Hannah Gregson - Paralympic Cycling Research Paper Publication.

Hannah Gregson, a PhD student at the Centre for Sports Studies, University of Kent has recently had a paper published alongside Gary Brickley from the University of Brighton. The paper, entitled ‘A Case Study of a Paralympic Cerebral Palsy Cyclist Using Torque Analysis’ is to be published in the International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching and was started off as a project within Hannah’s undergraduate studies at the University of Brighton. Hannah and Gary wanted to investigate the impact that cerebral palsy could have on cycling performance. The Paralympic cyclist recruited for this study has cerebral palsy which predominantly impacts one side of his body; therefore, the aim of the study was to look at the difference in torque production between both sides of the body. Those with cerebral palsy can experience spasticity of the muscles, co-contraction of the muscle and inappropriate timing of muscle activations which are a result of upper motor neuron disorders.

The Paralympic cyclist performed a series of cycling tests at different cadences. The data was analysed and the study found that there was a significant difference in torque production between the able-bodied side and cerebral palsy side of the body. This difference was amplified as the cadence decreased. The data from this study has many practical implications within both training and performance, as elements such as the point at which the peak torque is produced can be determined, and the bike can be adjusted with an elliptical chain ring to optimise this point and the torque produced. Training can also be adjusted to accommodate for the differences in torque production between the two legs, as a smoother pedalling action may create a more efficient cycling pattern.

Brickley, G. & Gregson, H.C. (2011). A Case Study of a Paralympic Cerebral Palsy Cyclist Using Torque Analysis. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, In Press.