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This is an inspiring story. A gentleman in the UK has recently become the European Masters Champion in Squash for those over 75 years old — a remarkable achievement made all the more meaningful by what came before it.
Dr. Haytham Salem had the pleasure of treating Ian with Arthrosamid for both knees. The right knee injection was administered in February 2024, and the left knee followed in June 2025. Ian visited Dr. Salem at Fortius Clinic to share his medal in person, and to express his gratitude — three years earlier, he had been told he needed a knee replacement, a decision he was reluctant to accept at the time.
Choosing the right patient, not just the right product
Reflecting on Ian’s case, Dr. Salem noted that recent advances in medicine, particularly with newer treatment options, are offering many patients genuine hope of avoiding or delaying surgery. But the outcome, he emphasised, depends on more than the treatment alone.
It’s all about selecting the right patient, rather than focusing solely on the product. A treatment can only be as effective as the judgement behind who it is offered to — matching the right intervention to the right person, at the right stage of their condition, is what makes the real difference in outcomes like Ian’s.
A journey that continues
Congratulations to Ian on this remarkable achievement. Dr. Salem expressed how glad he was to be part of such an ambitious journey — one that began with a difficult decision to seek an alternative to surgery, and has now led to a European title.
And Ian isn’t finished yet. He is now aiming to compete in the World Championship in Australia in the summer of 2026.
Stories like Ian’s are a powerful reminder of what is possible when the right treatment decision is made for the right patient, at the right time — and of how far that decision can carry someone, even years later.