DonJoy pioneered the concept of functional knee bracing more than 30 years ago. Our first prototypes were simple neoprene sleeves sewn together in the Carlsbad, Calif. garage of our founders, Philadelphia Eagles Offensive Line Captain Mark Nordquist and local lawyer Ken Reed. Those first braces came from a deep understanding of the need for prevention, protection and healing, and DonJoy has led the profession of performance ever since by studying the body, listening to athletes, consulting physicians and pushing the envelope of innovation.

Today, DonJoy braces are standard equipment for competitors in more than 44 countries. They count on us to create world-class products, while medical professionals look to us for unmatched service and in-depth education. The result?complete confidence for those who wear DonJoy braces and for those who prescribe them.

The Perception

The overall perception of knee bracing technology available to most patients today is that ?everyday? knee braces can be unsightly, bulky, heavy, minimally effective, restrictive and uncomfortable. These misconceptions combine to produce ?brace anxiety? among many patients, often preventing mainstream adoption and compliance of braces that can help prevent injuries, allow people to remain active while healing, and protect the knee from future injury.

The Reality

Patients are looking for quick, effective and economic options for maintaining or regaining their life activities; most want to delay expensive, invasive surgeries. While some patients are turning to the use of prescription narcotics (which can lead to addiction) and cortisone shots to manage their pain, these treatment options do not provide stability to the knee.

About ACL Injury – The Facts

Young people between the ages of 15-25 account for half of all ACL injuries.

A person who has torn their ACL has a 15 times greater risk of a second ACL injury during the initial 12 months after ACL reconstruction, and risk of ACL injury to the opposite knee is two times that of the restructured knee.

Many athletes don?t return to sport after ACL reconstruction due to fear of re-injury.

The Smart, Simple Solution for Post-Injury

Why brace after ACL reconstruction? Clinicians will typically prescribe a functional knee brace after the patient has regained full range of motion?that?s usually between three to five months after surgery. Graft strength of the new ACL is considerably weaker than the native (original) ACL during the first 12 months, so a brace during this early period helps protect it from harmful forces that occur in everyday life or in sport. Bracing also elevates a patient?s confidence, allowing them to return to their previous or enhanced level of activity. Just look to athletes including Robert Griffin III, Tiger Woods, Adrian Peterson, Tom Brady, Lindsey Vonn, Matt Ryan and Peyton Manning just to name a few. Another important reason? Peace of mind. A functional knee brace provides not only confidence for the patient, but confidence for the surgeon, knowing that their patient?s knee is protected.

The Smart, Simple Solution for Preventative Use

Given the physicality of football, it?s easy to understand why collegiate and professional linemen wear braces on both knees. The line of scrimmage is an environment prone to knee injuries, so team doctors, athletic trainers and coaches don?t hesitate to equip their players with bilateral (both knees) custom braces. As with helmets and shoulder pads, knee braces have become standard equipment to assist in preventing season-ending knee injuries. And the same logic holds true with skiing, snowboarding, soccer, basketball, volleyball, professional rodeo, water sports and others. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The?Defiance Brace, Our Flagship Product

Defiance is the world?s leading custom knee brace. More than one-million have been prescribed to athletes of all shapes, sizes, ages and genders.
From middle-school soccer players to elite professional athletes, Defiance is the brace athletes trust.

Sized to perfection, Defiance is custom-made, allowing a broad spectrum of knee sizes to perform at exceptional levels. Constructed of hollow carbon fiber, Defiance has the greatest strength-to-weight ratio of any knee brace on the market, weighing less than 20 ounces.

Defiance features the?4-Points-of-Leverage System, which is a clinically tested* design that decreases ACL strain by 50%.

Another?clinically tested technology**featured on Defiance is the FourcePoint hinge, which provides additional protection from ligament injury.

The purpose of the FourcePoint hinge is to?train the knee to flex?(increase flexion angles) during cutting and jumping, which in turn keeps the knee out of the at-risk position, thus lessening the chance of injury.