SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 28, 2006--DJO Incorporated (NYSE:DJO), a global provider of products and services that promote musculoskeletal and vascular health, today announced a sponsorship agreement with Carson Palmer, NFL quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals.
As part of the sponsorship agreement, Carson Palmer will be featured in DJO's award-winning "Faces of DonJoy" print advertising campaign. Early in 2005 DJO began the Faces of DonJoy print advertising campaign for their line of functional knee braces. 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 have been chosen for the campaign include big wave surfing champion Garrett McNamara, motocross rider Brett Metcalfe, silver medalist aerial skier Joe Pack, and freestyle mogul skier Jillian Vogtli. 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.
Carson Palmer has a long history with DonJoy, wearing the Defiance knee brace while playing for the University of Southern California from 1998-2002. Following a successful career at USC, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 2002, Palmer was the number one NFL draft pick in 2003 and began his NFL career with the Cincinnati Bengals. After suffering a knee injury in the first round of the 2005 NFL playoffs, Palmer began his long and arduous rehabilitation program. During his rehabilitation Palmer evaluated several ACL braces, including the DonJoy Defiance.
Commenting on his recovery, Palmer noted that "coming back from such a devastating injury has been difficult, painful and at times frustrating, but my passion for the game provides me with the inspiration I needed to persevere. When it came time to select a knee brace to support my knee during rehabilitation and game day, four years of protection with the custom Defiance played a major role in my decision. Additionally, my surgeon, Dr. Lonnie Paulos felt that the DonJoy brace was the most substantial knee brace available and would offer me the best protection from further injury. Out of this entire experience, I am pleased to be one of the success stories for the Faces of DonJoy."
"We are truly gratified to have played a role in Carson's rehabilitation and to protect his knee on the playing field during the 2006 season," said Les Cross, president and CEO. "Carson embodies the spirit of 'Never Stop Getting Better,' and is a natural addition to our Faces of DonJoy campaign, which is designed to inspire all people to be their best no matter what they do."
The DonJoy Defiance is a custom knee ligament brace. The flagship product of the DonJoy brand, the Defiance combines the ultimate in technology, materials and design. This lightweight brace provides durable support for moderate to severe ACL, PCL, MCL and LCL instabilities. As the strongest of DonJoy's functional braces, the custom, carbon 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 football athletes.
About DJO Incorporated
DJO Incorporated is a global provider of solutions for musculoskeletal and vascular health, specializing in rehabilitation and regeneration products for the non-operative orthopedic, spine and vascular markets. Marketed under the Aircast®, DonJoy® and ProCare® brands, the Company's broad range of over 700 rehabilitation products, including rigid knee braces, soft goods and pain management products, are used in the prevention of injury, in the treatment of chronic conditions and for recovery after surgery or injury. The Company's regeneration products consist of bone growth stimulation devices that are used to treat nonunion fractures and as an adjunct therapy after spinal fusion surgery. The Company's vascular systems products help prevent deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism that can occur after orthopedic and other surgeries. Together, these products provide solutions throughout the patient's continuum of care. The Company sells its products in the United States and in more than 60 other countries through networks of agents, distributors and its own direct sales force. Customers include orthopedic, podiatric and spine surgeons, orthotic and prosthetic centers, third-party distributors, hospitals, surgery centers, physical therapists, athletic trainers, other healthcare professionals and individual and team athletes. For additional information on the Company, please visit www.djortho.com.
DJO Incorporated
Media Contact:
Allison Leitz, 760-734-3582
Investor Contact:
Mark Francois, 760-734-4766
