Golf Great Fred Funk Returns to the PGA TOUR

MAHWAH, N.J., Oct. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Stryker Orthopaedics is pleased to announce that GetAroundKnee^® spokesperson Fred Funk will be returning to the PGA TOUR for the 2013-2014 season.  A 20-year veteran of the sport, Funk underwent total knee replacement of his right knee in November 2009 which enabled him to get back out on the course and back to competing on the Champions Tour.  He became a spokesperson for the company in 2011.

"Pain in my right knee began to impact my ability to compete as a professional athlete and I thought my career was over. My orthopaedic surgeon recommended total knee replacement with Stryker's GetAroundKnee. After a three-month recovery I was back on the Champions Tour playing a full tournament schedule," said Funk. "My knee replacement enabled me to return to my active lifestyle and professional career. I hope my story encourages the millions of Americans suffering from knee pain to consult with an orthopaedic surgeon."

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), half the patients now receiving knee replacements are younger than 65 years of age, and most of them are in the workforce¹.  A study published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS)  found total knee replacement surgery to be a cost-effective treatment for patients with end-stage osteoarthritis and estimates lifetime societal savings of about $12 billion from the more than 600,000 total knee replacement surgeries performed in 2009².  Most of the societal savings come from the patient's ability to maintain employment and increase earnings over a longer time in the workforce – something Funk can certainly relate to. "My knee replacement gave me my career back," said Funk.

Post-knee replacement Funk has won three times on the Champions Tour and looks forward to closing out this season and competing on both Tours starting next month.  Funk will make his official homecoming on the PGA TOUR when he tees off at the Frys.com Open in San Martin, California on October 10^th.  "I'll be the oldest guy out there with the youngest knee.  My right knee will only be turning 4 in November," joked the perennial fan favorite.

"Fred has become a part of the Stryker team and is a reminder to those suffering from knee pain that knee replacement has the potential to get them back to their lives, their families and their work.   We're all looking forward to watching Fred compete on the PGA TOUR against the world's best players," said Patrick Treacy, Vice President and General Manager Knee Reconstruction.

About Stryker

Stryker is one of the world's leading medical technology companies and is dedicated to helping healthcare professionals perform their jobs more efficiently while enhancing patient care. The Company offers a diverse array of innovative medical technologies, including reconstructive, medical and surgical, and neurotechnology and spine products to help people lead more active and more satisfying lives. For more information about Stryker, please visit www.stryker.com.

1. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) - http://anationinmotion.org/value/knee/   9/19/13
2. David Ruiz Jr., MA, Lane Koenig, PhD, Timothy M. Dall, MS, Paul Gallo, BS, Alexa Narzikul, BA, Javad Parvizi, MD, John Tongue, MD.  The Direct and Indirect Costs to Society of Treatment for End-Stage Knee Osteoarthritis, JBJS, Vol. 95-A, Number 16, August 21, 2013.

SOURCE Stryker