For over six years, Mark Warner, 45, a dentist, dedicated runner and long-time member of the Elvet Striders in Durham, had been managing persistent knee pain—pain that increasingly impacted every aspect of his life.
Back in 2019 I was getting a lot of pain whilst running and eventually had an MRI that showed a degenerating meniscus.
He underwent an arthroscopy to tidy up the joint, which offered some temporary relief and allowed him to return to running. But a serious bike accident in March 2024 changed everything. “That accident damaged both knees,” he said, “but because I’d had previous issues with my left one, the pain was significantly worse there.” From that point on, the pain escalated. Daily tasks became a challenge. “I was struggling to sleep. Bending my knee was affecting work and even sitting down, even putting on socks became difficult. Walking was painful and running was totally out of the question - I thought my running days were finished” he explained. “I thought maybe I could delay surgery, so I got back in touch with Paul Hobrough, a physiotherapist I’d seen before for sports injuries,” he said. Paul then introduced him to Arthrosamid®.
Mark tried a range of treatments – daily painkillers, knee supports, acupuncture, shockwave therapy, and steroid injections – but nothing offered lasting relief. “As nothing seemed to be working, I opted to get new MRIs of both knees and based on the reports my initial physiotherapist recommended knee replacement surgery. Mark was reluctant to go down that road.
The consultation included a review of Mark’s MRI, a targeted ultrasound, and a thorough discussion about options. Mark decided to go ahead with the Arthrosamid® injection. “The injection itself was pretty much painless, and the process was very straightforward,” Mark recalled. “There was no downtime – I didn’t need time off work or any recovery period after the injection.”
Now, four months after the injection, Mark’s quality of life has transformed. “I’m back to running again, I’ve stopped taking painkillers, and my range of motion has improved,” he said. “I still can’t bend it quite as well as the right knee, but there’s definite progress, and I’m hopeful it will continue.” When asked if he’d recommend the treatment to others, Mark doesn’t hesitate: “I’d definitely recommend the injection. It’s helped delay knee replacement surgery and I’m back to running again. There’s a group of us from Elvet Striders due to run Chicago marathon in October 2025 and I’m hoping to run competitively there with my training partners.”
