It's Not Just about Bicycle Riding: Sensory-Motor, Social and Emotional Benefits for Children with and without...

A developing area for therapy is teaching children to ride a bicycle. Little has been written about the effectiveness of these programs. This study explored outcomes from participation in a novel bicycle riding program for children with a wide array of developmental challenges.

Two studies were conducted; a nonconcurrent, multiple baseline design with four participants and a pretest-posttest single group with 15 children.

Study 1 participants improved on broad jump. Balance positions showed variable responses. Study 2 participants showed significant improvement on broad jump, and a trend toward significance walking forwards and backwards. Parents reported improvement in following rules, participating in daily routines, interacting with peers, and feeling good about him/herself and a change in child's participation in community and extracurricular activities. All children improved in glide time or achieved independent riding.

Preliminary evidence was found for the effectiveness of one approach for developing motor and social skills within the context of learning to ride a bicycle. Children over the age of 6 years were able to ride a two-wheeled bicycle at the end of the program. Participation suggested improvement in motor coordination and dynamic balance as well as changes in measures of social interaction and self-esteem.