Intra-Individual Variability in Sagittal Plane Kinematics During Indoor Cycling Time Trial

Intra-individual movement variability has historically been discounted as evidence of poor motor control. However, evidence now suggests that it may play a functional role in skill performance and so this study aimed to establish whether this is the case during a simulated indoor cycling time trial. Ten trained cyclists (Age = 31.90 ± 10.30 years, Height = 1.80 ± 0.10 years, Mass = 72.10 ± 9.40 kg) participated in a 10-mile (16 km) time trial while sagittal plane kinematics were captured using 3D motion capture technology. The results showed significant differences (p < 0.05) between knee-ankle and hip-knee coordination variability across pedal phases, with the knee-ankle coupling exhibiting more variability. Notably, faster cyclists demonstrated lower variability, particularly in the knee-ankle coupling, compared to slower cyclists. While no consistent relationship was found between movement variability and time trial performance across all participants, the results suggest that there may be a link between the level of intra-individual movement variability displayed by a cyclist and the time in which they were able to complete a 10-mile simulated time trial task in laboratory conditions.