PT/OT

Mobility and Fitness Interventions for Children and Adults with Medical Complexity

March 19, 2024 by Tanya Myers, PT, DPT, AnnMarie Stauffer, PT, DPT, and Lisa Gradziel, PT, DPT
A young woman uses the steering bar on the Rifton Pacer gait trainer to guide the walking of a young boy.

Children with medical complexity benefit from use of supportive walkers and gait trainers for upright mobility opportunities.

News Evidence Update: Finally, a Compelling Case for Coverage for Adaptive Bikes June 28, 2023 by Joe Keiderling
A boy rides on a Rifton Adaptive Tricycle while his caretaker smiles at him.
Health insurance coverage for adaptive bikes has been rare at best, and this needs to change. A recent policy brief effectively dismantles the policy flaws surrounding adaptive cycling and provides regulatory and legislative paths to change.
Evidence Based Practice Evidence Update: Maintenance of Functional Gains Following an Adaptive Cycling Program November 02, 2022 by Elena Noble, MPT
A boy pedals a blue Rifton Adaptive Tricycle, while his therapist walking beside him.
Current evidence endorses adaptive cycling as an effective and promising intervention to improve motor and social outcomes for children with cerebral palsy.
PT/OT Adaptive Tricycles in Schools September 29, 2022 by Elena Noble, MPT
A girl rides on a red Rifton Adaptive Tricycle.
For a child with a disability such as cerebral palsy, the primary goal for the school-based therapist is to improve access to education.
PT/OT Physical Activity Disability and Health November 30, 2020 by Elena Noble, MPT
A boy riding a Rifton Adaptive Tricycle, with his caretaker standing next to him
Creative mobility initiatives and activity-based strategies can improve health and foster inclusion for children with disabilities.
News The Great Bike Giveaway February 06, 2018 by Lori Potts, PT
Teenage boy on a Rifton Adaptive Trike
With spring in the air we’re talking bikes today – or rather, adaptive tricycles. Kids with disabilities want to ride just as much as any child, and with a little bit of extra support they too can navigate those inviting sidewalks. Sadly, adaptive trikes are far too rarely covered by Medicaid or insurance, even with a strong case for the therapeutic benefits of cycling...
PT/OT Busting that Persistent Myth about Adaptive Bikes and Recreation July 18, 2017 by Codi Andersen, DPT
A young boy in a blue shirt and shorts rides on a green adaptive bike as his therapist helps to push him for functional mobility exercise.
I love the adaptive tricycle and the opportunities it affords many of my students. But how often have insurance companies denied requests for adaptive tricycles because they only see the recreational purpose? For my students with the most severe disabilities, the tricycle is a life-saver, and often the only piece of adaptive equipment that will help them achieve functional gains and participation. I&rsquo...
Tips & Advice Spring Trike Tune-Up March 28, 2017
rifton adaptive tricycle maintenance
With spring in the air, it’s time to bring out those tricycles and hit the sidewalks. But first, some yearly maintenance may be in order. Use these quick and simple Rifton tricycle tune-up guidelines to get your adaptive bike into top condition for a summer of fun. Download Trike Tune-Up pdf View in Spanish
Stories Biking, Love and a Brother with Disabilities November 28, 2016 by Clare Stober
Karlie Pickett stands by her bicycle waiting for her brother with cerebral palsy on his special needs tricycle.
I’m not normally one to get excited over a commercial masquerading as a feel-good documentary, but here’s one that might just make you feel a bit better about life. It comes from Schwinn, the bike manufacturer. Stay with me for the beginning and watch for the transition around the 2-minute mark. (Spoiler alert: Rifton makes a cameo!)           ...
Tips & Advice Adaptive Tricycle Funding Resources October 20, 2016 by Elena Noble, MPT
A boy sits on a trike while his caregiver smiles and claps with him.
A bike is the quintessence of childhood happiness. But for a child with disabilities, we think it’s a medical necessity. Beyond the joy and exhilaration of free-wheeling movement, the opportunity for reciprocal lower extremity exercise is crucial to the well-being of someone with fragile health. While the therapy community is unanimous on this point, sadly medical insurance companies underestimate...
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