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Double amputee gets custom-designed ski feet

Posted at 5:20 PM, Jan 28, 2016
and last updated 2016-01-28 19:40:59-05

Many of us who live in Colorado love the outdoors and love to ski. So does Erik Bowen.

But Bowen’s active lifestyle was abruptly stopped when he had a double amputation. The 35-year old from Lafayette lost both feet to a severe strep infection and pneumonia, which caused his body to go into septic shock.

Today, with the help of new technology and the Hanger Clinic, Bowen has an alternative to normal, prosthetic feet. They're custom-designed "ski feet" and are made by Freedom Innovations.

The "slalom ski foot" is the first prosthetic that quickly pops in and out of a ski binding and eliminates the need for a ski boot altogether. 

Bowen will be hitting the slopes at Copper Mountain in the next few days. He promises to bring a GoPro with him, so we can check out his first downhill day.

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