Anterior pelvic tilt in elite cyclists—A comparative matched pairs study

Abstract

Objectives To compare mean angles of anterior pelvic tilt (APT) and variability of APT angles in elite cyclists and matched non-cyclists. Design Observation, cross-sectional, matched pairs. Participants Seventeen elite cyclists Australian Institute of Sport Track Cycling Squad (AISTCS) (23±4.2 years, 15 males) age and gender matched with 17 non-cyclists (23±4.1 years, 15 males). Setting Laboratory within the University of South Australia. The APT was assessed in long-sitting position with chest as close to thighs as voluntarily possible and measured using a digital inclinometer over L5–S1 intervertebral space. Main outcome measures APT in elite and non-cyclists. Unpaired t-tests and F-tests were used to analyze difference and variability of APT angles between groups with p⩽0.05 regarded as significant. Results There was a significant difference between APT angles between the two groups (cyclists +12.2° (±6.0), non-cyclists −5.3° (±9.7); t = 6.32 , p<0.01, 95% confidence interval (CI) 11.8–23.1°). The variability of APT angles was significantly greater in non-cyclists compared to elite cyclists ( F = 2.6 , p = 0.032 ). Conclusions The APT angle of elite cyclists is significantly greater and has significantly less variability than APT angle in matched non-cyclists, when tested in a long-sitting position.