Author / Colleen Berlingieri

Posts by Colleen Berlingieri

I am a Mom, Disability Advocate and Entrepreneur. I earned my degree in Recreation Therapy at Mohawk College of Applied Arts & Technology in Ontario Canada. I am the President of Big Harvest Distributing LLC. which owns the FATWHEELS brand as well as several holdings in both the USA & Canada. I am dedicated to empowering individuals with, (& without), disabilities - it is the driving force behind my company & all that I do.
by Colleen Berlingieri

Sensory and Emotional Issues – Teaching Your Child To Ride A Bike

Sometimes a child is physically capable of riding a bike but they present with sensory issues. We turned to the team at Twenty-One Senses for some advice on how to navigate these challenges when trying to help your child learn how to ride a bike.

Sensory Overload

Your child becomes may become irritated or overwhelmed by physical sensations like the wind blowing in his face, uncomfortable safety gear, or the sight of objects whizzing by quickly. Some ways to help alleviate some of these feelings is to let your child pick out his own helmet and pads and add extra cloth or padding if needed . Always introduce new textures and sensations slowly.

Sensory Discrimination

Another issue may be your child’s inability to properly gauge the distance between objects, the different shapes of the street signs or how much force is being used to pedal or turn. In this case, practise telling the difference between the shapes of two signs, the distance between two toys, or whether she’s going fast or slow. Make it a game and have her try to “trick” you.

Fear

Sometimes the child is anxious and has a meltdown. Remember to be supportive and patient. Always make sure your child is regulated before you begin and allow them to go at their own pace. If she is hungry, overtired, moody or irritated it just might not be the best day for a lesson. Likewise, make sure that you are also regulated and have the time to totally focus on your child.

If your child is experiencing any of these sensory issues you may want to try to retrofit their bike with an set of FATWHEELS adaptive training wheels at the beginning of their journey towards independent riding. Leave the training wheels in the lowest position to start so that your rider feel safe and secure on the bike. As they gain confidence and overcome some of their sensory challenges you can slowly raise the FATWHEELS up so that they learn to balance. Eventually, you can remove the training wheels all together and work on having them ride on two wheels.

Keep your expectations in check and go slow. Over the years, I have seen thousands of children with conditions like Autism , Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and other challenges experience the FUN, FREEDOM and HEALTH benefits of riding a bike. I am confident that with a little patience and perseverance your rider will be added to the list!

Until next time,

Colleen

by Colleen Berlingieri

Adaptive Cycling Effective For Knee Rehabilitation

Adaptive cycling is a great way for seniors to rehabilitate their knees after surgery or better yet before surgery is even necessary.

Benefits of Adaptive Cycling for Seniors

Increases or restores range of motion
Increases or restores knee joint stability
Increases or restores muscle strength
Decreases or eliminates pain
Prevents re-occurrence of injury
Is non weight-bearing
Is low impact
Is an aerobic (cardiovascular) workout
Offers variable resistance
Keeps you in a stable position

Common Conditions

Arthrofibrosis
Also known as ‘stiff knee syndrome’ is said to be one of the most difficult orthopedic conditions to treat. It is an abnormality triggered by injury or trauma to the joint and is most common in the knee joint. In layman terms it is ‘excessive scar tissue that forms in the joint leading to limited range of motion’ despite rehabilitation efforts. Early recognition and proper treatment is critical for a best outcome. The Arthrofibrosis foundation is a great resource in helping understand this often frustrating condition.

Knee Injury
According to Ortho Info, there were 10.4 million visits to doctors offices in 2010 for knee injuries. Common knee injuries include: fractures, dislocations, sprains and ligament tears. Nonsurgical treatments include immobilization, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen and physical therapy are often prescribed before exploring surgical options.

Knee Surgery
There are many types of knee surgery performed and one of the most common is meniscus cartilage repair or removal. This is usually performed arthroscopically as a minimum invasion technique. Meniscectomy is the official medical name. Other common knee surgeries are ACL repair or replacement and knee replacement.

Knee Replacement
Total Knee Replacement (TKR) or partial knee replacement have become some of the most common orthopedic surgeries performed with over 600,000 performed in the U.S. during 2016 alone, and various sources project over 3 million will be performed per year by 2030. Knee Arthritis is the root cause for many of these surgeries. Studies show that approximately 90% of people experience pain relief from knee replacement surgery but there are potential complications to be aware of from risk of infection to sometimes longer knee rehabilitation and challenges with regaining knee range of motion. Surgeons typically encourage patients to work to regain their range of motion early on in the knee rehabilitation process. Physical Therapy often includes the use of a stationary bike and later on, adaptive cycling can help patients gradually increase their knee range of motion during the knee replacement recovery process.

If you are an older adult that is trying to reduce or rehabilitate knee pain, you may want to consider outfitting your bike with a set of wheel stabilizers like FATWHEELS. These heavy duty “training wheels” retrofit to almost any bike on the market and they will provide you with the stability you need to enjoy the FUN, FREEDOM & HEALTH benefits of riding a bike.

Until next time,

Colleen

by Colleen Berlingieri

FATWHEELS Bicycle Safety Series – Helmets

The Statistics

Every year in the United States, 600 children are killed in bicycle-related accidents.

  • 60% of those injuries occur on minor roads, usually within 1 mile of home.
  • 60% of bicycle injury deaths in children are a result of severe head injuries.
  • 85% of brain injuries could have been avoided if cyclists wore bike helmets.

Helmet Guidelines

Buy a helmet that fits your child correctly and make sure it is always worn properly.

And remember:

  • Set a good example and always wear a helmet yourself.
  • Price does not necessarily suggest safety. check for approved safety standard stickers.
  • A molded shell has the best construction.
  • The helmet should be worn securely and squarely with the front edge resting less than 1″ above the eyebrows. It should not go above the forehead. The chin strap should be tight, centered, and always fastened.
  • Make sure that no more than 3 fingers can fit between the chin & helmet strap.
  • Buy a helmet with bright colors or reflective stripes to be easily seen.
  • Never use a cracked helmet or one that has been in an accident.

Following these guidelines will ensure that you and your family are safe while cycling.

At FATWHEELS, we take bicycle safety very seriously. Our adaptive training wheel kits are used in hospitals, school settings and by riders of all ages and abilities all across North America. We use only the highest quality materials for our products and back them up with 100% confidence.

Until next time,

Colleen

by Colleen Berlingieri

FATWHEELS Bicycle Safety Series – Kids and Traffic

10 Reasons Kids are Especially at Risk in Traffic Situations

Riding on busier streets demands greater skills to avoid collisions. If children develop safe cycling skills and learn to follow the rules of the road, many collisions can be avoided. Some accidents, however, happen through no fault of the cyclist, so children must be taught to ride defensively and to wear bicycle helmets.

Kids are particularly vulnerable because they :

1. expect others to look out for them

2. have no understanding of complicated traffic situations

3. overestimate their knowledge and physical strength

4. focus on one thought at a time.

5. assume that if they can see someone, they can also be seen.

6. think vehicles can stop instantly.

7. have difficulty estimating the speed a vehicle is traveling.

8. have a field of vision one third narrower than adults have.

9. have difficulty determining the direction of sounds.

10. do not have the experience or judgement needed to ride at night.

At FATWHEELS, we take bicycle safety very seriously. Our adaptive training wheel kits are used in hospitals, school settings and by riders of all ages and abilities all across North America. We use only the highest quality materials for our products and back them up with 100% confidence.

Until next time,

Colleen,

by Colleen Berlingieri

FATWHEELS Bicycle Safety Series – Early Cycling Skills

Exploring the world beyond their own neighborhood gives children a sense of independence.

Never pressure children to ride a two-wheeled bike, consider children’s coordination and desire to learn to ride. Children develop at different rates, but most “typical” children can graduate from tricycles to training wheels between the ages of 4 and 6. If your child has special needs consider investing in a set of adaptive training wheels such as FATWHEELS so that they feel safe & secure while learning how to ride.

Children Under Age 10

This age group usually has not developed the skills to ride with traffic and should not ride on the street.

  • Make sure you and your children wear approved helmets
  • Children under age 7 should only ride with adult supervision even on the sidewalk.
  • Children age 8 & 9 may be allowed to ride unsupervised , but not on the street.
  • Unless you are riding with them, never allow children to bike in or around traffic.

Children over Age 10

This age group may ride on their own with proper training, but may need to be restricted to certain streets.

  • Explain that a bicycle is a vehicle and must obey all traffic signs and rules.
  • Street riding should depend on traffic, maturity, adequate knowledge, and ability to control the bike and follow the rules of the road.
  • Bicycle or walk all routes with your children to identify safe routes for bicycling between home and school etc.

At FATWHEELS, we take bicycle safety very seriously. Our adaptive training wheel kits are used in hospitals, school settings and by riders of all ages and abilities all across North America. We use only the highest quality materials for our products and back them up with 100% confidence.

Until next time,

Colleen

by Colleen Berlingieri

FATWHEELS Bicycle Safety Series – Bikes

When choosing a safe bicycle for your child consider the following points:

Look for a bike that is simple, safe, sturdy, and durable. Most children do not appreciate or use gear, hand brakes, and other safety features until age 9.

  • Consult experts who can help choose a bike children can control but will not outgrow quickly. Children may lose control and be injured on a bicycle that is the wrong size.
  • Buy training wheels that are made with strong steel and thick rubber NOT thin metal and plastic.
  • Make sure fender edges are rolled over or coated to avoid cutting legs and fingers.
  • Choose a bike with a chain guard and avoid wearing loose pant legs when riding.
  • Choose a bike with knobby grippy pedals to keep feet safe.

FATWHEELS takes bicycle safety very seriously. Recently, we have started offering bike bundles on our website that pair a safe, high quality bicycle with a set of our adaptive training wheels. These bikes are manufactured & distributed by Kent International and our adaptive training wheels are used in hospitals, school settings and by riders of all ages and abilities all across North America. Both companies use only the highest quality materials and back them up with 100% confidence.

Until next time,

Colleen

by Colleen Berlingieri

How Do Adaptive Bikes Help Children With Disabilities?

There are obvious benefits to adaptive bicycles, including increased opportunity for exercise. Children of all abilities benefit from exercise, as it increases cardiovascular health, muscle tone, bone/joint health, stamina, balance and coordination. For children with disabilities (who may have differential requirements such as postural support), commercial bikes from big-box stores may be inaccessible for reasons of low muscle tone, poor coordination or cognitive disabilities. Adaptive bikes may have heavy-duty training wheels, extra-wide frames, trunk reinforcements, head support, leg or hand straps, and steering assistance to help these children engage with physical movement.

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by Colleen Berlingieri

It’s All About Balance

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one-third of adults over sixty-five fall each year. Most are not seriously injured, but broken bones and head injuries from falls land about 700,000 people in hospitals each year, the CDC says.
Tiffany Shubert, a physical therapist who is also a research scientist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill confirms this statistic and is quoted as saying “And once people fall or become noticeably unsteady, “fear of falling” itself becomes a problem. “People start to limit their activity because they are afraid, they might fall. That can have a huge impact on quality of life. “You are afraid to walk up and down stairs, so all of a sudden you can’t go to the movie theater anymore.”


The key is to be thinking about balance before you ever have a fall.


To give us some information about balance, we turn to Peter Wayne, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Peter maintains that balance is not just a matter of how well the vestibular system of the inner ear is working. Declines in strength, flexibility, vision, touch, and mental functioning can all contribute to balance problems. “Balance is a very complicated process,” he says. But improving it can be simple. Here are a few tips:


• Practice standing on one foot, challenging yourself to increase the duration. You can do it online at the grocery store or while brushing your teeth. If that is too difficult at first, start by using a chair back or bathroom counter for support. If it is easy, try raising your foot higher or holding it out to the side. For extra challenge, try standing on a throw pillow or closing your eyes.


• Try heel-to-toe walking, as if on a balance beam.


• Practice getting in and out of a chair without using your hands.


• Exercise while standing on a wobble board or Bosu ball (an inflated rubber disc on a stable platform).


• Try tai chi or yoga. The evidence that tai chi can improve balance is especially strong, and studies show it is quite safe for people of all ages and fitness levels. In a typical class, a series of movements is performed in a slow, graceful flow, accompanied by meditative deep breathing.


If you are an older adult that likes cycling, you may also want to consider adaptive cycling by outfitting a bike with a set of wheel stabilizers like FATWHEELS. These heavy duty “training wheels” retrofit to almost any bike on the market and they will provide you with the stability you need to enjoy the FUN, FREEDOM & HEALTH benefits of riding a bike despite any challenges that you may have with your balance.


And remember what Albert Einstein said; “Life is like riding a bicycle, to keep your balance you must keep moving!”


Until next time,

Colleen

by Colleen Berlingieri

International Women’s Day 2022

In honor of this year’s International Women’s Day, let’s talk about women, bicycles, and FREEDOM.


Recently, I was reading an article in Hour Detroit magazine that talked about this topic. In it, author George Bulanda points out that there was a huge social and cultural significance to women bicycling at the turn of the century. George writes that: “bicycling allowed women a degree of independence they hadn’t enjoyed before. No longer did they have to ask their husbands’ permission for a jaunt in a horse and carriage or a ticket for a train ride. Instead, they could go where and when they wanted on a two-wheeler. Bicycling also freed women from restrictive fashion; it was simply unpragmatic to wear constraining corsets or clunky bustles while riding. They now wore pantaloons and free-flowing skirts.”


Likewise, in a turn-of -the-century article for the Smithsonian Institution, author Hannah S, Ostroff quotes feminist Susan B. Anthony as saying: “Bicycling … has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel … the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood.”


Of course, the freedom that a bike provides is not limited to women. Here at FATWHEELS , we know firsthand how much FUN, FREEDOM & HEALTH benefits cycling can offer to people of all ages & abilities.


Recently, we received the following testimonial from Elizabeth in Orlando Florida: “I bought these for my son, who is 11 and has autism. These are SO stable, and he can now pedal the bike independently because it’s so secure. Made him feel so special, happy, and empowered to bike!”


To quote American psychiatrist, William Glasser, we as humans are driven by five genetic needs: survival, love, belonging, power, fun and freedom and I am inclined to agree. That is precisely why I am so grateful to be able to help so many amazing people get out and experience the FUN & FREEDOM of cycling.


Happy International Women’s Day ladies – keep calm and ride on!


Until next time,


Colleen

by Colleen Berlingieri

Absolutely Beautiful

This is one of the most heartfelt, encouraging and amazing messages I have ever read. From this Special Needs parent to you, please know that I, and ALL of us here at FATWHEELS ,see you!

I See You

I see you taking your kid to therapy while your friends take their kids to football or ballet.

I see you sneak out of the conversation when all your friends boast about achievements and exam notes.

I see you juggle events and meetings.

I see you sitting on the computer for hours investigating what your child needs.

I see you make a bad face when people complain about what looks like nonsense.

I see you disappear little by little but you keep going beyond for your family.

I see you pull strength from weakness with a force you didn’t even dream you had.

I see you showing respect for teachers, therapists and medical professionals who help your child and help you.

Watching you wake up early in the morning to do it all again after another chaotic night.

I see you when you’re on the edge of the precipice struggling to live.

I know you feel invisible, like no one notices.

But I want you to know that I see you.

I see you push forward always. I see you choose to do everything you can to give your child the best care at home, school, therapy and the doctors.

What you do matters. It’s worth the struggle.

On those days when you wonder if you can make it one more minute, I want you to know I see you.

I want you to know that you are beautiful.

I want you to know it’s worth it. I want you to know that you are not alone. I want you to know that love is the most important thing, and that you are the best at it.

And in those days when you see an improvement, those moments when hard work has its reward, and you can taste success, I’ll see you then too.

And I’m proud of you.

Whatever day today…

…you’re doing it right.

And I see you. ❤

✒ Alethea Mshar

📷 John Walker / Flickr

Wasn’t that spectacular? Tell me what you think?

I am SO happy that we can “see each other” on this Beautiful Ride!

Until next time,

Colleen