SAN DIEGO, CA – DJO Incorporated, a global provider of medical device solutions for musculoskeletal health, vascular health and pain management, today announced that its Bracing and Supports group manufactured their milestone one millionth DonJoy® Defiance® knee brace. The celebration of this significant milestone is scheduled for Friday February 26 at the Company’s World Headquarters in Vista, California and includes an unveiling and signing of the milestone brace, accompanied by presentations from DJO’s President and CEO, Les Cross; DJO’s Chief Technology Officer, Rich Gildersleeve; U.S. Ski Team mogul skier, Shannon Bahrke; San Diego Chargers defensive end, Shawne Merriman; San Diego State University Aztecs Head Football Coach, Brady Hoke and Head Athletic Trainer, Don Kessler; former professional soccer goalie for the San Diego Soccers, Nikolaj Owcharuk; a weekend warrior with a very unusual Defiance story, Curt Craig; and Vista Mayor Pro Tem, Judy Ritter.
"We are truly gratified to have reached this important milestone for our custom Defiance knee brace," said Les Cross. "During the last 18 years, Defiance has undergone significant technological improvements that have enhanced the performance and endurance of the brace and process improvements that have enabled us to better meet demand and offer the industry’s only guarantee for a 24 hour turn around from knee measurement to shipping. DJO’s 4-Points-of-Leverage™ System and FourcePoint™ hinge technology combine to make the Defiance the most powerful and clinically-proven solution to protect the ACL in athletes of all levels, from weekend warriors to elite athletes. Today, Defiance is on the field, on the court, on the slopes and in the water protecting knees and providing confidence to those who wear it, enabling them to perform without limitations. We were pleased that Defiance was the brace of choice for rehabilitation and protection for Shannon Bahrke during her recent success in women’s moguls. Reaching the million brace milestone is the best testimonial we could ever receive from the patients who wear them and the orthopedic specialists who prescribe them. Innovation that improves the customer and patient experience is the spirit that drives all DJO businesses."
The DonJoy Defiance is a custom knee ligament brace and the flagship product of the DonJoy brand. The Defiance combines the ultimate in technology, materials and design. The Defiance is designed for the rigors of all sports at elite levels such as collegiate and professional football, to everyday support of general knee instability for individuals who wish to remain active but require additional support. The Defiance is very lightweight, providing durable support for moderate to severe ACL, PCL, MCL and LCL instabilities. As the strongest of DonJoy's functional braces, the custom carbon fiber composite Defiance is recommended for high collision sports, while the low-profile design fits comfortably underneath clothing and sports uniforms making it a brace of choice for athletes.
The DonJoy Defiance brace enjoys a distinguished history at all levels of sporting events. First introduced in 1992, the Defiance has played a major role with more professional and collegiate athletes across a wide variety of sports than any other brace on the market. In college football alone, the Defiance knee brace is utilized by over 90 percent of Division 1 teams. Additionally, 61 of 68 NCAA college football bowl teams this year used the Defiance to prevent injuries to players’ knees, as did 22 of the Associated Press Top 25 teams.
The DonJoy Defiance has been at the center of DJO’s award-winning “Faces of DonJoy” print advertising campaign. The Faces of DonJoy campaign was designed to highlight human achievement in overcoming adversity from knee injuries. Each ad features an elite athlete who has suffered a severe ACL injury that required surgical reconstruction followed by an extensive period of rehabilitation, but has ultimately made it back to the top of their game. The athletes that were chosen for the campaign include big wave surfing champion Garrett McNamara, motocross rider Brett Metcalfe, U.S. Ski Team mogul skier Shannon Bahrke, aerial skier Joe Pack, freestyle mogul skier Jillian Vogtli, US Alpine skier TJ Lanning, U.S. Snowboard Team member Nate Holland, Canadian mogul skier Kristi Richards, Green Bay Packer offensive lineman Mark Tauscher and Chad Clifton, Swedish Ice Hockey player Mattias Timander, Italian Motocross rider Antonio Cairoli, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer and San Diego Chargers defensive end Shawne Merriman. Each of these athletes used the custom-fit DonJoy Defiance® knee brace during their rehabilitation as well as during subsequent competitions. Each athlete has made a full recovery, competing at or above their level prior to their injury, confident they could push their training harder with the added knee support.
Media note: Members of the media are welcome to attend the celebration at DJO's world headquarters on February 26, 2010. Please RSVP to mark.francois@DJOglobal.com.
About DJO Incorporated
DJO is a leading global developer, manufacturer and distributor of high-quality medical devices that provide solutions for musculoskeletal health, vascular health and pain management. The Company's products address the continuum of patient care from injury prevention to rehabilitation after surgery, injury or from degenerative disease. Our products are used by orthopedic specialists, spine surgeons, primary care physicians, pain management specialists, physical therapists, podiatrists, chiropractors, athletic trainers and other healthcare professionals. In addition, many of the Company's medical devices and related accessories are used by athletes and patients for injury prevention and at-home physical therapy treatment. The Company's product lines include rigid and soft orthopedic bracing, hot and cold therapy, bone growth stimulators, vascular systems, electrical stimulators used for pain management and physical therapy products. The Company’s surgical division offers a comprehensive suite of reconstructive joint products for the hip, knee and shoulder. DJO's products are marketed under the brands Aircast®, DonJoy®, ProCare®, CMF™, Empi®, Saunders®, Chattanooga, DJO Surgical, Compex®, Cefar®-Compex® and Ormed®. For additional information, please visit www.DJOglobal.com.
Company Investor/Media Contact:
DJO Incorporated
Mark Francois, Director of Investor Relations
(760) 734-4766
