Affiliations: [a] Institute of Sport and Recreation Research New
Zealand, AUT University, Auckland, New Zealand | [b] Laboratório de Pesquisa do Exercício,
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil | [c] Curso de Educação Física, Centro
Universitário do Norte, Manaus, Brazil | [d] Applied Neuromechanics Group, Physical Education and
Physioterapy Faculty, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Uruguaiana, Brazil | [e] Laboratório de Biomecânica, Universidade
Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Desportos, Campus Universitário da
Trindade, Florianópolis, Brazil
Note: [] Address for correspondence: Rodrigo Rico Bini, Institute of
Sport and Recreation Research New Zealand, 90 Akoranga Dr., AH221D, North Shore
City, Auckland 0637, New Zealand. Tel.: +64 9 921 9999 ext 7295; Fax: +64 9 921
9960; E-mail: bini.rodrigo@gmail.com
Abstract: The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of small
changes in pedaling cadence (20% higher and lower than the freely chosen) on
hip, knee, and ankle mechanical parameters. Right pedal forces and lower limb
kinematics of cyclists were measured with workload at 80% of peak power output,
for three pedaling cadences (freely chosen cadence – FCC; 20% below the
FCC – FCC −20%; and 20% higher than the FCC – FCC +20%).
Forces, kinematics and mechanical work were calculated for hip, knee and ankle
joints. Knee joint mechanical work decreased at FCC +20% (55 ± 13
J, compared to FCC – 66 ± 11 J and to FCC −20% – 72
± 7 J), while the contribution of each joint to the total mechanical
work (TMW) was not affected by pedaling cadence. Joint forces were not
influenced by pedaling cadence. Ankle joint angle increased (155 ±
3° compared to FCC – 152 ± 2° and to FCC
−20%–149 ± 3°), while knee (59 ± 3° compared
to FCC – 62 ± 2° and to FCC −20% – 64 ±
1°), and ankle (15 ± 4° compared to FCC – 18 ±
1° and to FCC −20% – 20 ± 2°) range of motion (ROM)
decreased at FCC +20%. The effects of pedaling cadence on joint mechanical
work and kinematics indicate that the FCC does not minimize joint mechanical
work and force production for all lower limb joints. The knee joint tunes the
power production by the mechanical work while the ankle function seems to be
dependent on joint kinematics when pedaling cadence is increased.
Keywords: Ankle, coordination, kinematics, inverse dynamics, pedal force
