Erskine grandfather and former director of care at Scotland’s largest veterans’ charity back on his feet after knee pain battle
Derek Barron and his dog
For years, Derek Barron (65), the former Director of Care at Erskine Veterans Care, was the one providing a lifeline to others. But behind the scenes, Derek was fighting a private, debilitating battle with knee osteoarthritis that threatened to strip away his independence.
Derek, from Renfrewshire, Scotland, has been on a “transformative” journey. Not long ago he was in such pain he couldn’t finish a short dog walk with his golden-doodle, but now he is clocking up an impressive 10,000 steps a day thanks to a pioneering non-surgical treatment that is offering new hope to the millions of UK adults living with the condition.
Derek has always been an active grandfather and dedicated professional, but his world began to shrink in 2020. What started as nagging discomfort became an unbearable reality by 2023. The gym sessions and bike rides that fuelled his physical health vanished, replaced by a constant, stooped gait and sleepless nights. The precious time he loved to enjoy with his grandchildren was also significantly impacted.
The timing could not have been worse when, in early 2025 Derek lost his beloved wife, Moira, after caring for her through her final months.
”Walking my dog and getting outdoors became my sanctuary after Moira passed away,” Derek explains. “But the pain was so severe there were times I couldn’t even make it home. I’d have to sit on the pavement and call my daughters to come and collect us. It was awful to lose that last bit of peace.”
Like many of the estimated 5 million people in the UK affected by knee osteoarthritis1, Derek feared the pain and long recovery times often associated with total knee replacement surgery. However, after key-hole procedures and traditional steroid injections failed to provide any lasting relief, Derek’s daughter, a nurse, directed him to hydrogel injection Arthrosamid®.
Under the care of Dr. Manas Tiwari, a musculoskeletal specialist at The Glasgow Private Clinic, and the first to pioneer this treatment in Scotland, Derek received the single-injection treatment in both knees in May 2025.
The results were near-instantaneous. Within 24 hours, the ‘bone-on-bone’ agony began to subside and in just two weeks Derek was virtually pain-free and back to ‘normal’.
”The effect has been transformative, there’s really no other word for it,” says Derek. “I only realised how bad things had been when I found myself relearning how to walk properly. For the first time in years, I was standing fully upright instead of stooping. I felt like I was getting my old life back.”
As Derek settles into retirement, he is keen to encourage others to benefit from his experience. With NHS waiting lists for joint replacements at record highs, he is urging people not to “suffer in silence” while waiting for surgery that they might be able to avoid entirely.
“People worry about the recovery time of surgery and the cost to the NHS,” Derek adds. “I want people to know they don’t have to just put up with the pain. I’m back to walking miles, playing with my grandchildren, and most importantly, I can sleep again. That alone is life-changing.”
Dr Tiwari, who has completed more than 300 of the single injection procedure at his clinic, adds:
“As a GP, I see first-hand the huge impact knee osteoarthritis can have on people’s lives, both physically and mentally. This treatment is in my opinion the gold standard in osteoarthritis management for those who want an alternative to knee replacement surgery.
“Osteoarthritis can take the joy out of simple, everyday things, even something as ordinary as walking the dog. But, as Derek’s experience shows, this treatment is offering real hope. It has the potential to transform how osteoarthritis is managed and help people stay active and independent as they get older. I am absolutely delighted that Derek can now look forward to enjoying life again with far less pain.”
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About Arthrosamid®
Backed by over two decades of research,2 Arthrosamid® is a 2.5% polyacrylamide hydrogel,3,4 designed to give patients long-lasting pain relief from knee OA.8.9
When injected into the knee joint, it transports through the synovial membrane and stays within this soft tissue lining5 that becomes stiff and inflamed when you have knee osteoarthritis.6 The physical presence of Arthrosamid in this tissue, softens and restores the elasticity to normal levels7 which reduces the pain you feel over a longer period of time.8,9
Delivered as a single, minimally invasive outpatient procedure,3,4 Arthrosamid is becoming an evidence-based, viable and long-lasting alternative to conventional therapies (including partial or total knee replacement surgery) for patients with knee OA. Arthrosamid® has already helped more than 26,000 patients and is now available in approximately 600 clinics across Europe, Canada, and New Zealand.2
References:
1.https://www.arthritis-uk.org/media/svmf02f1/versus-arthritis-annual-report-2023-24.pdf
2.Data on file.
3. Arthrosamid®, Instructions For Use. Release Date March 2022. 10082-003.
4. Arthrosamid, Instructions For Use. Release Date October 2025. 10117-001.
5. Smith, D.M., (2011).
6. Rim Y.A., Ju J.H. (2020). Life. Vol 11(1):3.
7.Wimmer, M. A., et al. 18th ICRS World Congress, Boston, 11-14 October (2025).
8. Bliddal, H., et al. (2025). 5-Year Follow-up. Presented at EKS 2025, Copenhagen.
9. Bliddal, H., et al. (2025). J Orthop Surg Res. Vol 21. 4
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