Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2023C00151:front:0:p17
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2023C00151
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 43784–46889

 Shopping and carrying groceries (10 kg).
               Gentle swimming.
               Painting outside of house.
               Hoeing (soft soil).
               Stacking firewood.
5–6 METs  Heavy exercise: manual labour or vigorous sports

               Walking 6.5 km/h (sustained brisk walk, discomfort in talking at the same time).
               Walking slowly but steadily up stairs.
               Carpentry (eg. Sawing and planing with hand tools).
               Swimming laps (non-competitive).
               Pushing a full wheelbarrow (20 kg).
               Shovelling dirt (12 throws a minute).
               Digging in garden.
6–7 METs       Badminton (competitive)
               Tennis (singles, non-competitive).
               Water skiing.
               Loading truck with bricks.
               Using a pick and shovel to dig trenches.
7–8 METs  Very heavy exercise

               Jogging (8 km/h).
               Horseback riding (galloping).
               Carrying heavy objects (30 kg) on level ground.
               Sawing hardwood with hand tools.
8–9 METs       Running (9 km/h).
               Skiing (cross-country.
               Chopping hardwood.
               Callisthenics.
               Squash (non competitive).
10+ METs       Running quickly (10 km/h).
               Cycling quickly (25 km/h).
               Carrying loads (10 kg) up a gradient.
               Football (any code).

The activities listed under each heading are examples. There will be other activities that have the same METs expenditure and hence can be used for reference if their METs level is known.

Ratings derived from METs are age adjusted

Alternate procedures for establishing the symptomatic activity level

   1. The symptomatic activity level may be determined by exercise tests. These tests include:

      use of treadmills; or
      cycles; or
      rowing machines.
   Because of their greater objectivity, the results of exercise tests (when available) are to be used in preference to the method of calculating exercise tolerance as described above. Moreover, exercise tests must always be used to make an estimate of exercise tolerance above 6–7 METs.
   2. If certain levels of activity have been prohibited by the treating doctor, because of the adverse effect the prohibited activity is likely to have on the veteran's health as a result of the accepted condition, then the level of exercise that has been prohibited may be regarded as the symptomatic activity level.

           Substep 3B: Convert the symptomatic activity level into an impairment rating.

The symptomatic activity level is used, in conjunction with the veteran's age, height, and sex, to obtain an impairment rating.

In the case of a male, Table 1.2 is to be applied.
In the case of a female, Table 1.3 is to be applied.

For the purposes of Tables 1.2 and 1.3, a veteran's age is taken to be his or her age in whole years at the date of the report relating to the exercise tolerance (unless the report is of a retrospective type and clearly refers to some