Proof That Physical Therapy Can Be Beneficial and Fun

Ten-year-old JJ loved riding a Pumper Car® vehicle during his occupational therapy sessions at local medical center. Racing up and down the center’s hallways actually was an integral part of his exercise routine to improve his weakened gross and fine motor skills.

He understood that using this ride-on device was good for him for therapeutic purposes—plus it was a kick to ride. JJ had an inspiration to find a way to buy a Pumper Car vehicle to use at home for exercise and fun. That’s when he proposed to his parents that he’d like to save his allowance to purchase one.

With limited savings and a relatively slow income stream, JJ decided to contact the inventor, Mike Jones, to find out how much he would need to save. “JJ wrote a letter to Mike telling him the story about his success using a Pumper Car vehicle with his therapist,” his mother Tiffany recounted. “He mentioned how much he would love to ride one around his neighborhood for fun and exercise.”

Several weeks went by, but rather than receiving a response back from Jones, JJ found a Pumper Car ride-on delivered to his doorstep. As luck would have it, a day after Jones received JJ’s letter, a friend of his mentioned that his grandson had outgrown his Pumper Car model. He asked Jones if he knew of any child who could use it. The timing for this was perfect.

Needless to say, JJ was ecstatic. “Now he’d be able to ride a Pumper Car at therapy sessions and at home—a chance for him to build more strength and motor skills even faster,” his mother notes. They live in a fairly rural location in the Portland-Metro, Oregon area so he could ride on roads all through his neighborhood. JJ didn’t waste any time and rode his Pumper Car device day after day, sometimes until he rolled into his garage totally exhausted.

Riding a Pumper Car vehicle “was unique,” according to JJ. “You don’t just pedal. You also have to move your arms in a way that gives you a workout. I was very sweaty after riding it… I’d totally recommend it [Pumper Car vehicles] to other kids because it would help them build strength and get them to like exercising—and have fun with it too.”

The good news is that JJ graduated from his occupational therapy program, due in part to all the time he devoted to riding his Pumper Car vehicle at home. His mom says that his gross and fine motor skills dramatically improved plus his fitness level increased significantly. She adds that a powerful factor in JJ’s success therapeutically was simply that he had an engaging activity to focus on with his Pumper Car vehicle.