PunkinFutz Survival Guide No. 53

RESOURCES, EVENTS, TIPS, AND SUPPORT ALL IN ONE PLACE, EVERY MONDAY.
Summer is made for BICYCLING!

The health benefits of regular cycling for everyone  include:

  • increased cardiovascular fitness
  • increased muscle strength and flexibility
  • improved joint mobility
  • decreased stress levels
  • improved posture and coordination
  • strengthened bones
  • decreased body fat levels
  • prevention or management of disease
  • reduced anxiety and depression.
For children with disabilities, there are even more benefits:
  • Lower extremity strengthening
  • Reciprocal leg motion patterning
  • Balancing skills
  • Using visual, spatial perception for steering
  • Social interaction with siblings, peers and neighbors.
Read the full article here.  
In 2015, I was at The Abilities Expo in Boston, doing research on products for PunkinFutz.  I was standing in an adaptive bicycle vendor's booth when a 12-year old boy with cerebral palsy decided to ride an adaptive bicycle for the first time.  As he started to ride across the convention center floor, his dad kept a firm hold of the guide bar in the rear, helping steer and push.  As it became apparent that the boy could manage independently, the dad let go.  When the boy turned and realized that all that motion was just him, alone, he began to whoop and yell with joy.  You would have thought he had just found he could fly.  I had to turn away, because I started to cry.  Even now, retelling this story brings tears to my eyes.  Every child should have the opportunity to fly. 

For this newsletter, I have assembled resources about adaptive bicycles here, inspired by our friend Juju, in hopes that every child can have that moment of joy.  
Email Lisa @ PunkinFutz
Fully independent bicycles:  if the user has the strength and stability needed to ride a bicycle, but lacks the balance and coordination to ride a traditional two-wheel, a three-wheel bicycle may be your answer.  This Schwinn model goes for approximately $500.  They are sold out in many places, but I found 3 available from Walmart in gray.
The next category has a greater range of adaptability.  These three-wheel bicycles can support a child in dynamic ways, meeting the needs of an individual child, from trunk support and front or rear steering bars to full locomotion.  This particular model is by Rifton and starts at a price of $1,500, but can run over $2,500, depending on size and configuration.  
For the next level of support, try looking at a tandem bicycle option.  These come with the adaptive seat in the front or the back, but I prefer the adaptive seat in the front, so that the child can experience the true empowerment and exhilaration of riding!  This model is by Freedom Concepts and retails between $6,000 and $8,000.
Finally, there are cargo bikes.  This option has become extremely popular in Europe and I see increasingly more of them in NYC, especially since the start of the pandemic.  An excellent alternative to public transportation when taking kids to school, this option offers the riders the thrill of open air travel without requiring any physical input from the passenger(s).  This model from Bunch Bikes has an electric motor and retails for approximately $7000.
What about recumbent bikes?
Whether you're looking at a stationary or a road bike, there are numerous reasons to consider a recumbent bike in your search.  This Healthline article includes their 2021 recommendations.  Prices range from $200 to $2,000.



Adaptive bikes are very expensive, beyond most families' means.  Rifton has a straightforward article discussing the various ways to fund such equipment, from private insurance to charitable grants.  It's a bit dated (2011), but still a great place to start.  Access it here.  
Some Sources of Funding for Adaptive Bikes
This is just a starting point, there are also many regional and local funders.  The Internet is a great help in this type of search.  
Making Your Case for Funding
Whether you are applying for insurance, medicaid or a charitible grant to cover the cost of your adaptive bike, it is always necessary to make a compelling case.  The Neighbothood Legal Services of Buffalo, NY has put together an excellent resource.

Riftin also has a sample letter for making the case for medical necessity
to insurance providers.  Check it out here.  
Don't Miss This Week's
Free PunkinFutz Programming: 
Wednesdays at Noon for adults
Friday Recess at 4 pm for kids!
Join us Wednesday for an introduction to the owners of SENSE-ational Spaces! Marlee & Alexi are licensed and registered occupational therapists. As a team, they create spaces tailored to their clients' needs. Find out how they incorporate sensory-friendly spaces in homes, schools, and community sites and how sensory systems work in children's daily lives!
What better time for an encore showing of one of our favorite episodes with Zylofone Studios than during #DisabilityPride month? If you haven't already, check it out again this Friday!
OK, we usually don't toot our own horn, but this was a really cool opportunity for PunkinFutz.  People Magazine ran a story about us.  You can read the article here.

A  B I T  O F  F U N

This amazing video is well-worth the nearly 7 minutes to watch it all.  Be sure to maximize the window to appreciate its full intensity.  If you like this, be sure to check out his other Iceland videos, especially the Ice Caves of Katla.  I didn't even mind waiting the 3 seconds to skip the ad 🙂 on YouTube.
Spectacular video by Joey Helms
Please note, PunkinFutz is in no way affiliated with any of the organizations covered in this newsletter.  PunkinFutz receives no compensation, directly or indirectly, from any organization or entity mentioned.