EMG DURING BICYCLE PEDALLING

Abstract

Propulsion of a bicycle via pedalling action of the legs is caused by contraction of the leg muscles. Understanding which muscles are active while pedalling and the forces being developed by the muscles are important for two reasons. First, in an age where fossil fuel supplies are diminishing, many people are turning to bicycles as practical transport. A thorough understanding of the power generation process could very well lead to improvements in efficiency, thereby promoting more widespread use of this form of transportation. Second, both cardiologist and physical rehabilitation therapists use stationary ergometer exercise as a form of physical therapy (Fari a and Cavanagh, (1978), McLeod and Blackburn (1980), Kroon (1983)). Clearly, the maximum benefits of this activity can only be derived if the pedalling process is more fully understood.