Arthrosamid®
Injections for Knee Arthritis
White Oak Pain Clinic
What Is Arthrosamid®?
Arthrosamid® is a gel injection for knee arthritis. It is made of a soft, flexible material called polyacrylamide. The gel is injected directly into your knee joint.
Once inside the joint, the gel blends into the soft lining of the knee — called the synovial lining. Over 6–12 weeks, it becomes a permanent part of that lining.
This creates a built-in cushion inside your knee. The cushion reduces friction, absorbs shock, and helps calm pain signals in the joint. This is an exciting advancement in the management of knee arthritis pain — because the relief can last for years, not just weeks or months.
How Is This Different From Other Knee Injections?
Steroid injections reduce inflammation quickly, but usually last only 6–12 weeks. Repeated use can damage the joint over time.
Hyaluronic acid injections add lubrication to the joint, but usually work for 6–12 months and need to be repeated.
Arthrosamid® is a one-time permanent implant. Your body does not break it down. Clinical trials show that patients maintained their pain relief at follow-up visits up to 5 years later — from a single injection.
Is Arthrosamid® Right for You?
Arthrosamid® is approved by Health Canada for adults with knee osteoarthritis. You may be a good candidate if one or more of the following applies to you:
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You want to avoid knee replacement surgery, or want to delay it as long as possible
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You are not a good candidate for surgery due to other health reasons
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You do not have any hardware (such as screws, plates, or implants) from a previous knee surgery inside the joint
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You have extra fluid in your knee (a joint effusion)
Can I still get a knee replacement later?
Yes. Having Arthrosamid® does not prevent you from having knee replacement surgery in the future if you need it. You can have both.
Can I also have PRP injections?
Yes, but Arthrosamid® and PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injections need to be spaced at least 3 months apart. Your doctor will help you plan the right timing.
How Much Pain Relief Can You Expect?
Results vary from person to person. Based on clinical trials and real-world experience, here is what most patients can expect:
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First signs of improvement within 10–14 days, but can take up to 3 months
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Significant pain reduction in most patients by week 4
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Full effect reached at 6–12 weeks as the gel fully settles in
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Relief that can last up to 5 years from a single injection
Clinical trials show that more than 70% of patients report meaningful improvement in pain and movement. A subset of patients describe results as dramatic or life-changing. About 5–10% do not notice a significant change.
The pain relief does not fade over time the way other injections do. Patients who responded well kept that improvement at follow-up visits up to 5 years after their injection.
Treatment How Long It Lasts
Steroid injection 6–12 weeks
Hyaluronic acid 6–12 months
Arthrosamid® Up to 5 years (single injection)
Precision That Makes a Difference
Any knee injection only works if the medication ends up inside the joint.
At White Oak Pain Clinic, we make sure of that — every single time. There is no guessing.
Premium Ultrasound — Every Injection
We use high-end, high-resolution ultrasound to guide every Arthrosamid® injection in real time. This is our standard, not an add-on. Because the gel is a permanent implant, we confirm the needle is inside the joint before releasing anything.
Confirmed Placement — No Guessing
The knee joint is a small space. Without clear imaging, a needle can end up in the tissue around the joint instead of inside it — and the treatment may not work at all. We confirm placement before any medication is released.
Trained, Experienced Physicians
Your injection is performed by one of our experienced physicians who will make a comprehensive care plan for you. We not only inject Arthrosamid®, but have other effective tools like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) which can further optimize your knee pain. Your care is never delegated.
How to Get Arthrosamid® at White Oak Pain Clinic
Canadian Patients with a Referral
If you are referred to us by a licensed physician or nurse practitioner, your consultation will be covered under public health care, even across provinces (except Quebec). Once we receive your referral, we will contact you to set up an appointment.
International Patients
If you are coming from outside Canada, you can contact us directly — no physician referral is needed. Please reach out to our clinic and we will walk you through the process.
Canadian Patients without a Referral
Consultations are available for Canadian patients even without a referral. However a private-pay consultation fee will apply - please reach out to our clinic and we will walk you through the process.
Your Step-by-Step Journey
Consultation
1
One of our physicians will review your health history, examine your knee, and look at your imaging (X-rays or MRI). They will tell you whether you are a good candidate for Arthrosamid®, go over the potential risks and benefits, and answer all of your questions.
Antibiotics Before Your Injection
2
Because Arthrosamid® stays in your joint permanently, preventing infection is very important. You will be prescribed a short course of antibiotics to take before your injection to prevent infection. The injection cannot proceed without completing this step first.
Injection Appointment (a Separate Visit)
3
Your injection is done at a separate appointment after your consultation. The injection is guided by real-time ultrasound so the gel goes precisely inside your knee joint. The procedure takes only a few minutes and you go home the same day.
Recovery
4
Avoid activities that put heavy stress on your knee — such as running, heavy lifting, or long walks — for the first 48–72 hours. Most people can do normal daily activities right away. Pain improvement usually starts within 10–14 days and continues to build over 6–12 weeks.
Who Should Not Have This Injection
Arthrosamid® is not right for everyone. Your doctor will go through your full health history to check for any concerns.
The list below covers the most common reasons someone may not be a good candidate. It is not a complete list.
Do Not Have This Injection If You:
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Have an active infection at or near the injection site
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Currently have a fever or another active infection anywhere in your body
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Had knee surgery or a knee replacement in the past 6 months
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Have a foreign body implant already inside the knee
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Are under 18 years of age
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Are pregnant or breastfeeding
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Have a known allergy to polyacrylamide
Talk to Your Doctor First If You:
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Have poorly controlled diabetes
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Have planned or recent major dental work
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Have an autoimmune condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Addison's disease, or celiac disease
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Have severe bone-on-bone arthritis on X-ray
Important: If you have Arthrosamid® and later need surgery or a dental procedure, tell your care provider about the implant beforehand.
How Much Does It Cost?
Please contact our clinic for current pricing. The fee covers the Arthrosamid® device and the injection procedure itself.
Consultation fees are covered by BC MSP and public health insurance from other Canadian provinces (except Quebec). If you hold provincial health coverage, your consultation with our physician costs you nothing out of pocket. If you wish to have a consultation without a referral, a private-pay consultation fee applies.
Insurance coverage for the injection: Most private insurance plans do not yet cover Arthrosamid®, but coverage is expanding. Some plans are beginning to cover it. We recommend checking with your insurer. Our team can provide documentation to support your claim.
Keep in mind that one injection can provide up to 5 years of relief. Compared to treatments that need to be repeated every few months, many patients find it to be good value over the long run.
Request a Consultation
How Much Do Pain Management Treatments Cost?
Your pain management treatment may be covered under your Medical Services Plan (MSP). However, some treatments, such as PRP, are typically not covered. We will work with you to determine the best course of action.
How It Works
SERVICES
During our initial consultation, we will get to know you and learn more about the discomfort you are experiencing.
Initial Consultation
Step 1
After we've learned more about your situation, we will determine which treatments would be best for you.
Develop a Plan
Step 2
We will work closely with you to ensure that our plan provides you with the relief you need.
Begin Treatment
Step 3
Talk to a Pain Management Doctor Near You
Pain doesn't have to consume your life any longer. If you are dealing with persistent muscle pain and other treatments haven't worked, contact White Oak Pain Clinic in Burnaby, near Vancouver, today.
Trigger point injections are used to treat tight and painful muscles. A trigger point is the medical name for a “knot” in your muscles. Releasing the knots restores normal muscle function, improves range of movement, and reduces pain.
Nerve blocks can provide pain relief for several weeks to months. In some cases, releasing nerves that are trapped by surrounding soft tissues can lead to permanent improvements.
Perineural Injection Therapy is an effective treatment for soft tissue pain originating around small nerves and the fascia layer.
Prolotherapy is an injection treatment that triggers your body to heal yourself for ligaments and tendons that have been injured. Once the injured ligament or tendon has been healed, function, range of movement, and pain levels improve.
PRP is a stronger version of prolotherapy. It also triggers healing of damaged tendons and ligaments. We use PRP for injuries that are more severe or for patients who want to recover faster. Each session of PRP is equivalent of several prolotherapy sessions.
Perineural Injection Therapy is an effective treatment for soft tissue pain originating around small nerves and the fascia layer.
Trigger Point Injections (TPI)
Trigger point injections are used to treat tight and painful muscles. A trigger point is the medical name for a “knot” in your muscles. Releasing the knots restores normal muscle function, improves range of movement, and reduces pain.
TPI is a powerful way of releasing muscles quickly. It can be used as a stand-alone treatment to release a muscle that is in spasm, such as when you wake up with a kink in your neck or strain your back with lifting.
TPI can also be used along with rehabilitation to correct muscle movement patterns.
We usually inject 1% lidocaine, but normal saline can be used if you have an allergy or sensitivity. Most patients need 5-10 sessions. Each session is spaced 1-3 weeks apart.
Nerve Blocks
Nerve blocks can provide pain relief for several weeks to months. In some cases, releasing nerves that are trapped by surrounding soft tissues can lead to permanent improvements.
1% lidocaine is the injected solution, spaced 2-8 weeks apart.
We provide peripheral nerve blocks for the following conditions:
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Migraine headaches
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Occipital neuralgia
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SI joint pain
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Nerve entrapment syndromes
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Chronic pain conditions that are not well-managed with oral medications
We do NOT provide the following injections:
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Epidural injections
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Facet joint injections and medial branch blocks (we DO perform lateral branch blocks for SI joint pain)
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Nerve root blocks
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Brachial plexus blocks
Perineural Injection Therapy (PIT)
Perineural Injection Therapy is an effective treatment for soft tissue pain originating around small nerves and the fascia layer. This is also known as the Lyftogt Technique, and was previously known as neural prolotherapy.
The injected medication is 5% dextrose.
For conditions that are curable, 5-10 sessions are needed. Some conditions require long-term treatment for pain management. Treatments are spaced 1-3 weeks apart.
Please see this external website for more information: https://www.lyftogtmed.com/about
Prolotherapy
Prolotherapy is an injection treatment that triggers your body to heal yourself for ligaments and tendons that have been injured. Once the injured ligament or tendon has been healed, function, range of movement, and pain levels improve.
15-25% dextrose is injected. It causes inflammation, which then triggers the healing process. Since we are repairing the damage, we expect improvements to last years to decades.
Injections are given about every 4 weeks. Typically, 2-6 treatments are required.
Prolotherapy is not covered under MSP.
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP)
PRP is a stronger version of prolotherapy. It also triggers healing of damaged tendons and ligaments. We use PRP for injuries that are more severe or for patients who want to recover faster. Each session of PRP is equivalent of several prolotherapy sessions.
Blood is drawn from your arm in a procedure similar to getting a blood test. The portion of your blood called platelet rich plasma is separated from the rest, then it is injected back into the injected area.
Injections are given about every 6 weeks. Typically, 1-2 treatments are required.
We expect benefits from PRP to last years to decades.
Conditions that respond well to prolotherapy and PRP:
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Rotator cuff tendinosis/tears
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Whiplash injuries
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Low back pain caused by SI joint instability
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Greater trochanteric pain syndrome
PRP is not covered under MSP.
Fascia Hydrodissection
Fascia hydrodissection is a cutting-edge treatment for chronic soft tissue pain which is not available at the majority of other pain clinics.
Fascia is a layer of connective tissue that covers all your muscles. One of its functions is to allow gliding between different tissues during movement. Fascia can become thickened and stuck, which causes pain and reduced range of movement. The thickening can be caused by trauma, whiplash, repetitive use, and aging.
Injection into this layer breaks up the areas that are stuck to restore normal gliding.
5% dextrose is the injected solution. 3-6 sessions are generally required for each area of pain.
Nerve hydrodissection
Nerve hydrodissection (HD) is a technique used when treating entrapped nerves which involves the injection of an anesthetic, saline, or 5% dextrose in water to separate the nerve from the surrounding tissue, fascia, or adjacent structure. The most commonly used solution is 5% Dextrose.
This treatment is always done under high resolution ultrasound at White Oak Pain Clinic to ensure accuracy and effectiveness. It would usually only require 1-2 treatments if the correct nerve is identified and the location of entrapment is found.
This technique can treat various conditions but not limited to carpel tunnel syndrome, neck and shoulder pains, meralgia parenthetica, and any commonly known nerve entrapment syndromes.