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2825 Airview Boulevard Kalamazoo, MI 49002 PROXY STATEMENT ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS April 30, 2013 GENERAL INFORMATION We are providing these proxy materials in connection with the solicitation by the Board of Directors of proxies to be used at the annual meeting of shareholders of Stryker Corporation to be held on April 30, 2013 and at any adjournment or postponement of the meeting. The solicitation will begin on or about March 18, 2013. What am I voting on? You will be voting on three proposals at our annual meeting: • Election of nine directors; • Ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for 2013; and • Advisory vote to approve the Company's named executive officer compensation. What are the recommendations of the Board of Directors? All shares represented by a properly executed proxy will be voted unless the proxy is revoked and, if a choice is specified, your shares will be voted in accordance with that choice. If no choice is specified, the proxy holders will vote your shares according to the recommendations of the Board of Directors, which are included in the discussion of each matter later in this proxy statement. In summary, the Board of Directors recommends that you vote: • FOR the election of the nominees for directors; • FOR ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for 2013; and • FOR the approval of the resolution set forth in Proposal 3 regarding the advisory vote to approve the Company's named executive officer compensation; In addition, the proxy holders may vote in their discretion with respect to any other matter that properly comes before the meeting. Who is entitled to vote? At the close of business on March 4, 2013, the record date for the meeting, 377,125,109 shares of our common stock, $0.10 par value ("Common Stock"), were outstanding. For each proposal to be voted on, each shareholder is entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock owned at that time. 1