Physical Therapy Students Volunteered for Adaptive Sports Northwest

Ellen Key (’20) works with a child in an adapted recumbent bicycle.

Two second year physical therapy students, Ellen Key (’20) and Sam Nicholas (’20), volunteered for a recent Adaptive Bike Clinic for individuals of all ages with disabilities that was hosted by Adaptive Sports Northwest. The mission of this non-profit organization is to “Provide and promote recreational, fitness and competitive opportunities for people with physical disabilities.” They fulfil their mission by “Offering a wide range of programs and events that educate, connect and inspire children and adults to activate and realize their own personal possibilities and improve their lives.”  Examples of programs include adaptive kayaking, power soccer, sit volleyball, and wheelchair rugby, among many others.  

During the annual Adaptive Bike Clinic, Ellen and Sam assisted children with disabilities while they tried different types of bicycles (e.g., recumbent, handcycles, etc.) from organizations from such as Shriners Hospital for Children and Portland Parks and Recreation. Ellen Key shared the following comments about her experience:

“Fitting children to adaptive bicycles required some professional creativity, but we were able to get them all situated!  It was a fun day and the kids loved it. After a few hours of testing bicycles in the parking lot, participants were invited to ride down the Eastbank Esplanade together. We left this experience recognizing Adaptive Sports Northwest as a great resource for our future patients, and also realizing how important it is to make sure biking is more accessible, especially in a city like Portland!”

Sam Nicholas (’20) tests an adapted recumbent tricycle.