Scoz RD, Amorim CF, Espindola T, Santiago M, Mendes JJB, de Oliveira PR, Ferreira LMA, Brito RN. Discomfort, pain and fatigue levels of 160 cyclists after a kinematic bike-fitting method: an experimental study.
BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med 2021;
7:e001096. [PMID:
34540268 PMCID:
PMC8407214 DOI:
10.1136/bmjsem-2021-001096]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective
To analyse rider’s subjective responses after a standardised bicycle ergonomic adjustment method.
Methods
Experimental study of 160 healthy, amateur mountain bikers analysed previously and 30 days after a bike-fitting session. The main outcome measures were subjective comfort level (Feeling Scale, FEEL), fatigue (OMINI Scale) and pain (Visual Analogue Scale, VAS).
Results
All variables demonstrated statistical significance between groups pre and post bike-fit session (p<0001). FEEL, OMNI and VAS-knee demonstrated large effect sizes (d=1.30; d=1.39 and d=0.86, respectively). VAS-hands, VAS-neck and VAS-back indicated moderate effect size (d=0.58; d=0.52 and d=0.43, respectively). VAS-groin and VAS-ankle indicated a small size effect (d=0.46 and d=0.43, respectively).
Conclusions
Overall discomfort, fatigue and pain in healthy mountain biker adults improved according to all three scales. The major improvements in pain levels were detected on the knee, hands, back and neck compared with presession values. Groin and ankle pain had smaller improvements but were still significant. Future clinical trials should address the bias effects of this experimental study.
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