Stryker Launches “Free Your Feet” Campaign to Raise Awareness About New Bunion Treatments

National Campaign to Feature Eye-Catching Experience in Four Major Metropolitan Cities Beginning June 27

Stryker (NYSE:SYK), one of the world’s leading medical technology companies, today launched an experiential campaign to inspire consumers to explore new treatment options for bunions and increase awareness of the benefits of bunion surgery. The interactive campaign consists of visually creative chalk designs in four major metropolitan cities – New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Miami – prompting passersby to learn more.

From June 27 through Sept. 29, the campaign will feature interactive chalk stencils on sidewalks in areas of each city that generate heavy foot traffic. The stencils, customized with inspiring messages based on the unique personality of each city, will encourage consumers to visit Stryker’s new educational website, FreeYourFeet.org, which provides information about bunion treatment and a surgeon locator tool.

“Bunions affect one in three Americans every year,¹ and a large number of those patients live in silent pain day after day,” said Michael Rankin, Vice President, Marketing and Medical Education for Stryker’s Foot & Ankle business. “We designed this campaign to remind bunion sufferers that there are new, minimally invasive solutions that can help relieve pain, while reducing downtime. At Stryker, we hope patients will reach out to their surgeon to explore treatment options, learn about the recovery process and find out how to get back on their feet.”

Bunions often develop slowly over time at the base of the big toe where the joint is located. If left untreated, the normal structure of the bones will change, creating a bump. The deformity will gradually increase, causing further deformities with the toes pushing against each other and overlapping. In time, it may become increasingly difficult to wear shoes or walk due to the pain.

Stryker offers several surgical options for physicians treating patients with bunions. Stryker’s PROstep minimally invasive surgery gets patients back on their feet faster,^2,3 with less pain² and smaller incisions⁴ compared to an open procedure. The company’s LapiFuse Bunion Procedure provides a new type of bunion correction that improves mobility while protecting the natural appearance of the foot, potentially reducing pain. Bunion sufferers can learn more about the surgical options available through a surgeon.

“Bunions are a progressive disorder that can significantly impact a patient’s quality of life; however, there has never been a better time to seek bunion treatment. We now have a number of new surgical options to treat bunions, as well as tried and true bunion solutions that can help ease recovery and improve outcomes,” said Dr. Hodges Davis, MD, OrthoCarolina Foot & Ankle Institute. “It is important that people suffering from bunions are aware of the different treatment options available to them in order to have an informed and collaborative discussion with their doctor.”

For more information about the campaign and surgical options that are available from Stryker, visit www.freeyourfeet.org.

About Stryker

Stryker is one of the world’s leading medical technology companies and, together with its customers, is driven to make healthcare better. The company offers innovative products and services in Medical and Surgical, Neurotechnology, Orthopaedics and Spine that help improve patient and healthcare outcomes. Alongside its customers around the world, Stryker impacts more than 100 million patients annually. More information is available at www.stryker.com.

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A surgeon must always rely on his or her own professional clinical judgment when deciding whether to use a particular product when treating a particular patient. Stryker does not dispense medical advice and recommends that surgeons be trained in the use of any particular product before using it in surgery.

The information presented is intended to demonstrate the breadth of Stryker’s product offerings. A surgeon must always refer to the package insert, product label and/or instructions for use before using any of Stryker’s products. Products may not be available in all markets because product availability is subject to the regulatory and/or medical practices in individual markets. Please contact your sales representative if you have questions about the availability of products in your area.

References:

1. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/14386-bunions-hallux-valgus
2. Lee M, Walsh J, Smith MM, Ling J, Wines A, Lam P. Hallus Vargus Correction Comparing Percutaneous Chevron/Akin (PECA) and Open Scarf/Akin Osteotomoties. Foot Ankle Intl 2017; 38(8): 838-846.
3. Maffulli N, Longo UG, Oliva F, Denaro V, Coppola C. Bosch Osteotomy and Scarf Osteotomy for Hallux Valgus.
4. Lam P, Lee M, Xing J, Di Nallo M. Percutaneous Surgery for Mild to Moderate Hallux Vagus. Foot Ankle Clin N Am 2016; 21:459-477.

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