Bicycle Set-Up Dimensions and Cycling Kinematics: A Consensus Statement Using Delphi Methodology.

Bicycle set-up dimensions and cycling kinematic data are important components of bicycle fitting and cyclist testing protocols. However, there are no guidelines on how bicycles should be measured and how kinematic data should be collected to increase the reliability of outcomes. This article proposes a consensus regarding bicycle set-up dimensions and recommendations for collecting cycling-related kinematic data.

Criterion validity of neural networks to assess lower limb motion during cycling.

The use of marker-less methods to automatically obtain kinematics of movement is expanding but validity to high-velocity tasks such as cycling with the presence of the bicycle on the field of view is needed when standard video footage is obtained. The purpose of this study was to assess if pre-trained neural networks are valid for calculations of lower limb joint kinematics during cycling. Motion of twenty-six cyclists pedalling on a cycle trainer was captured by a video camera capturing frames from the sagittal plane whilst reflective markers were attached to their lower limb.

Float like a Butterfly: Comparison between Off and On-Ice Torso Kinematics during the Butterfly Stance in Ice Hockey Goalkeepers.

In ice hockey, the butterfly style/stance is a technique distinguished by the goalkeepers (goalie) dropping to their knees to block attempts to score. Although this goalie style has been around for many years, comparisons between on and off-ice attire has not been undertaken. Therefore, this preliminary study compared differences in torso acceleration and energy expenditure by way of the Metabolic Equivalent of Task (MET) during off-ice and on-ice butterfly stances/saves.

Training and match demands differ between the regular season and finals in semi-professional basketball.

Basketball competitions often include a scheduled regular season followed by knock-out finals. Understanding training and match demands through the season can help optimize performance and reduce injury risk. This study investigated whether training and/or match demands differed between the regular season and finals, and whether these differences were dependent on player role.

Inter-limb differences in in-vivo tendon behavior, kinematics, kinetics and muscle activation during running.

Overloading of tendon tissue may result in overuse tendon injuries in runners. One possible cause of overloading could be the occurrence of biomechanical inter-limb differences during running. However, scarce information exists concerning the simultaneous analysis of inter-limb differences in external and internal loading-related variables in habitual runners.

Residual neuromuscular fatigue influences subsequent on-court activity in basketball.

The aim of this study was to determine if residual neuromuscular fatigue influenced subsequent match and training activity in professional women's basketball. Prior to matches and training sessions throughout a season, players performed countermovement jumps while wearing a magnetic, angular rate and gravity (acceleration) sensor on their upper back. Flight time to contraction time ratio was used to determine neuromuscular performance and to identify neuromuscular fatigue.

On-Court Activity and Game-Related Statistics during Scoring Streaks in Basketball: Applied Use of Accelerometers.

The aim of this observational study was to determine if on-court activity and match statistics differed between periods of scoring streaks and regular play in basketball. Thirty-seven basketballers including professional women, semi-professional women and semi-professional men wore accelerometers during competitive matches throughout a season. Accelerometry-derived live-time individual on-court exercise intensity and team game-related statistics were compared between scoring streaks (periods of play where the teams participating in the study scored at least three times in a row), streaks against (periods of play where the opposition teams scored at least three times in a row) and regular play.

Validity of Neural Networks to Determine Body Position on the Bicycle.

With the increased access to neural networks trained to estimate body segments from images and videos, this study assessed the validity of some of these networks in enabling the assessment of body position on the bicycle. Fourteen cyclists pedaled stationarily in one session on their own bicycles while video was recorded from their sagittal plane. Reflective markers attached to key bony landmarks were used to manually digitize joint angles at two positions of the crank (3 o'clock and 6 o'clock) extracted from the videos (Reference method).

Effects of workload level on the timing of concentric-eccentric contractions during cycling.

Background: The mechanical energy required to drive the cranks during cycling depends on concentric and eccentric muscle actions. However, no study to date provided clear evidence on how workload levels affect concentric and eccentric muscle actions during cycling. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the workload effects on the timing of lower limb concentric and eccentric muscle actions, and on joint power production.

Caffeine mouth rinse enhances performance, fatigue tolerance and reduces muscle activity during moderate-intensity cycling.

We investigated the effects of caffeine mouth rinse on endurance performance, muscle recruitment (i.e., electromyographic activity of the vastus lateralis and rectus femoris), rating of perceived effort and heart rate.

Comparison of linea alba length and core-muscles engagement during core and lower back orientated exercises.

Background: A comparison of Linea Alba (LA) length and engagement of the Transverse Abdominis (TrA), External Oblique (EO) and Internal Oblique (IO) between core-orientated and lower back orientated exercises (e.g. glute bridge and hip extension) is lacking.

Methods to determine saddle height in cycling and implications of changes in saddle height in performance and injury risk: A systematic review.

The objective of this systematic review was to assess the methods to determine bicycle saddle height and the effects of saddle height on cycling performance and injury risk outcomes. The key motivator of this review was to update and expand the finding reported by a previous narrative review published in 2011. The literature search included all documents from the following databases: Medline, Scopus, CINAHL, OVID and Google Scholar.

Criterion Validity of an Automated Method of Detecting Live Play Periods in Basketball.

This study aimed to develop an automated method to detect live play periods from accelerometry-derived relative exercise intensity in basketball, and to assess the criterion validity of this method. Relative exercise intensity (% oxygen uptake reserve) was quantified for two men's semi-professional basketball matches. Live play period durations were automatically determined using a moving average sample window and relative exercise intensity threshold, and manually determined using annotation of video footage.

Quantification of the demands of cricket bowling and the relationship to injury risk: a systematic review.

Background: Bowling in cricket is a complex sporting movement which, despite being well characterised, still produces a significant number of injuries each year. Fast bowlers are more likely to be injured than any other playing role. Frequency, duration, intensity and volume of bowling, which have been generalised as measurements of workload, are thought to be risk factors for injuries.

Pain and body position on the bicycle in competitive and recreational road cyclists: A retrospective study.

This study compared the presence of pain in recreational and competitive road cyclists and body position on the bicycle between cyclists with and without pain. Seventy-one cyclists completed a survey reporting existing cycling-related sites of pain and comfort. Static sagittal and frontal plane images were taken to analyse body position on the bicycle.

Bilateral in vivo neuromechanical properties of the triceps surae and Achilles tendon in runners and triathletes.

Inter-limb differences in Achilles tendon mechanical, material and morphological properties have previously been described in non-athletes and attributed to the preferential use of a given limb. Achilles tendon overuse tendon injury generally initiate unilaterally and alters triceps surae activation and Achilles tendon properties. The investigation of inter-limb differences in muscle activation and tendon properties may provide directions for injury prevention in habitual runners.

Effects from loaded walking with polyurethane and styrene-butadiene rubber midsole military boots on kinematics and external forces: A statistical parametric mapping analysis.

This study compared ground reaction forces (GRF) and lower limb two-dimensional (2D) kinematic waveforms, with and without load carriage, in military personnel walking in two different types of boots. Data were measured in 24-soldiers walking on a 10-m walkway under four randomized crossover trials: wearing two military boots (styrene-butadiene rubber midsole - SBR - 63 Shore A; and polyurethane midsole - PU - 48 Shore A); with and without a 15-kg backpack. GRF traditional parameters were evaluated by two-way ANOVAs.

Effect of Player Role and Competition Level on Player Demands in Basketball.

This study compared basketball training and match demands between player roles (starters, in-rotation bench players, out-rotation bench players) and between competition levels (semi-professional, professional). Thirty-seven players from one professional women's team, one semi-professional women's team, and one semi-professional men's team wore accelerometers during training and matches throughout a competitive season. All teams were used for player role comparisons and the women's teams were used to compare competition levels.

Effects of exercise mode in knee cartilage thickness.

Background: It is unclear how cycling and running would differ in terms of changes in cartilage thickness. Also, given squats are a popular type of exercise used to strengthen lower limbs, it is critical to assess if loads used during resisted training could lead to changes in cartilage cushioning properties. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effects of exercise mode in knee cartilage thickness.

Influence of saddle height in 3D knee loads commuter cyclists: A statistical parametric mapping analysis.

This study used a statistical parametric mapping method to compare temporal patterns knee joint loads and moments in cyclists pedalling using different saddle heights. Ten recreational cyclists pedalled using three saddle heights (Preferred, High and Low) during a single session. High and Low saddle heights were determined based on dynamically measured knee flexion angles (±10° from their Preferred height).

Running after cycling induces inter-limb differences in muscle activation but not in kinetics or kinematics.

Overuse injuries are a common problem to triathletes' population. Overuse injuries may arise from inter-limb biomechanical differences during running, but the literature lacks information regarding inter-limb differences in triathletes. In this study inter-limb differences were investigated in injury-free triathletes during the running portion of a simulated cycle-run transition.

Corrigendum: Triceps Surae Muscle Architecture Adaptations to Eccentric Training.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.