Comparison of Plantar Pressures Between Upright and Recumbent Stationary Bicycles

The F-Scan system by Tekscan was used to compare plantar pressures at 4 locations during 30-second bouts of exercise between upright and recumbent exercise bicycles. A 2-tailed t test was used to compare the pressures at each anatomic location between each biking method for each participant. Statistical analysis demonstrated a significant difference in mean plantar pressures at the hallux, fifth metatarsal head, and the heel. The recumbent bicycle produced higher average pressures at the hallux and first metatarsal head, and the upright bicycle produced higher average pressures at the fifth metatarsal head and the heel.