Conclusion

This article on the biomechanics of HB propulsion contributes to the understanding of the specific pattern of this movement and to the choice of ergonomic settings by users of this mode of locomotion. The study revealed the important role played by trunk movements in this propulsion. Indeed, significant differences in trunk amplitudes (flexion/extension, inclination and/or rotation, depending on conditions) were found not only between the two populations, but also according to the subject's ergonomic position in the HB and crank settings. This could explain why the pattern of forces exerted on the pedals differs significantly according to the propulsion modes tested.

Finally, we used the data collected to create an inverse kinematic model and simulate HB propulsion, enabling us to test several crank positions in space. Although we have shown that the inverse kinematic...