When Thibaut Pinot reached the finish line in Loudenvielle at the end of the eighth stage of the 2020 Tour de France, a whole nation was in mourning. 19 minutes behind stage winner Primož Roglič, the hopes for the first French Tour victory in 35 years remain unfulfilled, as so often in the past. The reason for the Frenchman's inability to keep up with the best: "My back hurt so much that I simply had no more strength," said a visibly frustrated Pinot, "I couldn't pedal any more." Particularly bitter: a year earlier, a damaged thigh muscle had forced him to retire prematurely.
Body statics: How much does it influence sporting success?
In the face of ever more refined training methods, optimised nutrition strategies and seemingly limitless material tuning, is there perhaps an essential area that is not being taken into account - the body statics of the cyclist? "The interaction of muscles, tendons, fasciae and the skeleton with its joints is crucial for our body statics," says Dr Oliver Ludwig from the Technical University of Kaiserslautern. The qualified biologist is an expert in sports biomechanics, specialising in posture and movement analysis.
"The body's statics, colloquially known as posture, is constantly adapting to the demands of everyday life, sport and deviations in the body caused by injuries." Cyclists are particularly susceptible to deficits and the resulting problems, regardless of whether there is a congenital right-left difference or muscular imbalances. "Cycling is one of the few sports in which a very flexible system, the human body, is coupled to a very rigid system, the bike. This mechanical coupling can lead to muscular imbalances and anatomical asymmetries, such as a leg that is too short, have a strong effect on the movement of the pelvis and therefore the lumbar spine," explains Dr Ludwig.
The foot as a foundation
As the foundation of the human body, the feet have a decisive influence on the body's statics. The entire weight of the body rests on these few square centimetres, and thousands of steps are taken every day. "When cycling, the foot is the link between the athlete and the material; it transfers the power to the bike," says bike fitting expert Jens Machacek, emphasising the importance of the feet, which he believes is not given enough attention. Machacek combines expertise in bicycle biometrics and orthopaedic shoe technology. In the past, together with the Research and Development Centre for Sports Equipment (FES) in Berlin, he has already developed cycling shoes for Olympic track champions Maximilian Levy and Kristina Vogel.
The correct foot position for improved body statics
However, the trained orthopaedic technician has not only been passing on his specialist knowledge to cyclists for many years, the German tennis Davis Cup team and athletes from the Nordic combined and football also rely on his expertise. "In my experience, problems in the knee, pelvis and back joints very often result from a lack of or incorrect torsion of the foot. However, this torsion is crucial for performance output on the bike," he says. Based on this realisation, Machacek has developed a special orthopaedic insole for cycling shoes. "This not only optimises the pressure distribution in the shoe, but the rotation of the lower leg and knee stability also benefit from the individual footbed," he says, describing the principle behind the insoles.
In addition, the power gain, measured in watts, can be increased with this aid. "Poor posture and evasive movements always automatically mean a loss of power, accompanied by a loss of watts," says Machacek. Foot pressure measurements on track sprinters using the insole have shown an increase in power output of around 160 watts. For a top German rider from the MTB World Cup, the added value was 17 to 18 watts.
Professional cyclist Pascal Ackermann has been using orthopaedic insoles for years. "We spend five to six hours a day in our cycling shoes, so we simply can't afford to have our feet burn or feel numb. Of course, we riders talk to each other about such things and give tips. Although I don't have any fundamental problems with my feet, I started using customised soles - simply because of the optimal power transmission and a few more watts," says the sprinter, describing his motivation.
Body statics: Knees close to the top tube?
As the body describes a chain of joints, the position of the feet inevitably influences the position of the knees. And if the position of one joint is changed, this has an effect on other joints. "In the past, cyclists were encouraged to move their knees as aerodynamically close to the top tube as possible. Nowadays, science has moved on and recognised that it is biomechanically more favourable to keep the knee and toe in line when pedalling," says Machacek. If knee pain occurs repeatedly in everyday life or when cycling, Dr Ludwig recommends a medical diagnosis first to clarify the symptoms.
Serious knee disorders can be recognised or even ruled out. If physiotherapy and targeted exercises do not provide lasting relief, he advises a posture and movement analysis. This can provide certainty as to whether there is a misalignment, for example bow legs or knock-knees, or a difference in leg length. "These deviations from the natural leg axis can be compensated for through targeted strength and mobility training," recommends the analyst.
"The most cost-effective analysis is your own eye," says Ludwig. "Athletes can learn to recognise misalignments and asymmetries by observing themselves. We have enough time on the bike, and a regular glance at our knees can reveal whether they deviate outwards or inwards when pedalling. You can correct this yourself immediately." Modifications to the bike can also help to align the leg axis when pedalling and thus relieve the strain on the knees. Ergonomics specialist SQlab, for example, offers pedals with different axle lengths for customisation. With four different dimensions ranging from -5 to +15 millimetres, leg axis deviations and noticeable foot rotations can be covered.
The important centre for body statics: the pelvis
Experts agree on one thing: the majority of the causes of pain when pedalling can be found in the centre of the body, in the pelvic area. A pelvic obliquity, a leg that is too short due to a difference in leg length; these abnormalities have a strong effect on the movement of the pelvis and therefore also on the lumbar spine. "An unfavourable saddle position with a difference in leg length always leads to pain in the lumbar vertebrae due to a strong one-sided tilting movement of the pelvis," explains Dr Ludwig.
Machacek has observed that muscle shortening is occurring more frequently and interprets this as a consequence of the coronavirus years: "The athletes I support currently have more shortening in the hamstrings, glutes and lower back muscles. Presumably due to increased sitting during Covid. This significantly restricts the mobility of the pelvis." Expressed in figures: before corona, three out of twenty athletes had deficits, today it is seven out of ten. He recommends regular stretching for these muscles, because without a sensible pelvic tilt, there are bound to be problems on the saddle and in the shoulder/neck area.
The double S: the spine
Many cyclists, especially when they start road cycling, complain of pain in their shoulders and neck. "That's not unusual at first," states Machacek. "The position on a road bike is completely different to that on a city or trekking bike. Due to the curvature of the racing handlebars, we have to reach much further forwards, which means we sit more stretched out on the bike. In addition, the saddle is higher than the handlebars in order to adopt an aerodynamic position. Our statics and, above all, our spine first have to get used to this so-called superelevation."
A sideways glance at the human spine immediately reveals that it resembles a double S shape. This S-shape can deviate from the norm from birth or as a result of one-sided behaviour. Pain in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine is then not uncommon. As the spine is connected to the head and pelvis at each end, problems can also occur in these areas of the body. A misalignment can be recognised by palpation alone, X-rays or optical measurement of the spine provide more precise results.
Measurement of the spine
"We can take high-resolution optical measurements of the human spine quickly and without contact," explains Carsten Diers, Managing Director of the Institute for Holistic Posture and Movement Analyses of the same name. "A light projector is used to project a grid of lines onto the back, which is then analysed using software. This can then be used to construct a three-dimensional image of the spine, including muscle relief, in real time," he says, describing the radiation-free measurement method.
"Data on the course of the spine is extremely helpful if the athlete has the feeling that they are sitting in the wrong position on their bike," says Jens Machacek. "This allows us to react individually by correcting the riding position directly during the bike fitting. A shorter stem, for example, is often enough to make the riding position more upright and therefore more comfortable." However, recurring back pain in everyday life should not simply be ignored when buying a new road bike.
Stack-to-Reach
The stack-to-reach value of a frame - i.e. the ratio of length to height - determines how stretched the riding position is. This is an important reason why TOUR has been determining the values for stack and reach for each bike in all tests for many years and listing them in the test results. Another reason is that these two values describe the geometry of a frame much more accurately and practically than the classic frame height.
- The stack is the vertical distance from the centre of the bottom bracket to the horizontally extended upper edge of the head tube,
- Reach is the distance from the vertically extended bottom bracket centre to the upper edge of the head tube.
A stack-to-reach ratio of over 1.55 corresponds to a comfortable sitting position that relieves strain on the back. "Many cyclists have a hunched back due to the typically inflexible sitting position on the bike," says Dr Ludwig, describing a common finding from his analyses. This can also have a negative effect in everyday life. "Targeted training is then essential. The athlete must get out of the hunched posture, and training to straighten the thoracic spine and strengthen the muscles between the shoulder blades should be carried out regularly.
Core training, the stabilisation of the middle of the body, is also often neglected by cyclists. However, the abdominal and back muscles have to do a lot of the holding work on the bike." Any problems or pain associated with body statics must always be considered on an individual basis, as the causes of complaints can be too varied. There is no universal recipe here. But by recognising, analysing and acting, suitable solutions can always be found. Be it a body analysis, an aid, a bike fitting or individual stretching and strengthening exercises.
Body statics: 8 tips for more body stability
- Visit to the doctor: Anyone who has recurring problems with their feet, knees or back in everyday life should look into the causes and consult an orthopaedist or sports physician for a diagnosis.
- Posture and movement analysis: A body screening provides important insights into the areas of the body that need to be addressed. With the "myDartfish Express" app, you can analyse your own posture and movement recordings yourself.
- Bikefitting: A seat position analysis with saddle and foot pressure measurement can eliminate pain when cycling by correcting the seat height and length.
- Regular stretching: The posterior muscle chain (lower back, buttocks and posterior thigh) should be stretched regularly. Incorporate them into your training two to three times a week, lingering in the stretch for eight breaths each time.
- Matching components: By changing to ergonomic saddles or pedals, axle deviations and asymmetries can be easily compensated for.
- Functional Movement Screen (FMS): This simple test is offered in many fitness centres. The screen consists of performing seven movement patterns. The scores achieved can be used to classify irregularities, movement restrictions and strength deficits.
- Orthopaedic aids: Whether insoles for the cycling shoe, a shortening compensation under the cleat or the conversion of the cycling shoe: orthopaedic aids can be a useful addition that can also be prescribed by your GP.
- Enquire with the health insurance company: Orthopaedic aids are subsidised by the statutory health insurance funds if a corresponding diagnosis is made. Private insurers may also pay for body analyses. It's worth asking!
