Variation of Lower-Limb Muscle Activation Asymmetry in Step Incremental and Constant-Power Pedaling Exercise.

Seyed Hamidreza Heidary, Reza Ahmadi, Shahram Rasoulian, Samira Fazeli Veisari, David Auslander, Saied Jalal Aboodarda, Amin Komeili

Abstract read

PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher

In one paragraph

Article in Sensors (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it

0cells of the map it votes in

1citing papers in PubMed

–field-weighted citation impact

1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

Effect of muscle fatigue on cycling asymmetry during a constant-power test.Scientific reports · 2026
Article

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Seyed Hamidreza HeidaryDepartment of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N1N4, Canada.

Reza AhmadiDepartment of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N1N4, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-7140-9442

Shahram RasoulianFaculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N1N4, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-6021-4364

Samira Fazeli VeisariDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N1N4, Canada.

David AuslanderMechanical Engineering Department, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-1377-0624

Saied Jalal AboodardaFaculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N1N4, Canada.

Amin KomeiliDepartment of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N1N4, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-0938-6099

Funding

Alberta Innovates AICE-Concept Grant #222300358Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Canada (NSERC) 401610

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Asymmetry, defined as unequal neuromuscular activation or mechanical performance between contralateral limbs, plays a critical role in cycling efficiency and injury risk. While kinematic and kinetic measures are commonly used to assess asymmetry, surface electromyography (EMG) signals offer an additional perspective on neuromuscular asymmetry. This study evaluated muscle activation asymmetry during cycling using the Normalized Symmetry Index (NSI), a metric that quantifies differences in kinematics and kinetics between limbs, where higher values indicate greater asymmetry. NSI was calculated from EMG recordings of seven lower-limb muscles under two test conditions: step incremental and constant-power cycling to task failure. Twenty recreationally active participants performed both tests on a stationary ergometer while EMG data were collected bilaterally. Step incremental cycling resulted in a significant reduction in NSI for key muscles in the quadriceps group: vastus medialis (from 44% to 21%,

Indexed as

BicyclingExerciseLower ExtremityMuscle, SkeletalAdultBiomechanical PhenomenaElectromyographyFemaleHumansMaleMuscle ContractionYoung Adultasymmetrycycling biomechanicsexercise intensitymuscle activitynormalized symmetry index

Identifiers

PMID41600384

DOI10.3390/s26020587

PMCPMC12845786

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.