SAN DIEGO – October 30, 2013 – DJO Global, Inc. today announced that Megan Rapinoe, Olympic gold medalist for the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team and member of the Seattle Reign FC, a part of the National Women’s Soccer League, is partnering with the medical device company to help educate young athletes on the value of bracing in both injury prevention and returning to play.
“I have had two major injuries during my career—both ACL tears. There is a lot of pressure inside and outside of schools and organizations to recover quickly, which I appreciate, but it’s up to young athletes, parents and coaches to take steps to recover safely and guard against injury and re-injury,” says Rapinoe. “This will only allow for a stronger, better return to sport in the long run.”
Young adults, from ages 15 through 25, are at a greater risk of tearing their ACLs; young, female athletes are two to eight times more likely than young men to injure the ACL,1 making alignment on prevention and recovery between all parties—doctors, coaches, teachers and parents, all the more important. Oftentimes, athletes fear re-injury and assume that they will not be able to return to the game that they love.
"Our collaboration with Megan will really drive the message home that there are processes and products, like the Playmaker II FourcePoint, from DonJoy, a subsidiary of DJO Global, Inc., that can aid in preventing injury in addition to building confidence back up in a player post-injury," said Tom Armbrust, Market Manager, ACL, DJO Global, Inc. “Megan also has a vast amount of experience in education around this subject and can emphasize to young players the importance of having informed conversations with their doctors, coaches, teammates and parents about injury prevention, post-injury recovery and return to play.”
About DonJoy Playmaker II and Playmaker II FourcePoint (FP)
DonJoy has taken the reliable Playmaker brace and enhanced it with Hi10TM (high tenacity nylon/spandex fabric) offering an unmatched comfort and fit. The advanced spacer fabric on the front and back promotes a "cool" environment for activities on all levels. This brace is used to manage mild ACL strains and collateral ligament injuries
For injury prevention, the Playmaker II FourcePoint incorporates a clinically-proven hinge design that assists in keeping athletes out of the “at risk” position thus minimizing ACL injuries.
About DJO Global
DJO Global 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, enabling people to regain or maintain their natural motion. Its 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 therapy systems and compression garments, therapeutic shoes and inserts, 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 Global’s products are marketed under a portfolio of brands including Aircast®, Chattanooga, CMF™, Compex®, DonJoy®, Empi®, ProCare®, DJO® Surgical, Dr. Comfort® and ExosTM. For additional information on the Company, please visit www.DJOglobal.com.
References:
1 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/summer08/articles/summer08pg24-26.html
