Shock Doctor® Strikes Endorsement Deal With 2010 NFL Draft First Round Pick Ryan Mathews, San Diego Chargers Running Back

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Minneapolis-based Shock Doctor® – the authentic market leader and creators of innovative, unique performance-driven sports protection and the undisputed leader in mouthguard technology – announced today it has signed a three-year endorsement contract with NFL San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Mathews.  Mathews will be wearing Shock Doctor's Custom Mouthguard and Ultra Carbon Chin Strap in all football practices, games and competitions in which he participates, including NFL exhibition, pre-season, regular season and playoff games.  Mathews will also serve as a key member of Shock Doctor's Sports Science and Performance Advisory Board and will provide product development feedback from his experience on the field – the most authentic and highest level of product development input.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110224/CG53587)

Mathews joins a growing roster of hundreds of professional athletes across the country currently using Shock Doctor's sports protection that have discovered that Shock Doctor's revolutionary products are proving to be vital for better training and improved performance.  From NFL football players to NHL hockey players, from MLB players to NCAA football, hockey and lacrosse teams, athletes worldwide who want superior sports protection combined with performance enhancement are using Shock Doctor products ranging from mouthguards to compression apparel. "We are very excited to be partnering with Ryan Mathews and to have him as part of our Shock Doctor family," said Tony Armand, CEO of Shock Doctor.  

"I'm always looking for that extra edge on the playing field," said San Diego Chargers running back Ryan Mathews.  "Shock Doctor's unwavering commitment to creating superior sports protection with performance enhancement gives me that edge.  I've always worn Shock Doctor mouthguards in football and basketball throughout my life.  Shock Doctor's Custom Mouthguard is so comfortable that it feels like I don't have a mouthguard in there, and it really makes breathing and speaking a lot easier while not compromising protection.  I also like the comfort of the Ultra Carbon Chin Strap and the fact that it has a removable, washable liner."

The San Diego Chargers selected Mathews with the 12th overall pick of the first round in the 2010 NFL Draft. A school record and NCAA-leading 1,808-yard, 19-touchdown rusher as a junior at Fresno State, Mathews became the first running back selected by the Chargers in the first round since 2001.  Regarded by some as one of the best-kept secrets of the NFL Draft, Mathews is a classic downhill runner who has a dangerous blend of power and speed.  As a junior at Fresno State, he tallied 17 runs of 20 yards-or-longer.  He enjoyed some of his best days in college football against the nation's top defenses, including a 234-yard, three-touchdown day against Boise State in which he averaged 12.3 yards per carry.  Mathews was the only player in the nation in '09 to rush for 100 yards against three Top-25 teams.  

"We view this as a terrific opportunity to raise the visibility of our leadership position in mouthguard science and technology, and to help athletes understand how our innovative products enable them to optimize their performance while providing best-in-class protection," said Jay Turkbas, Senior Vice President of Product Development and Marketing for Shock Doctor.

As an expert in mouthguard science, performance and safety, Shock Doctor designs and produces the most comfortable, ultra protective mouthguards available.  Shock Doctor Mouthguard's perfect fit and patented technology improves performance by making it easier to breathe, communicate and focus. Shock Doctor's MORA (Mandibular Orthopedic Repositioning Appliance) performance enhancement technology positions the lower jaw down and forward to create optimal muscular function of the head and neck muscles.  Preliminary research shows that this may translate to an increase in overall muscular strength and improved athletic performance.  Custom Mouthguards are dentist designed and crafted in Shock Doctor's exclusive dental lab, and are the first dental quality custom mouthguard system broadly distributed at national retailers.  The unique CoreShock cushion layer locks in a custom fit and improves shock absorption by 30 percent compared to traditional custom mouthguard materials.

Players can create their custom impression mold at home, and the mouthguards are customizable with the player's name, team number and team colors.   Mathews plans to get the phrase "Catch 24" on his Shock Doctor Custom Mouthguard because as he says, "I am one step from a big play every time the ball is in my hand. I feel like every member of the defense is always chasing me.  That's why "Catch 24"."

Shock Doctor's Ultra Carbon Chin Strap has a 4-Point High/Low System that results in a continuous, high strength helmet chin strap for multi-stage impact protection.  Its Triple Grip no-slip snaps ensure the chin cup stays put, and the X-STATIC® liner is removable, washable and anti-microbial which eliminates 99.9 percent of odor causing bacteria in less than one hour of exposure.

About Shock Doctor

Shock Doctor is known as the undisputed leader in mouthguard technology and considered the leading innovator in sports protection around the globe. Their belief in combining design and technology to achieve better protection and performance is now trusted by fearless athletes in a growing number of products and sports, from youth to amateur to pro.

Learn more at www.shockdoctor.com.  Follow Shock Doctor on Facebook and Twitter.

SOURCE Shock Doctor