How Learning to Ride A Bike Is Inspiring Individuals with Down Syndrome
Strider Balance Bikes are a key component of the All Abilities Bike (AAB) Inclusive Learn-to-Ride camps. These bikes are specifically designed to help individuals develop balance and coordination before transitioning to pedaling. The Strider 20X bike is a balance-to-pedal bike starting in “balance mode” (without pedals) and easily converts to a pedal bike with a single bolt. This simple, no-pedal design allows individuals to master riding on two wheels, boosting their confidence and bike-handling skills before they even begin pedaling. Additionally, this method encourages spatial awareness, balance, and motor skill development, helping riders reach their full potential. The AAB Inclusive Learn-to-Ride camps are designed to help individuals with developmental or intellectual learning constraints such as Autism and Down syndrome overcome balance and coordination challenges, enabling them to ride a two-wheel bike successfully. The camps are open to ages 8 and up and encourage adults to learn how to ride a bike.
Professor Dale Ulrich from the University of Michigan has observed, “Kids with Down syndrome have balance issues that fuel an intense fear of falling. If you can develop training to overcome that fear, learning explodes.” Inspired by this statement, researchers conducted a study exploring the benefits of bike riding for children with Down syndrome.
The University of Michigan carried out a two-year study to evaluate the feasibility and benefits of teaching children with Down syndrome to ride bikes. The findings, published in the October 2011 issue of the Physical Therapy Journal, revealed that 56% of the 61 study participants successfully learned to ride a bike. Researchers assessed participants’ physical activity levels before training, seven weeks after, and again one year later. The study found that children who learned to ride significantly reduced their sedentary behavior by an average of 75 minutes per day.
“That’s a lot, it’s unbelievable. We were not expecting this large of a drop in sedentary activity,” Ulrich noted. “This means these children are getting involved in other activities. They overcome their fear of falling while riding a bike and, as a result, become more motivated to try other physical activities.”
Children who successfully learned to ride also experienced a decrease in body fat, in contrast to an increase observed in those who did not learn. They also spent more time engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity. Although the study focused on children with Down syndrome, Ulrich emphasized that the benefits of bike riding extend to all children, including those with autism and other disabilities. “Bike riding helps counteract the higher levels of social isolation and health problems that children with Down syndrome and other disabilities often face.”
If you’re interested in registering our hosting an All Abilities Bike Inclusive Learn-to-Ride camp, please reach out to our team today!
Link to report of study
