A BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF THE CERVICAL SPINE DURING CYCLING

Abstract

With the objective of estimating the internal forces in the cervical spine during cycling, nine subjects pedaled in three postures. The image of the sagittal posture of the spine was recorded through filming and the muscle activity of the cervical extensors was registered. Reflexive markers were placed on anatomical points on the head and the cervical spine. One subject was submitted to radiological exam of the head and cervical spine in the sagittal plane with lead markers placed on the same anatomical points of reference. Muscular force was calculated using the inverse dynamics technique. The results demonstrate that muscular strength and the RMS value increase significantly (p<0.05) when the cervical spine is more extended and the head is pushed forward.