Push Pounds Sports Medicine adds Health Canada-approved knee implant injections in Toronto

Push Pounds Sports Medicine is now offering Arthrosamid, a Health Canada-approved hydrogel injection for knee osteoarthritis, at its downtown Toronto and East York clinics. The single-injection treatment is aimed at patients looking to delay or avoid knee replacement surgery, including some who have not responded to standard injections.

Why it matters: - Arthrosamid gives Toronto-area patients a new non-surgical option for knee osteoarthritis. - The treatment is designed as a single injection, which may reduce the need for repeated short-acting shots or near-term knee replacement surgery. - The clinic’s launch adds another access point for patients in the Greater Toronto Area and beyond, including some traveling from outside Canada.

What happened: - Push Pounds Sports Medicine began offering Arthrosamid at its two Greater Toronto Area locations in downtown Toronto and East York. - The treatment is available at the clinic’s University Avenue site in downtown Toronto and its Danforth Avenue site in East York. - The procedure is being performed by Dr. Joseph Menna, MD, FRCSC, an orthopaedic surgeon at Push Pounds Sports Medicine. - The clinic is currently accepting consultations for the treatment at both locations.

The details: - Arthrosamid received Health Canada approval in 2024 for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. - The hydrogel is non-biodegradable and is made of 2.5 percent cross-linked polyacrylamide and 97.5 percent water. - After injection, the gel integrates with the knee’s synovial tissue, thickens joint fluid, improves lubrication and cushions the joint. - Because the material does not break down in the body, it functions as a permanent implant rather than a treatment that must be repeated every few months. - Both clinic locations use real-time ultrasound guidance to place the injection precisely into the joint space. - The treatment is available to adults with moderate to severe knee osteoarthritis, especially patients who want to delay joint replacement or who no longer get relief from traditional injections. - The clinic does not recommend the treatment for patients with an active infection in or around the knee or a known allergy to polyacrylamide hydrogels. - As part of the assessment, the clinic evaluates each patient before treatment to confirm candidacy. - The procedure is done in a single visit. - Patients take a preventive oral antibiotic one to two hours beforehand. - A local anesthetic is applied to numb the area. - Excess joint fluid is drained before the physician delivers a single six-millilitre dose under ultrasound guidance. - Most patients return home within about 15 minutes. - Noticeable pain reduction typically begins within two to four weeks. - Benefit builds over three to six months as the gel settles into the joint. - The treatment is structurally stable and intended as a one-time option.

Between the lines: - Knee osteoarthritis remains one of the most common causes of chronic joint pain in older adults. - Many patients try cortisone or hyaluronic acid injections before considering surgery. - Cortisone can provide only temporary relief and may degrade cartilage with repeated use. - Hyaluronic acid is absorbed by the body within several months. - Clinical and observational research reports a positive response rate of about 80 percent in patients under 70 and about 60 percent in patients over 70. - Longer-term observational data show more than 56 percent of patients avoided knee replacement surgery 10 years after a single injection. - Studies also indicate pain reduction and functional improvement from one injection can last up to five years. - Push Pounds Sports Medicine is positioning Arthrosamid within its broader joint-preservation and rehabilitation services. - The clinic says it has treated patients traveling from across the United States, Canada and South America. - Arthrosamid is not yet approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which may be pushing some international patients to Canadian clinics.

What’s next: - Push Pounds Sports Medicine will continue taking consultations at both Toronto-area locations. - Patients seeking the treatment can learn more about Arthrosamid and the assessment process on the clinic’s website. - The clinic is expected to keep integrating the injection program with recovery planning and rehabilitation support.

The bottom line: - Push Pounds Sports Medicine is giving knee osteoarthritis patients in Toronto access to a newer single-injection implant treatment that could delay or reduce the need for surgery.