Ice or roller-skating is a good choice of activity for people with Autism. It has benefits beyond fitness. One thing it has been noted for is that it provides vestibular input (the sensation that occurs from a change in position, direction, or movement of the head. There are receptors are located in the inner ear which are activated by the fluid in the ear canals moving as you move). People who have difficulties with this input (which includes autistic people) suffer with low muscle tone, fatigue/lethargy or persistent sitting, resistance to movement, clumsiness, rocking, twirling, pacing, bolting (running away) and head banging, shaking, or hitting. Activities like ice skating and roller blading help improve all these aspects.
On top of this people who ice skate or rollerblade have shown to have Improvements found in balance, motor behavior (every kind of movement from involuntary twitches to goal-directed actions, in every part of the body from head to toe), functional capacity (ability of a person to perform aerobic work during maximum oxygen intake) and strength.
Therapeutic skating may also offer a viable, inexpensive community-based alternative to other forms of physical activity, which can often be costly and difficult to access.
When looking to take part, a lot of centers offer Autism only Ice-skating/roller blading specific times, just ask your local ice-skating ring/roller blading centre. Once confidence has been gained, roller blading can be done nearly everywhere, making it affordable.
My brother Jacob loves both activities, he enjoys the speed and it is good exercise for him. It helps his balance as well allowing us to bond. As well as this he enjoys the music that the rinks often play to go along with, which also helps him in a sensory manner.
Commentary on “A Therapeutic Skating Intervention for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder”
"Children with autism have a variety of sensorimotor and social impairments that may affect their play and physical activities. Physical therapists should advocate for enhanced physical activity, functional skills, and recreational participation for their clients with autism. Standardized motor and functional measures such as those included in this study should be used to document change over time. Creative movement using music, dance, or yoga and sports such as swimming, walking, or skating are possible activity choices. Ice or roller-skating is an especially interesting choice as it provides vestibular input and balance and strength as was evidenced in this study. Interventions should involve individualized, engaging activities that promote substantial repetition, structured environments such as a physical space that is consistent across sessions, and a space devoid of distractions such as bright lights and sounds. Instructions and feedback should be simple and incremental with verbal, visual, and then manual feedback. As mentioned in this study, 2 intervention phases, early individual sessions and later group-based activities, allow for planned integration into the community and perhaps assist in task generalization and functional carryover. If the therapy activities are difficult, a child may not effectively communicate and may show noncompliance, tantrums, or self-injury. A break or a favorite activity could be used before continuing with the activities.
“What should I be mindful of when applying this information?”
Intervention choices should be consistent with the child's preferences and interests to ensure sufficient repetition and a lasting change. Intervention should promote lifelong skills or enhance foundational elements such as strength, balance, and flexibility. Study generalizability is limited because of only 2 participants. The use of multiple baselines was not demonstrated and no statistical analysis was performed. The inability to easily access a skating rink and safety concerns may limit the application of this approach."
Anjana Bhat, PT, PhD
Physical Therapy Program
University of Delaware, Newark
Physical Therapy Program
University of Connecticut, Storrs
Deborah Bubela, PT, PhD
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