Neuromuscular and biomechanical coupling in human cycling: adaptations to changes in crank length

This study exploited the alterations in pedal speed and joints kinematics elicited by changing crank length (CL) to test how altered task mechanics during cycling will modulate the muscle activation characteristics in human rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris long head (BF), soleus (SOL) and tibialis anterior (TA). Kinetic (torque), kinematic (joint angle) and muscle activity (EMG) data were recorded simultaneously from both legs of 10 healthy adults (aged 20-38 years) during steady-state cycling at ~60 rpm and 90-100 W with three symmetrical CLs (155 mm, 175 mm and 195 mm). The CL elongation (DeltaCL) resulted in similar increases in the knee joint angles and angular velocities during extension and flexion, whilst the ankle joint kinematics was significantly influenced only during extension. DeltaCL resulted in significantly reduced amplitude and prolonged duration of BF EMG, increased mean SOL and TA EMG amplitudes, and shortened SOL activity time. RF activation parameters and TA activity duration were not significantly affected by DeltaCL. Thus total SOL and RF EMG activities were similar with different CLs, presumably enabling steady power output during extension. Higher pedal speeds demand an increased total TA EMG activity and decreased total BF activity to propel the leg through flexion into extension with a greater degree of control over joint stability. We concluded that the proprioceptive information about the changes in the cycling kinematics is used by central neural structures to adapt the activation parameters of the individual muscles to the kinetic demands of the ongoing movement, depending on their biomechanical function.