Examples of Types of Physical Activity
| MET | Physical Symptoms | Examples of Activities | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rest | 1 | — | — |
| Light | <3 | Easily able to converse | Household chores |
| Walking | |||
| No sweating or shortness of breath | Playing catch | ||
| Fishing | |||
| Moderate | 3–6 | Some difficulty talking | Yardwork |
| Feeling warm | Jogging or fast walking | ||
| Light sweating | Tag | ||
| Slight shortness of breath | Movement portion of ball sports | ||
| Vigorous | >6 | Unable to talk | Manual labor |
| Short of breath | Run | ||
| Face red | Skipping rope | ||
| Sweating | Skiing, skating | ||
| Wheelchair use or use of assistive devices (crutches or ankle-foot orthoses) | Comparable METs expended for comparable examples noted above (eg, wheeling on a smooth surface = light; wheeling fast or up an incline or as part of ball sports = moderate; wheelchair racing or sit-skiing = vigorous) (use of crutches or ankle-foot orthoses involves higher METs but usually not enough to increase the level of PA, eg, from light to moderate) | — | — |
| Muscle strengthening | — | Pushing and/or pulling one’s body or an object | Climbing |
| Pushups, curl-ups, or resistance training | |||
| Wheeling a wheelchair | |||
| Bone strengthening | — | Increased impact | Jumping rope |
| Tumbling | |||
| Running |
Data are from references 78–82. MET, metabolic equivalent of task; PA, physical activity; —, not applicable.