadmill). This test will be
  evaluated to confirm whether the participant is
  physically able to be a part of the study. In
  addition, the participants final maximal level
  of activity in METS will be noted.
• Submaximal Exercise Test (Georgetown GCRC)
• This test will occur at the beginning and end of
  the 6 week period and will be video-taped. The
  participant will use the elliptical trainer to
  exercise while listening to music for two 15
  minute sessions. During the second session, the
  participant will be asked to exercise at a level
  equivalent to 70 of the METS achieved during the
  exercise stress test. Heart rate and RPE will be
  measured at 3 minute intervals.
• Supervised Exercise Session (Yates Field House)
• This test will occur once each week for the
  duration of the study (6 sessions in total). The
  participant will be observed (by a trainer)
  exercising on the elliptical machine for 50-55
  minutes. The participant will complete certain
  questionnaires before and after each session
  (please see below). In addition, the trainer will
  record heart rate, RPE, METS, and total calories
  expended at 15 minute intervals.
• Measurement of Total Activity
• The Kenz Lifecorder plus accelerometer (which
  each participant will wear for the full 6 week
  interval) will record total steps, activity time,
  and activity calories. This information will be
  blinded to the participant and will be downloaded
  at the end of the study.
• Psychometric Tests
• At the beginning and end of the study, each
  participant will complete the Modifiable Activity
  questionnaire, the Pittsburgh sleep quality index
  scale, and the 5-factor mindfulness
  questionnaire.
• Before and after the supervised exercise
  sessions, each participant will complete the
  Physical Activity Affect Scale (PAAS).
  
• After (not before) the supervised exercise
  sessions, each participant will complete the
  Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI).

To evaluate the effect of synchronous exercise
versus asynchronous exercise on RPE (Rating of
Perceived Exertion) and overall physical activity
in adults who participate in regular exercise.
Hypotheses 1. Synchronous exercise will reduc
e the RPE and improve affect compared with
asynchronous exercise. 2. Instruction in synchro
nous exercise will motivate participants to
exercise more frequently than instruction in
asynchronous exercise.
Assessment of Synchronization
A new aspect of the study involving assessment of
synchronization has been incorporated into the
studys design. Since the ability of participants
to exercise in synchrony to music differs, this
ability will be rated and then evaluated in
context of the results. During the submaximal
exercise test, the participants will be
video-taped. A musician affiliated with the
Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, MD, who has
expertise in rhythm will view the videos and
assign each participant a rating from 1-5 (1
signifying completely asynchronous exercise and 5
signifying completely synchronous exercise). The
musician will not have any information about the
participants and will not know whether they are
in the control group or the intervention group.
At the end of the study, the results will be
compared between participants in different
synchronization rating groups (for example,
between participants with a rating of 1 and
participants with a rating of 5). This will be
done in partnership with the Peabody Conservatory.
Participants

• Inclusion Criteria
• Adult employees of Georgetown University (20-55
  years of age) who listen to music while
  exercising and who engage in regular physical
  activity of at least 2 exercise sessions per week
  (at least 80 minutes per week in total) of light
  to moderate exercise.
• Exclusion Criteria
• Major medical condition which prevents regular
  exercise
  
• Use of Beta-blocker medication
• Participation in varsity sports

References

• Physical activity guidelines for healthy adults
  under age 65. http//www.acsm.org/AM/Template.cfm?
  SectionHome_PageTEMPLATE/CM/HTMLDisplay.cfmCON
  TENTID7764
• (accessed April 12, 2009).
• Szmedra L, Bacharach DW. Effect of music on
  perceived exertion, plasma lactate,
  norepinephrine and cardiovascular
  
• hemodynamics during treadmill running. Int J
  Sports Med 19 32-37, 1998.
  
• 3. Karageorghis C, Terry P. The psychophysical
  effects of music in sport and exercise A review.
  J Sport Behavior 20 54-64, 1997.

Acknowledgments Stephen Clement, MD, Rebecca Over
, MD, Eileen Pelayo, RN Georgetown University GCR
C, Georgetown University Hospital Heart Station,
Yates Field House, Georgetown University Hospital
Department of Psychiatry, Peabody Conservatory
Total of 46 participants, randomized into either
the Control Group or
the Intervention Group