Effect of different handgrip angles on work distribution during hand cycling  at submaximal power levels.
The effect of different handle angles on work distribution during hand cycling was determined. Able-bodied subjects performed hand cycling at 20% of maximum power level (mean (SD) power level: 90.0 (25.8) W) at a cadence of 70 rpm using handle angles of +/-30 degrees, +/-15 degrees and 0 degrees. The handle angle had a significant effect on work during the pull down (p < 0.001) and lift up (p = 0.005) sector, whereby the highest work was performed with handle angles of +30 degrees and -15 degrees respectively. The cycle sector had a significant effect on work (p < 0.001) and significantly (p = 0.002) higher work was performed in the pull down sector (25% higher than mean work over one cycle) as compared to the lift up sector (30% lower than mean work over one cycle). Therefore, a fixed handle angle of +30 degrees is suggested to be optimal for power generation. The results of this study help to optimise the handbike-user interface. A more pronated handle angle compared to the one conventionally used was found to improve the performance of hand cycling and thereby the mobility of disabled people.
Krämer
Christian
C
Department of Sport Equipment and Material, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. kraemer@sp.tum.de
Schneider
Gabriel
G
Böhm
Harald
H
Klöpfer-Krämer
Isabella
I
Senner
Veit
V
D000328:Adult; D001642:Bicycling; D004867:Equipment Design / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult