Ahpra registration PHY0002298174
How these guides are written and reviewed →
The Modified Borg scale is a simple 0–10 rating you use to describe how breathless — or how hard your effort feels — during activity. You just point to the number that matches how you feel. It gives your clinician a quick, consistent way to measure a symptom that is otherwise invisible, and to track whether treatment or training is helping.
What it measures
The modified Borg (mBORG) scale is a "category-ratio" scale from 0 to 10 with word anchors.1 It is most often used to rate breathlessness,2 but the same scale can rate general exertion or leg fatigue. Because you choose the rating yourself, it captures your experience directly.
The scale
| Rating | Breathlessness |
|---|---|
| 0 | Nothing at all |
| 0.5 | Very, very slight (just noticeable) |
| 1 | Very slight |
| 2 | Slight |
| 3 | Moderate |
| 4 | Somewhat severe |
| 5 | Severe |
| 6 | |
| 7 | Very severe |
| 8 | |
| 9 | Very, very severe (almost maximal) |
| 10 | Maximal |
How we use it
- During walk tests — we record your Borg breathlessness and fatigue before and after the Six-Minute Walk Test and shuttle walk tests.3
- During exercise and rehab — to set and adjust training intensity; many programmes aim for a target Borg of around 3–4 ("moderate" to "somewhat severe").
- To track change — a lower Borg for the same task over time suggests you are getting fitter or that treatment is working.
- To guide pacing — it helps you recognise and stay within a comfortable, sustainable level of effort.
References & evidence base
- Borg GA. Psychophysical bases of perceived exertion. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1982;14(5):377–381.
- Kendrick KR, Baxi SC, Smith RM. Usefulness of the modified 0–10 Borg scale in assessing the degree of dyspnea in patients with COPD and asthma. J Emerg Nurs 2000;26(3):216–222.
- Holland AE, Spruit MA, Troosters T, et al. An official European Respiratory Society/American Thoracic Society technical standard: field walking tests in chronic respiratory disease. Eur Respir J 2014;44(6):1428–1446.
References are numbered in citation order (Vancouver/BMJ style) and were current at the time of writing. Guidelines are living documents — verify against the latest version before clinical use.
Supervised exercise, breathing technique and self-management education are the mainstay of cardiorespiratory physiotherapy for this condition.
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