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Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

SN children

Splint-wearing children riding bikes - any experience?

14 replies

Blu · 07/06/2006 11:00

DS, 4, has started wearing a ridgid splint one one leg, and the complete lack of flex in his ankle has made it very hard - to the point where he doesn't enjoy it so doesn't try - to ride his bike or scooter. It is such a shame, because he was quite good on his scootr, and I had just started introducing him to a bike.

I have considered just taking his splint off while he rides, but without the splint his show is far too big. I cionsidered geting him a pair of high st shoes which feet each foot for when he rides, but then he won't have the show raise on, and it's hard to pedal / scoot with one leg so much shorter than the other.

I am thinking of asking for a DAFO with an ankle hinge, just for bike / scooter riding - has anyone experience of this?

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Blu · 07/06/2006 11:00

shoe, not show!

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Thomcat · 07/06/2006 11:02

No experience babes but just wanted to say hello and say that I hope you get it sorted. Give that handsome boy a kiss from me please - X

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chapsmum · 07/06/2006 11:04

you could get him a reclining bike in the mean time, these are much easier toride with no flex in the ankle. Sorry cant be of more help.

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Kelly1978 · 07/06/2006 11:05

what about getting the high street shoes, and then fixing wooden blocks to the pedal to compensate for the leg length difference?

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Blu · 07/06/2006 11:09

A reclining bike is a great idea to try - they hire out small go-kart style ones in a park near us, so i will try that out asap. Thanks.

kelly - good idea too - we did have a built-up pedal on his trike, the problem is that with the top of the pedal being so far from the centre of the pedal axel, the pedal turns over v easily and it's hard to keep the pushing side up...iyswim - v hard to explain - but could work if DS's foot were held to the pedal in a sort of elastic toe-cap.

ey up TC - good luck back at work...will e mail you! XX

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butty · 07/06/2006 11:11

Hi Blu,

we have just had a trike sent home over the holidays for dylan and he found it very difficult with his splints.

The suggestion of a wooden block on the peddles is a very good one as you will be able to adjust it for ds's requirements.

Hope all goes well.

Butty.xxx

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Blu · 07/06/2006 11:15

Hi Butty - DS tried a LikeAbike in a shop the other day (one of those without pedals) and found that easier than pedalling - would dylan manage one of those?
They are a bit small for 4 year olds, I think? I might try and borrow one to try out.

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Kelly1978 · 07/06/2006 11:16

blu, I thought of that, but I thought maybe a block on both sides, so that even if it rotates, he could still reach it, iyswim.

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butty · 07/06/2006 11:26

Hi Blu,

that sounds good, but dylan is only 3.5 so it may be too big for him.

Ther trike is a special needs one, but it weighed a ton. i am thinking of getting a normal trike, which has a safety harness and then making some straps for the peddles??

What do you think??

Also, dylan was measured for his new splints yesterday which are for both legs and are not flexible like the last pair, his ankles will be unablbe to bend IYKWIM??

Is that what your ds has???

Butty.xxx

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Blu · 07/06/2006 11:26

Yes, the block on the trike was a muckled-up affair done by the helpful bloke in the bike hire place - I might take his bike to the physio-rehab place connected to our NHS community provision and see if they can do it a bit more effectively.

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Blu · 07/06/2006 11:30

Butty - if he is able to feel confident, and has a reasonable sense of balance, i think at 3.5 he might get on well with a LikeAbike -or a like-alike-a-bike as the real ones are SO expensive! The ridgidity does make pedalling almost impossible - I tried riding my BILs bike keeping my ankles still - impossible to keep your foot over the pedal.

DS has a missing fibula (which also means he has missing muscles and tendons so the leg has less strength for complicated pedalling), a short leg and a one-off ankle construction, with bones fused whree they should be articulated, and in an unconventional position.

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2shoes · 07/06/2006 14:24

dd always wears her affos when riding her trike. if she doesn't her ankles kick out(looks really uncomfortable)

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mumball · 07/06/2006 14:52

Sorry to but in, But what is a LikeAbike ? It sounds ideal for my little boy (5) he doesn't have to strenght to peddal or use a scooter, he's just been given a special needs trike, which we haven't got yet, but LikeAbike sounds fab.

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Blu · 07/06/2006 21:20

mumball - I likeAbike is one of those wooden bikes without pedals. Like a ride-on push along but for older kkids. They can put thier feet down, but scoot forwards with both feet. To begin with they can simply walk thier feet along, and graduate to scooting and balancing for greater distances if / when they get more confident. It's BRILIANT for their sense of balance. It's not a specific SN item.