Jonas Ebbecke (Cologne), Dr Josef Viellehner (Cologne), Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Potthast (Cologne)
Abstract-Text (inkl. Referenzen und Bildunterschriften)
INTRODUCTION
Approximately 85% of cyclists and triathletes experience pain, often due to overuse injuries in the seat area1. Understanding the interaction between saddle, padding, and anatomical structures is crucial in developing load-reducing saddles and seat paddings. The aim of this study was to analyze and understand the influence of padding thickness on saddle pressure parameters in triathlon cycling.
METHODS
11 male cyclists (age: 32.1±7.5 years; height: 183.3±8.1cm; weight: 77.2±8.9kg) cycled on their bikes at 200W for 30 seconds per condition. The saddle was standardized, whereas the seat padding was varied: thick, medium, and thin (Fig. 1). Saddle pressure distribution was measured using the Novel Pliance system. The three padding conditions were examined for any differences in the parameters mean pressure, peak pressure, peak pressure position, loaded area, and normal force using a repeated measures ANOVA and subsequent post-hoc tests with Bonferroni correction. ηp2 was calculated as effect sizes.
RESULTS & DISCUSSION
As shown in Fig. 2, the thickness of the pad has a significant influence on the mean saddle pressure (p(GG) < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.82). This appears to be attributable to the loaded area (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.83), while the normal force acting on the saddle does not change. Unlike in comparable studies2, however, the peak pressures and their position on the saddle are not influenced by the pad thickness.
CONCLUSION
With the help of a thicker seat pad, average saddle pressures can be reduced, but peak pressures remain the same. These findings are crucial for designing cycling saddles and pads that balance pressure distribution and peak pressures, enhancing comfort and injury prevention for cyclists and triathletes.
REFERENCES
Bini & Di Alencar (2014). Non-traumatic Injuries in Cycling. In: Biomechanics of Cycling. De Bruyne et al. (2019). Efficiency of Cycling Pads in Seat Pressure Reduction. In: Advances in Ergonomics in Design