Every year, more than 100,000people undergo reconstructive surgery to repair torn ACLs, and hundreds of thousands more deal with other ACL-related injuries. The need for a brace that allows these athletes to return to play confidently has never been greater. DonJoy Peformance this week released protective gear to help athletes do exactly that—the BIONIC FULLSTOP.

The FULLSTOP is a brace that’s meant to help athletes return to play after suffering an ACL injury—a crucial period when athletes need additional protection. FULLSTOP delivers this protection with strong hinges that engage at 145 degrees but prevent extension past 170 degrees. Those settings prevent knee hyperextension and improve the joint’s mechanics through a safe range of motion.

RELATED: Get a close look at how the FULLSTOP works at DonJoyPerformance.com

“FULLSTOP’s innovative hinged bracing system ensures that the joint receives maximum support, while allowing the athlete to comfortably return to play without having to self-moderate their movements,” according to Toby Bost, President of DJO Consumer. Translation: You can train your best with less stress.

The FULLSTOP isn’t meant just for injured legs, however. Don Joy says that during the recovery process, the opposing knee is more than two times as likely to suffer an injury than the reconstructed one. This is partly due to what sports medicine experts call compensation patterns—your healthy leg tries to do too much to protect the injured one, and winds up damaging itself.

The result, DonJoy says, is that people who use the FULLSTOP are more likely to keep both legs healthy during their comeback.

“60 to 80 percent of ACL injuries are non-contact,” Bost says. “FULLSTOP provides a 60 percent decrease in non-contact ALC injury rate in both the previously injured and uninjured knee.”

RELATED: See the FULLSTOP Yourself at DonJoyPerformance.com

Although the FULLSTOP was designed for people recovering from an ACL tear, an athlete doesn’t need to have suffered such a severe injury to benefit from using it. The brace can be helpful to anyone who’s dealt with knee hyperextension, instability of the joint or patella, or moderate ligament or tendon sprains around the knee.

A 4-strap design keeps the FULLSTOP secure on the leg. Pulltabs on the straps make fitting the brace, and getting it on and off, easier than ever. A neoprene breathable mesh wrap encasing the leg allows for better temperature regulation, so your skin stays cool even as your workout heats up.

DonJoy says FULLSTOP helps athletes feel a greater sense of confidence in their comeback and stay in the game longer once they reach the field. You can find the brace at DonJoyPerformance.com.