The joint motions obtained during standardized ergometer cycling might be compared with the normal range of motion of the hip, knee, and ankle joint or the lower limb joint motions obtained during other activities such as level walking or stair walking The normal range of motion has been investigated by different authors (Table 1). A comparison of these studies indicated that the hip ROM utilized during normal ergometer cycling measured approximately 28% of the normal hip range of motion (Table 1). The knee ROM during cycling measured about 45% of the normal range of
motion, and the ankle ROM about 40%.In Figure 4 the lower limb kinematics during
level walking and stair walking studied by others have been compared to the results of the present study.2~21~2D3.u2r5in g cycling the magnitudes of
the hip, knee, and ankle joint ROM were similar to the ROM utilized during normal gait. However,the hip and knee joints were much more flexed and the ankle joint more dorsiflexed during cycling compared to walking. With a reasonable and not
extreme increase of the saddle height the joint motions obtained during cycling will be more equal to the one utilized during level walking. The use of the posterior foot position will also increase the magnitude of hip and knee joint extension.
In the present study statistically significant changes of joint motions as small as 2O were found. However, such small differences in joint motion have no clinical relevancy. The only way to obtain changes that might increase the patients