{"id":2454004,"date":"2020-02-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-01T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/?p=320189"},"modified":"2020-02-02T09:32:04","modified_gmt":"2020-02-02T16:32:04","slug":"product-offered-in-aspen-provides-relief-for-skiers-battling-knee-injuries-muscle-fatigue","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/local-news\/product-offered-in-aspen-provides-relief-for-skiers-battling-knee-injuries-muscle-fatigue\/","title":{"rendered":"Product offered in Aspen provides relief for skiers battling knee injuries, muscle fatigue"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"swift-gallery p402_hide\" readability=\"6.9209726443769\">\n<ul id=\"imageGallery-320189-759\" class=\"gallery list-unstyled\">\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-5-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-5-1024x715.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Jim Harris, left, and ROAM Director of Marketing Johnny Kern prepare to ski to the Village Express lift in Snowmass on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. \u201cI\u2019m really just excited to get some time on crazy robot ski legs,\u201d said Harris of the ROAM Robotics Elevate exoskeleton. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"2\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"15\">\n<p><strong>Jim Harris, left, and ROAM Director of Marketing Johnny Kern prepare to ski to the Village Express lift in Snowmass on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. \u201cI\u2019m really just excited to get some time on crazy robot ski legs,\u201d said Harris of the ROAM Robotics Elevate exoskeleton. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-5-1024x715.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Jim Harris, left, and ROAM Director of Marketing Johnny Kern prepare to ski to the Village Express lift in Snowmass on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. \u201cI\u2019m really just excited to get some time on crazy robot ski legs,\u201d said Harris of the ROAM Robotics Elevate exoskeleton. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-1-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-1-1024x766.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Jim Harris, 38, right, skis down fanny hill at Snowmass to start his day skiing with the ROAM Robotics Elevate exoskeleton on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. Harris had tried the exoskeleton once before and said it was one of the best days of skiing he\u2019d had since his accident five years prior. Harris had a snow kite accident during a ski expedition in Patagonia. He broke nine of his vertebrae and was paralyzed from the sternum down. After working with Craig Hospital, he regained movement. He said that he was still not as fast as he had wanted to be nor was his stamina good enough to keep him on the mountain for more than five to seven runs. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"2.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"16\">\n<p><strong>Jim Harris, 38, right, skis down fanny hill at Snowmass to start his day skiing with the ROAM Robotics Elevate exoskeleton on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. Harris had tried the exoskeleton once before and said it was one of the best days of skiing he\u2019d had since his accident five years prior. Harris had a snow kite accident during a ski expedition in Patagonia. He broke nine of his vertebrae and was paralyzed from the sternum down. After working with Craig Hospital, he regained movement. He said that he was still not as fast as he had wanted to be nor was his stamina good enough to keep him on the mountain for more than five to seven runs. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-1-1024x766.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Jim Harris, 38, right, skis down fanny hill at Snowmass to start his day skiing with the ROAM Robotics Elevate exoskeleton on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. Harris had tried the exoskeleton once before and said it was one of the best days of skiing he\u2019d had since his accident five years prior. Harris had a snow kite accident during a ski expedition in Patagonia. He broke nine of his vertebrae and was paralyzed from the sternum down. After working with Craig Hospital, he regained movement. He said that he was still not as fast as he had wanted to be nor was his stamina good enough to keep him on the mountain for more than five to seven runs. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-2-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-2-1024x756.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Jim Harris adjusts his ROAM Robotics Elevate exoskeleton using the battery backpack before starting his day of skiing on Snowmass on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"0\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"11\">\n<p><strong>Jim Harris adjusts his ROAM Robotics Elevate exoskeleton using the battery backpack before starting his day of skiing on Snowmass on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-2-1024x756.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Jim Harris adjusts his ROAM Robotics Elevate exoskeleton using the battery backpack before starting his day of skiing on Snowmass on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-3-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-3-1024x779.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | Jim Harris puts on the left leg to the ROAM Robotics Elevate exoskeleton on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. Harris said that he noticed a huge difference with his skiing once he turned the exoskeleton off. \u201cI really appreciate this, because maybe I\u2019ll feel a little faster and aligned with my own ability,\u201d Harris said of the exoskeleton. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"1.5\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"14\">\n<p><strong>Jim Harris puts on the left leg to the ROAM Robotics Elevate exoskeleton on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. Harris said that he noticed a huge difference with his skiing once he turned the exoskeleton off. \u201cI really appreciate this, because maybe I\u2019ll feel a little faster and aligned with my own ability,\u201d Harris said of the exoskeleton. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-3-1024x779.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"Jim Harris puts on the left leg to the ROAM Robotics Elevate exoskeleton on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. Harris said that he noticed a huge difference with his skiing once he turned the exoskeleton off. \u201cI really appreciate this, because maybe I\u2019ll feel a little faster and aligned with my own ability,\u201d Harris said of the exoskeleton. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li data-thumb=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-4-150x150.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-4-1024x683.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times | ROAM Director of Marketing Johnny Kern, left, Spencer Miller, and Jim Harris walk through the Village Mall in Snowmass on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. Harris tried the Elevate exoskeleton from ROAM Robotics for the second time. The exoskeleton makes him feel like there\u2019s more of a possibility to keep up with friends. Harris said that before his accident skiing was his income, how he maintained friendships and both the activity he did for work and fun. He explained that after his accident his entire life was upside down, which included his ability to ski. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\" class=\"h-100\" readability=\"3\">\n<div class=\"caption\" readability=\"17\">\n<p><strong>ROAM Director of Marketing Johnny Kern, left, Spencer Miller, and Jim Harris walk through the Village Mall in Snowmass on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. Harris tried the Elevate exoskeleton from ROAM Robotics for the second time. The exoskeleton makes him feel like there\u2019s more of a possibility to keep up with friends. Harris said that before his accident skiing was his income, how he maintained friendships and both the activity he did for work and fun. He explained that after his accident his entire life was upside down, which included his ability to ski. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)<\/strong><br \/>Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row no-gutters h-100\">\n<div class=\"col my-auto\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.aspentimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2020\/02\/exoskeleton-atd-020120-4-1024x683.jpg\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" alt=\"ROAM Director of Marketing Johnny Kern, left, Spencer Miller, and Jim Harris walk through the Village Mall in Snowmass on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. Harris tried the Elevate exoskeleton from ROAM Robotics for the second time. The exoskeleton makes him feel like there\u2019s more of a possibility to keep up with friends. Harris said that before his accident skiing was his income, how he maintained friendships and both the activity he did for work and fun. He explained that after his accident his entire life was upside down, which included his ability to ski. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"caption-toggle\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/product-offered-in-aspen-provides-relief-for-skiers-battling-knee-injuries-muscle-fatigue\/#\" class=\"show-captions\">Show Captions<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/product-offered-in-aspen-provides-relief-for-skiers-battling-knee-injuries-muscle-fatigue\/#\" class=\"hide-captions\">Hide Captions<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText DropCap\">Old and injured skiers don\u2019t have to hang up their boards. They can Elevate instead.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">A company called Roam Robotics has engineered an \u201cexoskeleton\u201d specifically for skiers who need assistance because they easily fatigue and those dealing with debilitating injuries to knees and other body parts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Aspen-Snowmass is one of 10 resorts around the country where the exoskeleton is available for rent this winter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI think the people who are benefiting are people who love skiing \u2014 they skied all their life and their body is not allowing them to ski like they used to,\u201d said Brooke Pashley, a Roam representative in the Roaring Fork Valley. \u201cThis device is trying to push beyond that so that these physical limitations get dropped.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Strapping on the Elevate product makes a skier look like something out of the \u201cTerminator\u201d movies. The knee braces run the length of a leg and have four straps from ankle to upper thigh to make them secure. An air bladder behind each knee connects by hoses to a power supply carried in a backpack.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cWhile you\u2019re skiing, the sensors that are on-board in the pack and built throughout know where you\u2019re at in your turns and it\u2019s going to support you through that turn, depending on how you need to be supported,\u201d Pashley said. \u201cWhen you make a turn, if I\u2019m turning right, it\u2019s going to pump up air on the downhill ski and it\u2019s going to let my uphill ski flex with still a little bit of air in there for support.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Roam officials call the braces \u201cintelligent shock absorbers for your legs.\u201d It contends that Elevate supports as much as 30% of a skier\u2019s body weight through a system that turns compressed air into an upward force. That reduces the load on muscles and knee joints.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">But it accomplishes that without rigid, heavy braces. The braces and air bladders weigh in at about 2 pounds each. The power pack is about 12 pounds but it is compact enough that it can be worn comfortably and easily on a chairlift.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Roam invited reporters from The Aspen Times to experiment with the system this past week. The first thing a person notices is it sounds like there is a baby goat in your backpack, quietly bleating with every movement and even while standing still. That is the pneumatic actuators trying to figure out what the person is doing, Pashley explained. In essence, it\u2019s trying to sense where it needs to inflate and deflate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">The system has numerous adjustments the wearer can make \u2014 three colors that vary the level of rebound and five settings for the level of air support behind the knee.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Among the colors, white is for crisp, tight turns, purple is for arcing, giant slalom turns and orange is for variable terrain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Among the numbers, pumping up the system to the highest setting of five creates the greatest support. Turn the system off abruptly and it gives a better sense of how much support existed.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-facebook wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-facebook\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"fb-video\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AspenTimes\/videos\/2864625703601161\/\" data-width=\"500\" readability=\"9.3157894736842\">\n<blockquote cite=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AspenTimes\/videos\/2864625703601161\/\" class=\"fb-xfbml-parse-ignore\" readability=\"12.421052631579\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AspenTimes\/videos\/2864625703601161\/\">The Drop-In: ROAM Robotics skiing exoskeleton<\/a><\/p>\n<p>It sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, but this is real life. On this episode of The Drop-In we spend a morning on Aspen Mountain with ROAM Robotics to try out a lightweight, skiing exoskeleton that fits over your ski pants and supports up to 30% of a skier&#8217;s body weight. This technology can help an aging skier, those with knee problems, etc., have a more enjoyable, longer and less painful day on the mountain.<\/p>\n<p>Posted by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AspenTimes\/\">The Aspen Times<\/a> on Wednesday, January 29, 2020<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Observers from the Times noted during the skiing Wednesday that Elevate made gliding down groomers effortless and provided extra support charging through moguls.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Pashley was quick to note that Elevate doesn\u2019t improve form or make a person \u201ca better skier.\u201d What it does, she stressed, is relieve the load on the skier.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Jim Harris, 38, of Glenwood Springs was skiing with Elevate for a second time this season at Snowmass on Friday. The braces are a life changer and hold potential to let him participate in the sport that is so important to him, he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Harris broke his back five years ago while using a ski kite in Patagonia for a filming session.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cThe general consensus was I wasn\u2019t going to walk again,\u201d Harris said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">He wasn\u2019t going to let that happen. He advanced from lying on his back to riding in a wheelchair to using a walker and now walking with a cane. He got on the slopes on the one-year anniversary of his accident in what he calls a symbolic gesture. His condition has improved over the years and he gets on the slopes when he can but he\u2019s very self-conscious about it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cPart of me really hates being the slowest guy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Skiing used to be his career, his passion and an important part of his social life. But it\u2019s difficult to hang with your friends when you must stick to the easiest trails and even then stop every now and then.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cMy legs just get pretty noodle-y after a few runs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Harris learned about Elevate and had a chance to check it out earlier this season. It\u2019s difficult to explain the difference he feels while on the slopes, he said. He likened it to \u201cskiing with moon gravity.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">But the result is crystal clear \u2014 he skis faster and has the stamina for more laps. He can cruise at around 25 mph now rather than 12 mph.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cI skied faster that first time out than I had in five years,\u201d he said. Plus, he can ski deeper into the day rather than calling it quits after five or so runs.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Pashley said it was inspiring to see what Elevate did for Harris. She\u2019s also witnessed how the product allows older skiers to hang out on the slopes with their families for longer. Elevate has assisted skiers of all ages deal with knee injuries.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">This is the second winter that Elevate has been available. Pashley sees big potential.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\"> \u201cThere are so many people with knee injuries that ski or got the knee injury from skiing, so it hasn\u2019t been too hard to find people that are like, \u2018Oh, I\u2019d like to try that.\u2019\u201d Pashley said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\"> When you wear the devices, it can\u2019t help but capture the attention of lift attendants and other skiers. Harris called the braces \u201cfuture tech, Robocop\u201d stuff.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Pashley said she\u2019s been trying to build awareness of the product by word of mouth and by example. She wears Elevate frequently on the slopes.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">\u201cSome people will stop me on the hill and say, \u2018Oh, I\u2019ve seen that, does it actually work?\u2019\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Roam representatives ski with customers for a couple of runs to help them dial in the system. Pashley said it\u2019s easy to figure out after a bit of repetition.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText\">Rental options are a two-hour test drive for $25, daily rentals starting at $109, multi-day options and an open pass. Reservations can be made at Roam\u2019s website at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.roamrobotics.com\" rel=\"nofollow\">http:\/\/www.roamrobotics.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"STND-STND BodyText Tagline\"><a href=\"mailto:scondon@aspentimes.com\">scondon@aspentimes.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aspentimes.com\/news\/product-offered-in-aspen-provides-relief-for-skiers-battling-knee-injuries-muscle-fatigue\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">via:: The Aspen Times<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jim Harris, left, and ROAM Director of Marketing Johnny Kern prepare to ski to the Village Express lift in Snowmass on Friday, Jan. 31, 2020. \u201cI\u2019m really just excited to get some time on crazy robot ski legs,\u201d said Harris of the ROAM Robotics Elevate exoskeleton. (Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times)Kelsey Brunner\/The Aspen Times Jim Harris, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2454004","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-local-news"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-08-18 18:05:09","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KSPN The Valley&#039;s Quality Rock","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2454004","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2454004"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2454004\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2454027,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2454004\/revisions\/2454027"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2454004"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2454004"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kspn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2454004"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}