Jonny Rawlinson, 44, Dad of four explains how Arthrosamid® means he can now embrace his love of sport again…and is back on top form for a kick-about with his kids

Jonny Rawlinson, 44, is a “sports-mad” dad of four from Portsmouth, accomplished in rugby, tennis and hockey and with a passion for long distance running. But, over the past few years, significant swelling and inflammation of his right knee (caused by the early stages of patellofemoral osteoarthritis) was having a major impact on his ability to enjoy sport. In fact, the situation had become so bad Jonny had essentially stopped participating in all the sports he loved, due to the severity of swelling in his knee. Sport was no longer “feasible”  - something which he describes as ‘“devastating”

However, following investigations, scans and guidance from his Orthopaedic Consultant (who felt Jonny would be an eligible and positive candidate for a hydrogel injection) in December 2024, Jonny opted for a minimally invasive approach to treat the symptoms caused by his chronic condition, via Arthrosamid® - the cutting-edge injectable hydrogel that delivers long-lasting, proven pain relief for knee osteoarthritis — improving quality of life without surgery.

And, 6-months post treatment, Jonny is now delighted to share that the result of his Arthrosamid® injection continues to feel ‘life-changing’, with no further swelling of the knee and a drastic reduction in the discomfort he was previously experiencing. Most importantly, he’s back on the tennis court (both with the kids and competitively), regularly coaching junior rugby and running several times a week (although he has finally hung up his hockey stick – a game notoriously full of twists and turns and a classic antagonist for a ‘swollen knee’).

Here, Jonny talks through his ‘Arthrosamid journey’ and what led him to pursue this novel (and now, heavily evidence-based) treatment:

“From an early age, I’d always played a huge amount of sport, without any real problems. I had one injury when I was about 26 which yes, probably did lead to future ‘wear and tear’ issues in my right knee - but the real problems only started about 18 months ago (in the autumn of 2023) when, following the 4th game of the hockey season, my knee suddenly started to swell. A week later, my knee totally ‘blew up’ after a match – leading me to immediately think I’d sustained a ligament injury.

“As recommended, I engaged in regular physio, initially seeing a gradual improvement and therefore returned to hockey in the January…only for the same thing to happen again….and again. 

“So, fast forward to the summer of 2024, by which time I knew I had to seek a full diagnosis and consider the treatment options. Whilst I wasn’t in agony as such…my knee just never felt right – even when going up and down the stairs or walking my younger boys to school, always fearing it could give way at any time. Having worked in the orthopaedic industry for many years, I had a good understanding of the basic anatomy of the knee and knew a  number of surgeons who I felt could advise me. So, I took my scans to a surgeon at the Fortius Clinic, London where I was diagnosed with patellofemoral osteoarthritis of the knee, otherwise known as ‘runner’s knee’ – leading to inflammation and swelling, (often after sport and physical activity) and which is unfortunately very difficult to treat..

“I was faced with a few options; more physio, perhaps a steroid injection to give short-term relief or a  Hyaluronic acid (HA) injection – which would likely only work for around 6 months – or some of the newer, experimental options such as PRP (Platelet-rich plasma) or stem-cell treatment. However, there was really, only one route I wanted to explore – the hydrogel injection, Arthrosamid®, which is supported by a growing evidence-base and known to be particularly effective in cases of early osteoarthritis in young people, with patellofemoral patients responding well, due to its efficacy in reducing inflammation.

“So, I booked in with the well-respected Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Andrew Miller, based in South Wales (impressed by the huge number of patients he’d already treated with Arthrosamid® and his wealth of knowledge and experience in sports medicine). As anticipated, the treatment was “super simple”, took around 10 minutes, with a 15 minutes recouperation in the surgery before heading home. After a couple of days’ rest, I began with some gentle movement on the static bike and a week later, played a fun game of tennis with the boys - and there was already a definite difference in my knee. 

“Walking up and down stairs, to and from school, around the house – it just felt… better. I took it easy, didn’t push myself but soon realised I was instinctively doing things I’d been avoiding or had been nervous of for almost two years. It was as though the vicious circle of osteoarthritis had been broken. Most importantly, the swelling (a symptomatic and active sign of osteoarthritis) had stopped.

“Looking back, the emotional impact of my knee condition was immense too – there’s no doubt it was negatively affecting my mental health. Being told, in my mid-40s, that I may never be able to run or play sport again was ‘devastating’ – not to mention the effect on my overall quality of life. I just wasn’t happy, and I wasn’t always fun to be around. My kids all love sport – whether playing competitively or kicking a ball around in the back garden. I didn’t want to be the dad who said; “I can’t join in” and always nursing a dodgy knee until surgery was unavoidable. It’s so important to recognise that knee osteoarthritis doesn’t just cause physical issues - it can have a real impact emotionally, too.

“Arthrosamid® has also allowed me take part in regular physio / rehab and muscle strengthening – which I know in turn will help to protect and maintain the health of my knees. In fact, I found the free, new online resource developed by the team at Contura Orthopaedics in collaboration with leading physiotherapists Charlie Goodchild and Nick Guth, to be invaluable: https://arthrosamid.com/rehab

“Arthrosamid® has been completely life-changing for me. Other treatments may well have had some impact - who knows? – but the ability of Arthrosamid® to ‘switch off’ the horrible cycle of inflammation, every time I played sport is phenomenal. And, if I ever need a ‘top up’ again in the future, I wouldn’t hesitate.

“I’d 100% recommend Arthrosamid® to other people of a similar age to me, suffering similar symptoms – knee replacement surgery is a last resort (and ideally only in later life).

“Any level of symptomatic osteoarthritis should be looked at by an expert and, from my experience, minimally invasive treatments such as hydrogel injections should be discussed. As I understand, the younger you are, you’ve got a great chance of responding well to the benefits offered by Arthrosamid® – and giving yourself a real window of opportunity to rehabilitate from the pain, discomfort and limitations caused by osteoarthritis.”

“So, fast forward to the summer of 2024, by which time I knew I had to seek a full diagnosis and consider the treatment options. Whilst I wasn’t in agony as such…my knee just never felt right – even when going up and down the stairs or walking my younger boys to school, always fearing it could give way at any time. Having worked in the orthopaedic industry for many years, I had a good understanding of the basic anatomy of the knee and knew a  number of surgeons who I felt could advise me. So, I took my scans to a surgeon at the Fortius Clinic, London where I was diagnosed with patellofemoral osteoarthritis of the knee, otherwise known as ‘runner’s knee’ – leading to inflammation and swelling, (often after sport and physical activity) and which is unfortunately very difficult to treat..

“I was faced with a few options; more physio, perhaps a steroid injection to give short-term relief or a  Hyaluronic acid (HA) injection – which would likely only work for around 6 months – or some of the newer, experimental options such as PRP (Platelet-rich plasma) or stem-cell treatment. However, there was really, only one route I wanted to explore – the hydrogel injection, Arthrosamid®, which is supported by a growing evidence-base and known to be particularly effective in cases of early osteoarthritis in young people, with patellofemoral patients responding well, due to its efficacy in reducing inflammation.

“So, I booked in with the well-respected Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Andrew Miller, based in South Wales (impressed by the huge number of patients he’d already treated with Arthrosamid® and his wealth of knowledge and experience in sports medicine). As anticipated, the treatment was “super simple”, took around 10 minutes, with a 15 minutes recouperation in the surgery before heading home. After a couple of days’ rest, I began with some gentle movement on the static bike and a week later, played a fun game of tennis with the boys - and there was already a definite difference in my knee. 

“Walking up and down stairs, to and from school, around the house – it just felt… better. I took it easy, didn’t push myself but soon realised I was instinctively doing things I’d been avoiding or had been nervous of for almost two years. It was as though the vicious circle of osteoarthritis had been broken. Most importantly, the swelling (a symptomatic and active sign of osteoarthritis) had stopped.

“Looking back, the emotional impact of my knee condition was immense too – there’s no doubt it was negatively affecting my mental health. Being told, in my mid-40s, that I may never be able to run or play sport again was ‘devastating’ – not to mention the effect on my overall quality of life. I just wasn’t happy, and I wasn’t always fun to be around. My kids all love sport – whether playing competitively or kicking a ball around in the back garden. I didn’t want to be the dad who said; “I can’t join in” and always nursing a dodgy knee until surgery was unavoidable. It’s so important to recognise that knee osteoarthritis doesn’t just cause physical issues - it can have a real impact emotionally, too.

“Arthrosamid® has also allowed me take part in regular physio / rehab and muscle strengthening – which I know in turn will help to protect and maintain the health of my knees. In fact, I found the free, new online resource developed by the team at Contura Orthopaedics in collaboration with leading physiotherapists Charlie Goodchild and Nick Guth, to be invaluable.

“Arthrosamid® has been completely life-changing for me. Other treatments may well have had some impact - who knows? – but the ability of Arthrosamid® to ‘switch off’ the horrible cycle of inflammation, every time I played sport is phenomenal. And, if I ever need a ‘top up’ again in the future, I wouldn’t hesitate.

“I’d 100% recommend Arthrosamid® to other people of a similar age to me, suffering similar symptoms – knee replacement surgery is a last resort (and ideally only in later life).

“Any level of symptomatic osteoarthritis should be looked at by an expert and, from my experience, minimally invasive treatments such as hydrogel injections should be discussed. As I understand, the younger you are, you’ve got a great chance of responding well to the benefits offered by Arthrosamid® – and giving yourself a real window of opportunity to rehabilitate from the pain, discomfort and limitations caused by osteoarthritis.”

“Any level of symptomatic osteoarthritis should be looked at by an expert and, from my experience, minimally invasive treatments such as hydrogel injections should be discussed. As I understand, the younger you are, you’ve got a great chance of responding well to the benefits offered by Arthrosamid® – and giving yourself a real window of opportunity to rehabilitate from the pain, discomfort and limitations caused by osteoarthritis.”

Since Jonny’s treatment, Arthrosamid® treatment is now available at clinic slightly closer to home for him – which is great new for all potential patients living in the Portsmouth area, Hampshire and along the South Coast:  https://premahealth.co.uk/general/unlocking-mobility-and-relieving-pain-the-benefits-of-arthrosamid/

^References:

^{1. Bliddal, H., et al. (2024). Polyacrylamide gel versus hyaluronic acid for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: a randomised controlled study. Clin Exp Rheumatol. Vol 42(9):1729-1735.} 

^{2. Bliddal, H., et al. (2021) Polyacrylamide Hydrogel Injection for Knee Osteoarthritis: A 6 Months Prospective Study. J Orthop Res Ther. Vol 6 (2). 1188. ISSN 2575-8241} 

^{3. Henriksen, M., et al. (2018). Intra-articular 2.5% polyacrylamide hydrogel for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis: an observational proof-of-concept cohort study. Clin Exp Rheumatol. Vol 36(6):1082-85. Epub 2018 Jul 18. PMID: 30148430.}