RSD In the News : FWD:New Mobility-Innovations

Summer is at hand, with sunshine

and swimsuits in full

force, and, disability or not,

it’s the time of year when

many of us are in the swing of

working out. However, for wheelchair

users, gone are the days

when our foremost choices for cardiovascular

and muscular conditioning

were pushing a racing chair

or cranking a handcycle. Today’s

fitness equipment, designed for all

abilities, allows us peak workouts

in our living rooms, outdoors, or

even in virtual reality, all with innovative

twists.

For those wishing a total

upper body workout, the Vita-

Glide incorporates exceptional

cardiovascular and toning exercise

in one compact, highlyaccessible

fitness machine.

Based on the upper body movement

of cross-country skiing, the

VitaGlide uses an alternating

push-pull motion that works

muscle groups ranging from the

shoulders to the abdomen and

all in-between. To use the

VitaGlide, the user rolls into the

V-shaped wheelchair opening,

grips the right and left levers, and

just begins working out —

there’s no complex setup or

attachments. To increase the

workout, there’s a simple slide

lever that allows seven levels of

resistance, and the overall height

of the machine adjusts to match

the user’s seated ergonomics.

For those with limited grip, quad

cuffs and wrist supports are

available options. At 45.5 inches

wide and 35 inches long, the

VitaGlide takes up little room in

one’s home, and at $1,000, the

VitaGlide is among the most

cost-effective all-in-one accessible

workout units available.

If outdoor exercise is more to

your liking, the Champiot Armpowered

X merges a hand-propelled

bicycle with a rowing

machine, offering a tremendous

upper body and aerobic workout

on the move. The Champiot seats

the user in a position similar to

when riding a handcycle, but

instead of a hand crank, there’s a

“rowing” handle bar that both

propels and steers, allowing one

to rowalong bike paths at a 10 to

15 mph clip. What’s more, the

Champiot is available as an electric

hybrid, offering fully motorized

operation for up to 10 miles

of effortless range when needed

during resting periods or fatigue.

With a retail price of $999 for the

Armpowered X, and $2,499 for

the electric hybrid version, the

Champiot is an affordable alternative

to traditional handcycles.

For many, fitness and video

games are contradictory terms.

However, Out-Front’s GameCycle

combines a stationary handcycle

with a Nintendo GameCube for an

interactive — and possibly addictive

— workout. Developed with

grants from the National Institutes

of Health, the GameCycle’s mission

is to move beyond traditional

exercise machines that only

address the physical, transcending

into the mental, visual, and

motivational aspects of workouts

for wheelchair users. The Game-

Cycle begins with a traditional

hand crank station, simulating a

handcycle workout for cardiovascular

and muscular conditioning

from one’s wheelchair. But the

GameCycle integrates a monitor

that interfaces with a Nintendo

GameCube, using the hand crank

to control speed and steering on

Nintendo’s “Need for Speed

Underground,” “Monster 4X4,”

and “NASCAR Dirt to Daytona,” to

name a few compatible games.

The user literally hand cranks his

or her way through the game.

Specifically, because the hand

crank controls the on-screen

motion, the synergy of visualmotor

sensory activity dramatically

improves overall coordination,

fostering cognitive, visual and

muscular interaction. With a base

price of $5,400 — which includes

the hand crank station, a 17-inch

flat screen monitor, Nintendo

GameCube, and one video game

— the GameCycle is expensive;

however, the GameCycle is finding

its way into VA and rehab clinics,

as well as YMCAs and fitness centers,

creating availability beyond

home use. Surely, the GameCycle

is costly, but it’s among the most

exciting, engaging fitness regimens

ever invented for wheelchair

users.

The fact is, disability can lead

to a “deconditioning cycle,” when

our bodies are less active than

intended by nature. Through full

upper body exercise — as fostered

by such fitness products as

the VitaGlide, Champiot, and

GameCycle — we decrease our

risk of cardiovascular disease,

improve our abilities toward daily

functionality, and enhance our

self-esteem. If these products

and health benefits aren’t enough

to motivate one toward working

out, consider one last benefit:

Looking fantastic in a tank-top

and shorts this summer.