dj Orthopedics to Highlight Independent Study Linking Rigid Knee Brace Design With Biomechanical Performance at the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine Meeting (AOSSM)
SAN DIEGO, June 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- dj Orthopedics, Inc. (NYSE: DJO), a global medical device company specializing in rehabilitation and regeneration products for the non-operative orthopedic and spine markets, today announced that it will feature an independently conducted study linking rigid knee brace design with biomechanical performance at the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) convention in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, on June 24-27, 2004. The study was conducted by the Department of Orthopedics at the University of California, San Diego and by the Department of Orthopedics, Children's Hospital in San Diego.
Researchers mechanically evaluated new custom and "off the shelf" braces from six manufacturers for stability and failure strength. The researchers believe that laboratory tests are clinically significant because they identify those braces that may
best stabilize the knee and resist failure, allowing physicians to prescribe the best brace for a particular application or general patient population.
Tests included 1) varus and valgus loading to determine brace stiffness, 2) strap tab attachment strength and 3) the ability of each brace's hinge mechanism to resist hyperextension. Multiple braces from each manufacturer were analyzed across all three tests. Data was statistically analyzed and each brace was scored by subtracting the group average from the average of each brace type and then dividing by the group standard deviation. Braces were then ranked as either superior or inferior to the group average.
The results of the test showed that only four brace types out of ten brace types tested had superior scores relative to the group average. The top three braces were all manufactured by dj Orthopedics and included the DonJoy® Armor™, FourcePoint™ and Defiance® braces. While the fourth place brace scored positive relative to the group average, it ranked 12 fold lower than the third best DonJoy brace. Six braces scored inferior to the group average and were manufactured by five different manufacturers.
The researchers concluded that a brace's structural and material design will affect its biomechanical performance, and "across all tests for which brace technology is developed and for which physicians prescribe braces, the DonJoy consortium of braces had definitive biomechanical advantages compared to other braces."
"We are pleased by the outcome of this independent study, which clearly demonstrates that all braces are not created equal. It also confirms what our customers have been telling us for years and what our market share dominance in functional knee bracing continues to demonstrate: our product design and innovation, use of quality materials and manufacturing excellence have created the most technologically advanced, high quality braces that professional and collegiate athletes and weekend warriors have come to trust for their knee protection," said Les Cross, president and chief executive officer of dj Orthopedics. "This philosophy of quality design and manufacturing is at the core of every product we sell."
dj Orthopedics will be located in booths 130, 132 and 134 at the AOSSM meeting.
About dj Orthopedics, Inc.
dj Orthopedics is a global medical device company specializing in rehabilitation and regeneration products for the non-operative orthopedic and spine markets. The Company's broad range of over 600 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 sells its products in the United States and in more than 30 other countries through networks of agents, distributors and its direct sales force that market its products to orthopedic and podiatric surgeons, spine surgeons, orthopedic and prosthetic centers, third party distributors, hospitals, surgery centers, physical therapists, athletic trainers and other healthcare professionals. For additional information on the Company, please visit www.djortho.com.
SOURCE dj Orthopedics, Inc.
-0- 06/24/2004
(DJO)
CO: dj Orthopedics, Inc.; American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine
(AOSSM); University of California, San Diego; Children's Hospital in San
Diego
ST: California, Canada
IN: HEA MTC BIO SPT
SU: SVY TDS
AI-TU
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5245 06/24/2004 07:55 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
dj Orthopedics, Inc.
Mark Francois, 760-734-4766
