gms | German Medical Science

Objective: Biomechanics is a science that has been applied from different points of view in Cycling. Due to it's a cyclical exercise, this science is more important than in other Sports.Therefore an optimal configuration in the symbiosis bike-rider guarantees a better performance. One of the most complicated item to study in the biomechanics of complex bike-rider is the transferred forces to the pedal. The baropodometry applied in cycling can know quantitatively the distribution of support forces that the foot exerts on the boot and this on the pedal. For the time being literature is not accurate in describing the distribution of plantar pressures and the methodology that was used to establish relationships between parameters such as pedaling cadence or power should be revised. The objective of this study is to first establish a base on foot baropodometric behavior in the road cycling. Second is to establish which parameters changes plantar pressures and which not.

Material/Methods: The study sample consists of 50 professional cyclists from different countries, the mean age is 25.7 ± 4.4 years, the mean weight is 68.78 ± 7.67 kg, the mean height of 1.78 ± 7, 27 meters high and mean trainning is 27.9 ± 2.4 hours per week. All of them are active and show no previous symptoms. The baropodometric study was performed by Biofoot 6.0^®. The sample collection protocol was based on 4 tests on a static Roller, 2 of them which changes the cadence keeping the power (80ppm, 100ppm / 180w) and in the other two tests the power was modified keeping the cadence (100ppm / 180w, 250w). Baropodometric data were compared with cyclist's biomechanical parameters (metatarsal formula, type of cleats, foot posture index, dominance, weight, hours of training, joint range of dorsiflexion of the foot, range of internal and external rotation of hip). The statistics are based on bivariate correlations for joint ranges and plantar pressures, and in an ANOVAS series for morphological parameters).

Results: Significant differences were found among all baropodometric tests, both in the variation of cadence and power variation in all areas (first test in first toe 147 kPa ±133; second test in first toe 183 kPa ±173; third test in first toe 378 ±331; fourth test in first toe 640 kpa ±446). The areas that received more pressure are the first finger (640kPa ± 446,3) and the first metatarsal (738kPa ± 528) , and areas that received less pressure were medial arch (106kPa ± 72) and the heel (120kPa ± 90). Regarding the modifying factors studied were significant differences in foot posture index, cyclist weight and type of cleats (rigid or mobile). All anatomical ranges studied (hip and ankle) had statistically significant, but only in certain areas (midfoot and first toe).

Conclusion: Knowing the pressure distribution pattern is helpful in the interpretation of the biomechanics of cycling, however should be considered that there are certain parameters, morphological (the bike), mechanical (the bike or boots) that modify plantar pressure and therefore the transferred forces. The optimization of all variables would improve the biomechanics and therefore the performance.