Redefining Performance in ACL Bracing
The DonJoy A22

Challenge

In collegiate and professional sports, knee bracing is common for protection and post-injury recovery—particularly in high-collision positions like offensive and defensive linemen. However, for performance-driven athletes such as quarterbacks, wide receivers, and basketball players, traditional braces were perceived as bulky, restrictive, and detrimental to agility. Athletic trainers faced persistent resistance from these athletes, highlighting an unmet need for a brace that offered both protection and performance.

An advertisement for DONJOY A2 knee brace featuring a woman mid-air in a volleyball jump and a man holding a tennis racket in a ready position, both wearing knee braces, with the slogan "Reinventing Confidence" and logos for DONJOY and DJO Global.
Close-up view of a high-tech titanium knee brace with labeled features including anti-microbial coating for environmental protection, engineering for performance management, and cushioning cells for comfort.

Opportunity

To address this gap, the goal was clear: develop a next-generation ACL brace that combined strength, stability, and speed—a brace athletes would want to wear, not have to wear.

Strategy

  • Material Innovation: Identify and adapt advanced, lightweight materials from other industries—prioritizing both strength and comfort.

  • Design Engineering: Create a low-profile structure with minimal bulk and innovative attachment systems for superior stability.

  • Athlete-Centric Development: Collaborate directly with elite athletes and their trainers to ensure fit, durability, and compliance under competitive conditions.

Execution

Drawing inspiration from the golf industry, where titanium drivers deliver exceptional strength-to-weight performance, engineers tested titanium for its resilience under impact while maintaining form and protection.

The A22 was engineered to meet all clinical efficacy standards while optimizing for real-world performance. Rigorous field testing with Division I collegiate athletes validated the brace’s comfort, strength, and wearability during high-intensity play.

The marketing strategy positioned the A22 as “protection for performance”—an elite, next-generation brace designed specifically for high-performing athletes unwilling to compromise mobility for safety.

An infographic showing a woman playing golf while wearing a knee brace with a detailed diagram of a four-point hinge device and its features, including improved joint mechanics, training benefits, and injury prevention.

Results

In a historically stagnant market—where ACL bracing growth rarely exceeded 1%—the A22 launch redefined category performance.

5%

Category growth in ACL bracing with the first year.

4

million

Surpassed launch target in year one

Market Shift

Established a new standard for high-performance, low-profile bracing among elite athletes