METHODS OF ASSESSMENT BIOMECHANICS IN CYCLING: FROM POSTURAL DISORDER TO THE DISEASE

During leisure time, the bicycle is used a lot as an instrument to keep moving, because of it improves the function of the cardiovascular and pulmonary, blood pressure control and especially because it encourages the development of well-being. While in the sports world is used and studied in all its forms, and from here comes the requirement of a study on the biomechanical evaluation of the cyclist, to improve the quality of the performance and to prevent all the diseases related to incorrect posture on the middle, such as low back, low back pain, neck pain, knee’s tendonitis.Laboratory studies of cycling were launched when it was built the first cycle ergometer in the early 20th century and their development was accompanied by improvements in software for data acquisition and for the consequent data analysis. The evaluation of the athlete includes a complete analysis of the static morphology, joint mobility, and possible paramorphisms or dysmorphism. The acquisition systems are many, a lot software houses have developed programs able to carry out this function, differing for their functionality. Idmatch ® is the first patented system in cycling and can be used for the analysis of step, the support and the foot pressure, and the support of the two ischial bones in a sitting position. Stabylopro is mainly used to highlight the rider's foot support and analyze any imbalances of the foot. Bikesys is a custom system able to perform the detection of cyclist’s pressure on the seat during pedaling. The main software allows, in a completely non-invasive way, the acquisition in numerical form, the processing and the integrated representation of kinematic and dynamic data related to posture and movement of persons. Bikesys is also used in medical and rehabilitation field for postoperative evaluation or analysis of the results of a training program in sports. Kinovea is a software for the acquisition and evaluation of movement; it’s very valuable to analyze the technique of motion and improve the performance of the sportsman.