An innovative bike for children play and rehabilitation

Design is strategic for rehabilitation engaging and social inclusion. According to this vision, we developed a bike to promote physical and ludic activities among children, with great care of the needs of children with Cerebral Palsy. Regular physical activity, such as cycling, improves their health condition, and specifically strength and cardiorespiratory performances. A bike adds to the benefits of physical activity, the opportunity to perform outdoors rehabilitation and to socialize with other children. The methodology started with a deep analysis consisting in several steps: literature and patents research, direct observations, questionnaires and interviews of all involved users (children, parents, clinicians). A new bike was designed and developed and some tests were performed. These tests were addressed to children (with or without CP), to their parents and physiotherapists, in order to understand if the new bike was useful, safe and desirable.