OUR STORY

OUR MISSION

To provide athletes and people in the workforce alike with the best pain relief solutions for a better today. You bring the talent. We bring the relief.

HOW IT STARTED

The idea for ProBand started with out-of-the-box problem solving and a vision to be able to heal people who suffer from Repetitive Stress Injuries while keeping them in motion.

As a former battalion surgeon during the Vietnam War and while lacking the resources available in a first world country, Dr. Donald Fareed learned how to treat people by observing how the body can use its own natural movements to heal itself.

Continuing his practice as a world renowned sports orthopedic surgeon, known for his minimally invasive, holistic healing approach, Dr. Fareed found himself with a patient that would change the trajectory of his career. When Pete Sampras, one of the world’s best tennis players, approached him with a case of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, he decided to try something new before rushing him into surgery.

Making a plaster mold, utilizing a plastic sheet and heat gun, Dr. Fareed created the first prototype in his garage of what would soon become the ProBand BandIT, and applied it to the source of Pete’s pain. This makeshift widget provided Pete with instant and lasting pain relief, allowing him to cancel any notion of surgery and helping him finish tournaments pain-free.

NEXT STEPS

Realizing his invention had the ability to non-invasively heal one of the most common ailments experienced by professional athletes and people in the workforce everywhere, Dr. Fareed immediately got to work to help people on a larger scale. With his passion for healing and helping people, along with an innovative new product, ProBand Sports Industries was born. 

Dr. Fareed’s wife, Linda, went back to school to get a Masters in Business Administration from the Anderson School at UCLA to gain the knowledge necessary to help turn this vision into a reality. Working in real estate during the day and packing in sleepless nights to earn her degree, Linda went on to assume the role of President of ProBand. 

As a small family business operated out of their home for their first five years, Dr. Fareed and his wife Linda were steadfast in their mission to develop more revolutionary solutions for people dealing with pain induced by repetitive motions. Needing every helping hand, they enlisted their young son’s help packing boxes, taking inventory and manning trade show booths. 

 ProBand would go on to play an important role in Dr. Fareed’s own son’s life, Justin Fareed. As a running back for UCLA who was told he would never play again after multiple unsuccessful knee surgeries, Justin turned to ProBand to see if he could finally find relief. 

The moment he put on the ProBand KneedIT for the first time, he instantly felt his pain diminish. With a positive and unrelenting mindset, coupled with the success from the KneedIT in alleviating his chronic knee pain, he was able to continue playing football in his final year at UCLA, where he was voted by his teammates as Most Inspirational Player. The power of ProBand sparked Justin’s passion to continue to help and heal anyone experiencing similar limitations. In January of 2020, Justin completed the purchase of ProBand and became the sole owner.  

PROBAND IS WHERE PASSION MEETS SCIENCE

“It’s a huge tragedy to see your brothers, teammates and peers have to stop doing what they love because of injuries and in some cases get addicted to pain medications that have lasting detrimental effects. That’s what motivates me to inspire people to know there IS a solution for them.”- Justin Fareed, President of ProBand.

ProBand has provided countless athletes and people in the workforce alike with functional relief and healing of Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSIs), so they can continue doing what they love, pain free! With a line of products that address different RSIs at the source, ProBand allows people to avoid invasive procedures and harmful medications when treating their injuries.

This approach is even more important now as more studies reveal the detrimental long term effects Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) have on the inflammation associated with RSIs such as arthritis. As a result, wearable pain relief aids are gaining traction as natural, safe and non-invasive alternatives to NSAIDs.

Most recently, ProBand has been awarded MedTech Outlook’s Top Physiotherapy Solutions and Orthopedic Solution Providers for three consecutive years as of 2024 and has been an industry leader for 33 years.

OUR HISTORY

Created in 1992, ProBand® Sports Industries, Inc., took off on its mission to help provide functional pain relief and prevent Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSIs) associated with the Forearm, Knee, and Ankle, to athletes and people in the workforce alike. ProBand strives to make people pain free, keeping them in motion while our products work with their body to help it heal. These unique medically based devices enable people to efficiently and effectively treat themselves. 

OUR PRODUCTS

Our products are revolutionary in design and are considered by industry leaders as superior aides to previously existing therapeutic bands or guards. They are designed to help you heal, alleviate your pain, and avoid surgery commonly associated with many repetitive stress injuries, including, but not limited to, Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, Tendonitis, Tennis Elbow, Runners Knee, Chronic Ankle Sprains and Arthritis. Each of our products works with your body to help it heal itself by utilizing ProBand’s Anatomically Focused Dynamic Compression®. The ProBand collection of products addresses your ailment at the source, providing functional relief and keeping you in motion while our products work with your body to help it heal.

MEET DR. DONALD FAREED

 

Dr. Donald Fareed is a world renowned sports orthopedic surgeon located in Santa Barbara, California.  He was in practice for over 50 years.  Dr. Fareed’s clinic has treated patients from all over the world and have included business leaders, authors, scientists, athletes, professional, collegiate and amateur alike, and world champions.

His practice and surgical philosophy is based on pinpointing problems at the source, understanding and the resolution of musculoskeletal problems in the gentlest manner possible, restoring functional relief to individuals and keeping them at the top of their game.

“Observations while at UCLA Medical School, Duke University, US Army, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Gorgas Hospital and many years in clinical practice of orthopedic surgery formed the basis of looking at many clinical syndromes such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from a new perspective, a systems approach. Instead of a traditional structural approach, the systems approach requires the surgeon listen to the patient and figure out the source of symptoms. Alleviating the problem at its source allows and facilitates a more harmonious resolution of the downstream symptoms and findings.” 

The structural approach encourages immobilizing, icing, physical therapy, nerve studies and surgery. Our products are the direct result of Dr. Donald Fareed’s systems approach, keeping people in motion while our products work with their bodies to help it heal. 

Curriculum Vitae

• Diplomate, American Board of Orthopedic Surgery
• Fellow, American Board of Orthopedic Surgery
• Fellow, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons

Donald Fareed, M.D., an internationally known practicing orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist, developed the BandIT®, KneedIT®, and Ankle BandIT® based on over 25 years of clinical and surgical observations and treatment of patients with Repetitive Stress Injuries, Tendonitis, Arthritis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Osgood-Schlatters, Runners Knee—Chondromalacia, Jumpers Knee, Acute and Chronic Ankle Sprains, and other musculoskeletal ailments.

Education

• B.A. – University of California, Berkeley
• M.D. – U.C.L.A. School of Medicine
• Blalock Surgical Research Fellowship
• Bone Mineral Metabolism, Osteoporosis
• Swift Transplantation Fellowship

Post-Graduate

• Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C., General Surgery
• U.S. Army, Awarded Meritorious Service Medal
• Medical Field Services, Fort Sam Houston, TX
• Surgeon for the U.S. Embassy Military Medical Assistance Team, South America
• Disaster Relief Team, South America
• Orthopedic Residency, Department of Defense, Gorgas Hospital, Canal Zone, Panama; Residency in Orthopedic Surgery
• U.C.L.A. School of Medicine; Prosthetics and Orthopedics Program
• Armed forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, D.C.; Orthopedic Pathology
• Board Certified Diplomat American Board of Orthopedic Surgery
• Fellow American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
• Orthopedic Consultant to Davis Cup Members
• Orthopedic Consultant & Physician Los Angeles Open Tennis Tournament

Practice

• Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Specializing in Shoulder, Elbow and Knee; Santa Barbara, CA
• Current Active Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Surgery  Shoulder, Elbow & Knee, Santa Barbara, California

Hospital Affiliations

• Former Chairman, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, Santa Barbara, CA
• Former Chairman, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, St. Francis Medical Center of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
• Former President Elect, Los Padres Chapter of the Western Orthopedic Association
• Active Staff, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
• Cottage Hospital Research Committee

SUSTAINABILITY STATEMENT

At ProBand Sports Industries, we are committed to promoting and implementing solutions that foster a sustainable future and enhance the welfare of our planet and its people. We believe that integrating sustainable practices into our business creates value for our community and benefits future generations.

OUR PRODUCTS - While many companies operate under a policy of planned obsolescence, at ProBand, we believe that our products should outlast your ailments. Our inflammation and pain reduction products are crafted to maximize longevity and withstand several years of constant use, thereby reducing our carbon footprint. Each product is deliberately designed for a long lifespan before recycling.

We ensure that the majority of our products are manufactured locally in the Santa Barbara area, which lowers emissions from material transportation and helps revitalize the local economy. There is no waste in our production process – nothing goes to the land fill. Additionally, all our paper stock used in digital and traditional printing contains recovered fibers from post-consumer sources. Furthermore, our transition to LED lighting, which is free of toxic chemicals and energy-efficient, helps reduce our carbon footprint. This results in reduced impact on forest resources, decreased air and water pollution, reduced water and energy consumption, and less solid waste.

OUR COMMUNITY - With over 33 years as a proud business in the Santa Barbara community, we understand the strength that an active community provides. From our beginnings in Dr. Donald Fareed’s orthopedic clinic to selling thousands of ProBand products worldwide, none of our success would have been possible without local support. Therefore, we make every effort to give back whenever possible. We proudly support and sponsor the NFL’s Shelter 37 and the Boys & Girls Club, organizations dedicated to helping young people, especially those at risk, reach their full potential and transition into productive and caring adults. Additionally, we continuously support the Santa Barbara Deputy Sheriff’s Charity Association, which aids those in need. We also sponsor an annual charity event in partnership with UCLA Athletics and UCLA Health, raising significant funds for multiple sclerosis (MS) research. At ProBand, we will continue striving to better ourselves and the people around us, maintaining our role as a strong pillar in our community.