Sports Research Center, Miguel Hernandez University of Elche, Alicante, Spain.
Department of Pathology and Surgery, Center for Translational Research in Physiotherapy, Miguel Hernandez University of Elche, San Joan, Spain.
J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2021 Mar;61(3):359-364. doi: 10.23736/S0022-4707.20.11178-2. Epub 2020 Sep 3.
To describe the lower limb range of motion (ROM) profile in professional road cyclists.
Cohort study. One hundred and twenty-one road cyclists volunteered to participate. ROM measurements of passive hip flexion, extension, internal rotation, external rotation, knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexion in dominant and non-dominant limbs were performed using an inclinometer. ROM scores were individually categorized as normal or restricted according to reference values.
Overall, hip flexion was smaller in the non-dominant limb than in the dominant limb (F=12.429, P<0.001), with bilateral differences in male (95% mean diff: 0.5° to 3.3°) and female cyclists (95% mean diff: 0.1° to 3.1°). Sex differences were found in hip flexion (F=18.346, P<0.001), hip internal rotation (F=6.030, P=0.016) and ankle dorsiflexion (F=4.363, P=0.039), with males showing smaller ROM than females. Males and females had restricted knee flexion in dominant (males: 51.6%; females: 42.6%) and non-dominant limbs (males: 45.0%; females: 39.3%). Ankle dorsiflexion was also restricted in dominant (males: 38.3%; females: 31.1%) and non-dominant limbs (males: 41.6%; females: 34.4%).
Elite road cyclists showed restricted lower-limb ROM according to reference values. In general, male cyclists showed lower values of ROM than females' counterparts. These findings suggest that including specific stretching exercises and resistance training to improve knee and ankle dorsiflexion ROM may prevent muscle imbalances caused by chronic pedaling in professional cyclists.
描述职业公路自行车运动员下肢活动度（ROM）特征。
队列研究。121 名公路自行车运动员自愿参加。使用测斜仪测量优势和非优势肢体的被动髋关节屈曲、伸展、内旋、外旋、膝关节屈曲和踝关节背屈的 ROM。根据参考值，ROM 评分分别归类为正常或受限。
总体而言，非优势肢体的髋关节屈曲度小于优势肢体（F=12.429，P<0.001），男性（95%均值差异：0.5°至 3.3°）和女性自行车运动员（95%均值差异：0.1°至 3.1°）双侧均有差异。在髋关节屈曲（F=18.346，P<0.001）、髋关节内旋（F=6.030，P=0.016）和踝关节背屈（F=4.363，P=0.039）方面存在性别差异，男性的 ROM 小于女性。在优势（男性：51.6%；女性：42.6%）和非优势肢体（男性：45.0%；女性：39.3%）中，男性和女性的膝关节屈曲受限。在优势（男性：38.3%；女性：31.1%）和非优势肢体（男性：41.6%；女性：34.4%）中，踝关节背屈也受限。
精英公路自行车运动员根据参考值显示出下肢 ROM 受限。一般来说，男性自行车运动员的 ROM 值低于女性。这些发现表明，包括特定的伸展运动和阻力训练以改善膝关节和踝关节背屈 ROM，可能有助于预防职业自行车运动员长期踩踏导致的肌肉失衡。
