BACKGROUND: To describe the lower limb range of motion (ROM) profile in professional road cyclists. METHODS: Cohort study. One hundred and twenty-one road cyclists volunteered to participate. ROM measurements of passive hip flexion, extension, internal rotation, external rotation, knee flexion and ankle dorsiflexion in dominant and non-dominant limbs were performed using an inclinometer. ROM scores were individually categorized as normal or restricted according to reference values. RESULTS: Overall, hip flexion was smaller in the non-dominant limb than in the dominant limb (F=12.429, P<0.001), with bilateral differences in male (95% mean diff: 0.5° to 3.3°) and female cyclists (95% mean diff: 0.1° to 3.1°). Sex differences were found in hip flexion (F=18.346, P<0.001), hip internal rotation (F=6.030, P=0.016) and ankle dorsiflexion (F=4.363, P=0.039), with males showing smaller ROM than females. Males and females had restricted knee flexion in dominant (males: 51.6%; females: 42.6%) and non-dominant limbs (males: 45.0%; females: 39.3%). Ankle dorsiflexion was also restricted in dominant (males: 38.3%; females: 31.1%) and non-dominant limbs (males: 41.6%; females: 34.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Elite road cyclists showed restricted lower-limb ROM according to reference values. In general, male cyclists showed lower values of ROM than females` counterparts. These findings suggest that including specific stretching exercises and resistance training to improve knee and ankle dorsiflexion ROM may prevent muscle imbalances caused by chronic pedaling in professional cyclists.
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