Inverse Dynamics in Cycling Performance

Joint reaction forces and moments are of great interest for cyclists, coaches, therapists and medics because they give information about muscular effort and therefore cycling technique. The objective of this study is to examine the influence of pedalling rate and power on joint moments. An own mechanical construction was used to measure pedal forces, kinematic data was recorded and joint moment calculations were solved on a computer for ankle, knee and hip with help of a link segment model. Results show an increase of moments with increase of power and decrease of pedal rate.