Derek Barron

65-year-old Derek from Erskine, Scotland loves nothing more than getting down on his hands and knees to play with his two youngest grandchildren (aged 2 ½ and 6 months), going on bike rides with his youngest grandson …as well as his twice-weekly workouts at the local gym with the eldest, Ben - who’s almost 18!

Walking his dog (and going away on walking holidays) are also a huge and important part of his life, particularly since losing his wife, Moira, in early 2025 (who Derek had cared for and nursed during the final months of her life).

But over the past couple of years, the agonising pain he was experiencing in both knees, was making it harder and harder to enjoy these simple pleasures and Derek was determined to do something about it. 

Due to the increasing level of pain, Derek had previously undergone invasive, key-hole procedures (which, he says, had left him ‘black and blue’ and struggling to walk for almost a week). He did eventually feel the benefits of the treatment, but he explains it “didn’t last very long and the pain returned.” He also tried steroid injections, which again provided some respite – but Derek was still keen to explore alternative, non-surgical options with the potential for long-lasting relief.

As the pain and lack of mobility persisted, one of Derek’s two daughters, who works as a nurse at “The Private Clinic”, in Glasgow, suggested the hydrogel injection, Arthrosamid®. Although she didn’t work in the clinic’s orthopaedic department, she was aware of the number - now, well over 250! - patients who’d already been successfully treated with the single dose injection, and so introduced Derek to GP and Musculoskeletal specialist Dr Manas Tiwari and encouraged him to book an appointment to find out if he was an eligible patient. 

And, thankfully, he was! And so, on May 17^th  2025, Derek was treated with Arthrosamid® in both his knees….and he hasn’t looked back!

“The effect has been truly transformative – there’s no other word for it”, explains Derek.

“On reflection, I’d been in pain since 2020 (with the additional, referred discomfort in my hips getting worse, too) but by 2023, it was no exaggeration to say it had become pretty unbearable, with me having to give up the gym, lifting weights and my regular runs on the treadmill. 

“I also think of one of the worst effects was the impact on my sleep. I had to go to bed with a pillow between my legs to stop my knees from even touching and I was literally staging and carefully timing my use of painkillers throughout the night, just to ‘grab a few hours’. It couldn’t go on.”

“However, following the injection, I honestly felt significant relief the next day! In fact, within a couple of hours, I was back to all my normal activities, although I did follow ‘doctor’s orders’ and took things easy to begin with. I also followed the recommended Arthrosamid® rehab plan (led by physiotherapist, Charlie Goodchild), which I also found to be a great help.

“Within in two weeks, I was fully pain free and back to normal. I think I only realised quite how bad my pain had been when I found myself almost learning to walk again and totally adjusting my gait. I was no longer stooping over and for the first time in years, I was fully upright again.

“Now, I can walk my golden-doodle dog for miles! Previously, I’d sometimes have to ring one of the girls to come and pick us up. I was in too much pain to make the return journey. 

“And more than anything…I can sleep! Bliss!

“My role as Director of Care at Erskine Veterans Care – Scotland’s largest veterans’ charity – isn’t a sedentary job. I can easily clock up 10,000 steps a day just at work. But now I can do that knowing it won’t cause me discomfort. Although, as retirement beckons this Spring, I can just focus on clocking up those steps with my dog and grandchildren, instead!”

Derek adds; “Dr Tiwari has been just great throughout the entire process. I know he’s at the end of a phone or email if there’s a problem – but to be honest, it’s worked so well, I haven’t needed to bother him or even had to go back in for any further check-ups. I can tell myself that it’s been a total success.

“I really do want to avoid knee surgery for as long as possible, as I’m very aware of the lengthy recovery and all the things I won’t be able to do whilst recuperating. With this in mind - and of course the cost to the NHS or an individual of surgery, overnight inpatient stays etc. – well, it seems to me that Arthrosamid is just a no-brainer!”