Introduction

Patellofemoral osteoarthritis, which affects the kneecap joint, often causes distinctive pain and movement difficulties that can interfere with everyday activities such as climbing stairs, squatting, or cycling. This type of arthritis targets the joint where the kneecap meets the thigh bone, leading to discomfort that can be persistent and restricting. Arthrosamid is an innovative injectable treatment designed to provide extra cushioning within the knee joint, offering a promising new way to relieve symptoms specifically in the patellofemoral region. There is growing interest in treatments tailored to this particular area, reflecting a wider shift towards more precise management of knee osteoarthritis. Leading experts like Professor Paul Lee, alongside MSK Doctors — recognised for their expertise in musculoskeletal health — are at the forefront of delivering these specialised therapies and patient care.

What is Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis?

Patellofemoral osteoarthritis is a type of knee osteoarthritis that specifically affects the patellofemoral joint — the connection between the kneecap (patella) and the thigh bone (femur). Unlike osteoarthritis affecting other parts of the knee, this condition involves the unique movement and pressures exerted on the kneecap joint.

Common symptoms include sharp pain around the kneecap when walking up or down stairs, squatting, climbing hills, or cycling. Treating this area can be tricky due to the small size of the kneecap’s contact surface, the complexity of its movement, and the heavy mechanical loads it endures during everyday activities. Recent research highlights that “radiographic severity of [knee osteoarthritis] was positively associated with age, sulcus angle, and tibial tuberosity–trochlear groove distance but negatively associated with lateral patellar tilt angle” (Yang et al., 2024), underlining the important relationship between joint structure and disease severity.

Arthrosamid: A Targeted Solution for Kneecap Pain

Arthrosamid is an injectable gel made from polyacrylamide designed to cushion the knee joint. By supplementing the natural joint environment, it helps reduce friction and absorb shocks, offering relief precisely where the patellofemoral joint experiences wear and tear.

Unlike traditional injections that are more general or involve surgery, Arthrosamid provides a minimally invasive, targeted treatment focused on the kneecap area. A recent study confirmed that “polyacrylamide hydrogel (PAAG) injection [is] known to be safe and efficacious in knee osteoarthritis (OA) patients” (Gao et al., 2025a). Follow-up over two years showed that “PAAG provided improvement in knee OA symptoms over 24 months, in older, non-diabetic patients with lower KL grades” (Gao et al., 2025a), highlighting which patients might gain the most benefit.

That said, the study authors stress that “the absence of a control group and limited outcome measures should be considered,” and they call for further research to confirm these findings, refine patient selection and assess long-term results (Gao et al., 2025a).

Clinical Experience and Supportive Care: The Role of Experts

Professor Paul Lee is a highly respected cartilage specialist and Regional Surgical Ambassador, holding key positions within the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. His in-depth understanding of knee conditions and cartilage repair makes him a leading expert in musculoskeletal health. MSK Doctors are well known for providing professional and compassionate care focused on musculoskeletal recovery and wellbeing.

When treating patellofemoral osteoarthritis, specialists like Professor Lee carefully assess each patient’s needs, crafting personalised treatment plans that may include emerging therapies such as Arthrosamid. This expert approach offers patients reassurance, clear guidance, and tailored care throughout their recovery journey.

Living with Kneecap Osteoarthritis: Practical Tips and Future Outlook

Living with patellofemoral osteoarthritis means adapting daily movements and combining simple lifestyle changes with medical treatments. Patients are often advised to avoid deep squats, take stairs slowly, pace themselves on hills, or adjust cycling to reduce pressure on the kneecap. Innovative therapies like Arthrosamid may become an important part of a comprehensive treatment plan, delivering targeted cushioning that helps ease pain and improve mobility.

Ongoing research continues to shed light on who benefits most from such treatments. For example, recent findings indicate that “patient factors that increased the odds of reaching meaningful improvement include being older, having a lower knee OA grade, not having diabetes, and having bilateral rather than unilateral knee OA” (Gao et al., 2025a). At the same time, the “morphological structure of the patellofemoral joint” itself plays a key role in disease progression and treatment outcomes (Yang et al., 2024). These insights promise to improve personalised care and offer hope for better long-term management of kneecap osteoarthritis.

Conclusion and Disclaimer

Targeted treatments like Arthrosamid represent an important step forward in addressing the specific challenges of patellofemoral osteoarthritis, offering new possibilities for effective symptom relief through enhanced joint cushioning. Those experiencing kneecap pain should seek advice from knowledgeable and experienced healthcare professionals, such as Professor Paul Lee and the team at MSK Doctors, to receive tailored care that best suits their needs.

For individual medical advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

References

• Gao, H.C.K., Akhtar, M., Creedon, C., Nar, Ö.O., & Lee, P.Y. (2025). The impact of patient factors on the minimal clinically important difference of Arthrosamid polyacrylamide hydrogel injection for knee osteoarthritis: A cohort study. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2025.02.648
• Gao, H.C.K., Akhtar, M., Creedon, C., Nar, Ö.O., Verma, T., & Lee, P.Y.F. (2025). Polyacrylamide hydrogel injections in knee osteoarthritis: A PROMs-based 24 month cohort study. Journal of Clinical Orthopaedics and Trauma. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcot.2025.103136
• Yang, Z., Shen, M., Xie, D., Zhang, J., & Wei, Q. (2024). Correlation between severity of knee joint osteoarthritis and alignment of patellofemoral and patellar height on radiographs. Chinese Medical Journal, 138(8), 947–952. https://doi.org/10.1097/cm9.0000000000003392