Paper Review

A Method for Biomechanical

Analysis of Bicycle Pedalling

PRESENTED BY:
ARTH SHAH
ME14B104
Maury L. Hull
Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Department of
Biomedical Engineering at University of California, Davis.
Directs several ongoing research programs in
musculoskeletal biomechanics.
Research interests:
Orthopedic Biomechanics.
Biomechanics of Whole Body Movement.
Sports Biomechanics and Equipment Design.
Introduction
An integrated analysis of bicycling biomechanics to
determine the functional roles of the lower limb
muscles.

Why is it important to understand the biomechanics?

Elimination of or amelioration of overuse injuries in
the knee.
Benefits from using stationary ergometers as a form
of physical therapy.
Techniques for improving performance in
competition.
Literature Review
Houtz and Fischer (1959) : EMGs of 14 surface muscles using stationary
exercise bicycle.
Despires (1974) : Effects of seat position and load on the activity of surface
muscles.
Gregor (1976) : Normal and tangential pedal forces developed in both
pedals.
Nordeen Snyder (1977) : Angular displacements and velocities of the leg
segments.
Faria and Cavanagh (1978) : Muscles and joints involved in cycling.
Hull and Davis (1981) : Measure complete pedal loading.
Gregor (1982) : Establish normal riding position using exercise ergometer.
While these previous research efforts have provided valuable insight into pedalling
process, a detailed mechanical analysis, which integrates EMG data, kinematic data
General Anatomy of the Leg
1. Gluteus Maximus (GM)
2. Rectus Femoris (RF)
3. Vastus Medialis (VM)
4. Vastus Lateralis (VL)
5. Tibialis Anterior (TA)
6. Gastrocnemius (G)
7. Biceps Femoris (BF)
8. Semimembranous (S)
Experimental method
Muscle Timing Diagram
The results of EMG studies indicate the
regions of maximum muscle activity.
In the adjacent figure, dark areas are regions
of maximum activity.
It is observed that simultaneous activity of
agonist / antagonist muscle groups is
minimal.
Continued
Pedal Dynamometer
A six load component dynamometer was
used to measure the complete pedal
loading.
10 kilo-Ohm Potentiometers were used to
measure crank arm angle and relative
pedal angle, which determined the
absolute spatial position of the pedal.
Analytical Method
Five bar linkage
model of the leg
The leg bicycle system can
be modeled as a closed loop 5
bar linkage with the frame as
the fixed link.
The loop equation can be
used to calculate the angles of
the moving links (thigh, shank,
foot, crank arm).
Angular Accelerations
Because the model is a 5 bar linkage, two constraints are needed to specify
the linkage configuration.
One is the crank angle that is measured.
The other is derived from the measured relative pedal angle.

The equations for the thigh and knee angles are given by :
Continued
Using Cramers rule, the angular accelerations of the thigh and knee are
given by :

The crank arm angular acceleration is not included because crank arm
angular velocity is assumed constant.
Linear Accelerations
The linear accelerations of the segment CGs are calculated by writing
location equations similar to the loop equation and differentiating twice.
The CG location equations are :

Where d1, d6 and d12 are distances from the proximal joint to the CGs of the
thigh, shank and foot respectively.
Continued
After differentiating twice, the accelerations are :
Joint Moments
Knowing the angular accelerations of the
segments, the normal and tangential pedal
forces, the joint moments can now be
determined. From the FBDs of the segments,
the joint moment equations are :
Continued
The total joint moments can be partitioned into moments due to motion only
(kinematic moments) and the moments due to pedal forces only (static
moments).
Kinematic moments (Pedal forces set equal to zero):
Continued
Static moments (motion terms set equal to zero):

The partitioning described above is useful because:

Enables a delineation of muscle function.
Determines whether a muscle is primarily responsible for one one function
over another.
Results
Static Joint Moments
Pedal Forces
Continued
Kinematic Joint Moments Segment
Angular Accelerations
Continued
Total Joint Moments
Conclusions
Ankle Joint
Two muscles : Gastrocnemius and Tibialis anterior.
The kinematic ankle moment is small compared with the static moment,
hence negligible.
Gastrocnemius (0 280 degrees)
Between 0 degrees and 130 degrees, the static ankle moment increases
corresponding to the increase in normal pedal force.
Because of the similarity between the ankle moment and the normal pedal
force, which corresponds to the region of gastroc activity, the
Gastrocnemius is active only to equilibrate the ankle joint moment.
Continued
Tibialis Anterior (300 degrees - TDC)
The ankle moment corresponding to the active region is close to zero.
Muscle activity bears little relationship to the pedal forces.
Hence, the muscle flexes the ankle, thereby controlling the kinematics of
the system.

Hip Joint
Gluteus maximus, Biceps femoris, Semimembranosus and Rectus femoris.
The inertia of the thigh is large and there is an intuitive dependence of the
kinematic hip moment on angular acceleration.
Continued
Static hip moment is controlled by the normal pedal forces between TDC and
100 degrees and from 200 degrees to TDC as both increase in magnitude in
these regions.
In the region 100 200 degrees, static hip moment is controlled by the
resultant of normal and tangential pedal forces.
Gluteus Maximus (20 100 degrees)
Corresponds to increase in total hip moment.
Static hip moment dominates in this region. Hence, this muscle produces
the normal pedal force.
Continued
Biceps femoris and Semimembranosus (100 200 degrees)
Total hip moment sustained.
Kinematics plays a beneficial role in reducing the effort of these muscles.
Rectus femoris (300 degrees - TDC)
Correlates to the negative region of the total hip moment plot.
Because static hip moment approaches zero in this region, it plays a
distinct role in the kinematics.
Continued
Knee Joint
It is difficult to relate the kinematic knee moment to the segment
accelerations. However, it is possible to relate the static knee moment to the
pedal forces.
Static knee moment is influenced mainly by the tangential pedal force.
The muscle activity picture is complicated, since all of the muscles except
tibialis anterior and gluteus maximus cross the knee joint.
Rectus femoris (300 degrees - TDC)
300 degrees point corresponds to zero crossing of the total knee moment
which in turn corresponds to the onset of increasing tangential pedal force.
Continued
Vastii muscles (350 80 degrees)
This region includes the maximum magnitude of the total knee moment,
which is primarily influenced by the tangential pedal force.
Accordingly, the vastii muscles generate the knee moment necessary to
sustain the tangential pedal force.
Biceps femoris and Semimembranosus (100 200 degrees)
Antagonistic to the quadriceps, they act to produce the positive knee
moment
Positive knee moment results from positive contributions of both the
kinematic and static moments.
Hence, they contribute both to generating the pedal forces and driving the
leg linkage.
Critique of the Paper
Strengths
The bicycle was ridden on rollers to simulate actual riding.
The seat was leveled to be horizontal.
The EMG data was taken at 2000 samples per second per channel, which
satisfied the minimum sampling time required to extract stable information.
EMG activity patterns are not strongly related to pedalling conditions (i.e.
load, seat height and shoe type).
Continued
Weaknesses
Plane motion analysis was conducted. Pedal force and moment in the Y
direction were ignored.
Data was recorded for two trials of one revolution each and then averaged.
The crank arm angular acceleration was not considered.
Pedal forces are asymmetrical.
The region of maximum activity was arbitrarily delimited by levels which are
at least 50% of the maximum for a particular muscle.
More conclusive results might be obtained from additional tests which vary
kinematic moments while holding static moments constant.