Adapted cycling programme offers new rehabilitation opportunities for people in Dundee
Physiotherapists at NHS Tayside have welcomed a bid to open up an adapted cycling programme to patients with conditions such as Parkinson’s and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
In an initiative involving staff from NHS Tayside and Leisure and Culture Dundee, patients, some of them recovering from a stroke, took part in a series of taster cycling sessions at the Change Centre in Dundee earlier this month.
Gillian McDonald, who leads the learning disability physiotherapy team lead, said: ‘Having the option to expand these sessions will be a huge benefit to our patients to help them be regularly active on a year-round basis.'
Ms McDonald added: ‘At the taster session, it was great to have the patients back on the bikes enjoying themselves and good to see their parents and carers joining in too.’
The programme is open to anyone who cannot manage to use a standard bicycle, with wheelchair and other specially adapted bikes on offer. It is based on adaptive cycling sessions previously led by the learning disability physiotherapy team.
Having the option to expand these sessions will be a huge benefit to our patients to help them be regularly active on a year-round basis [Gillian McDonald]
A successful cycling taster session was recently held at the Change Centre, where six physiotherapy patients with learning disabilities trialled wheelchair and other specialist bikes, and met the team leading the sessions.
One participant's father said his son was 'really excited' about participating, having previously withdrawn from most of his activities.
Darren Thomson, Leisure and Culture Dundee project lead, added: ‘We will be looking to build on the previous programme success by NHS Tayside, whilst expanding it to include many more people who would benefit from this programme each week.’
This is an edited version of an article that is available on NHS Tayside’s website.
Author: Ian A McMillan
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