A motorcycle accident interrupted my fitness program and it took quite a lot of work to get back to where I am. During that period there were many times when I was (minorly) injured repeatedly since all my muscles were just not strong enough to do things and I wasn't disciplined about them.

I picked up some persistent tendinitis that is just healing with some physiotherapy. Things like this aren't terribly limiting in life but the primary problem is that a lot of the stuff you have to do is rest the appropriate body part! And to rest it, you need to not do things. I don't want to not do things. I want to do things while resting the appropriate part of my body.

And I bet as I get older, all this stuff will catch up. So anything that will extend mobility to my elderly years (still far away) is great. If I do the right things, my body will function well into my 80s and if the tech is there hopefully I'll walk around with my grandkids. All in all, I'm hoping that material science in batteries, motors, and frames and product design all do a big leap in this in the next 40 years. The market is likely there with our aging population.

0: Here's an example of me using them after I got used to them https://www.youtube.com/shorts/qc5PKbJ3tq4

Nike's plans to put the swoosh back into its sales

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/oct/23/just-redo-it-i...

The use cases I can see for others are “anyone who might find this useful or fun”. To me, that means

1) people with medically compromised joints who would like to engage in experiences that their bodies don’t currently allow.

2) people who want to challenge themselves by making these joint additions add more resistance.

3) people who want more strength and/or power for any reason. “Fun” is a valid use case.

These joint enhancements exist for hips, knees, and with this, now ankles. The logical end for this is a powered exoskeleton (and, after that, power armor).

Pair with some power gloves to catch your fall and maybe I can learn to skateboard as my mid life crisis activity down the road.

> the power comes from pistons that are filled with a fuel-air mixture, and fired by compression when the user puts his or her full body weight down into the boot

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rocket_boots

https://www.cnet.com/tech/tech-industry/these-gas-powered-bo...

I could see this doing the same for older runners if the tech gets good enough.

“Athlete” != “professional athlete” the word encompasses a wide range of people and abilities.

The people I know who run all do it for the exercise, not because they like the running. Why would you want to extend it?

> rechargeable cuff battery that seamlessly integrate with a carbon fiber–plated running shoe