Howard Luks, MD

Howard Luks, MD

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Orthopedic surgeon/author of Longevity Simplified; posts evidence-based movement and healthspan.

Longevity Needs Purpose, Not Just Optimization
SocialApr 24, 2026

Longevity Needs Purpose, Not Just Optimization

Longevity without purpose is just survival. 1/ We're optimizing everything: sleep, nutrition, biomarkers, training zones. But have we forgotten to optimize meaning?

By Howard Luks, MD
Why Your Medial Elbow Pain Gets Worse Before Healing
SocialApr 24, 2026

Why Your Medial Elbow Pain Gets Worse Before Healing

Medial Epicondylitis.. Golfers' Elbow (stupid name). The most common cause of pain on the inner side of your elbow. A thread... If you lift, and certainly if you climb, you'll likely experience medial elbow pain at some point. Heck, most...

By Howard Luks, MD
Atraumatic Joint Pain Signals Lost Muscular Capacity
SocialApr 23, 2026

Atraumatic Joint Pain Signals Lost Muscular Capacity

Most of the joint and tendon pain I see in the office is atraumatic. No fall, twist, and no activity anyone can point to. The shoulder that's been sore for three weeks or the knee that aches when going downstairs....

By Howard Luks, MD
When Recovery Fails, Overtraining Triggers Injury
SocialApr 21, 2026

When Recovery Fails, Overtraining Triggers Injury

A 47-year-old runner came to see me many months after surgery. His knee hurt. We dove deeper. He had returned to training, but recently his times had slowed, his heart rate had risen, and his legs had felt heavy. What...

By Howard Luks, MD
Metabolic Health Drives Knee Osteoarthritis Progression
SocialApr 21, 2026

Metabolic Health Drives Knee Osteoarthritis Progression

Knee Osteoarthritis Thread 4: Metabolic Health and the Knee. Your metabolic health will directly impact how your knee feels more than you can imagine. Your metabolic health directly influences how quickly your arthritis progresses and how your cartilage responds to...

By Howard Luks, MD
Tailored Training Guide for Midlife Athletes
SocialApr 21, 2026

Tailored Training Guide for Midlife Athletes

I recently created the Midlife Athlete's Training Guide. Why? Because many of you have asked me to write these up. So... Here's my first guide. 36 pages... why we need to train differently than when we were 30. How to...

By Howard Luks, MD
Aging Decline Is Optional: Midlife Athlete Playbook
SocialApr 20, 2026

Aging Decline Is Optional: Midlife Athlete Playbook

I'm a 62-year-old orthopedic surgeon, trail runner, climber, and cyclist. This is my Midlife Athlete's Playbook. I've combined what I've learned from 30+ years of treating active adults, and from training through my own 50s and 60s. The physiology of...

By Howard Luks, MD
Stop Letting Your Body Quietly Narrow Your Life
SocialApr 19, 2026

Stop Letting Your Body Quietly Narrow Your Life

Don’t let your life "narrow." I’ve been an orthopedic surgeon for 30 years. The thing I watch happen to people — more than any injury or surgery — is what I call the narrowing. Most of my patients have no idea it’s...

By Howard Luks, MD
Your Muscles Shield the Brain’s Energy‑hungry, Non‑repairing Organ
SocialApr 17, 2026

Your Muscles Shield the Brain’s Energy‑hungry, Non‑repairing Organ

Brain Health... Your brain weighs 2-3 pounds and burns nearly 20% of your daily energy. It doesn't store fuel. It doesn't repair itself on its own. And the organ that does the most to protect it isn't the one you'd...

By Howard Luks, MD
Heat Spikes Heart Rate, only Brady Thrives
SocialApr 15, 2026

Heat Spikes Heart Rate, only Brady Thrives

Hahaha. Last week was 35-40 degrees. Could keep a 10 min pace at 120 hr. So… today is 85 and humid 🤣🤣 HR was 135 at 12 min/mi Heat sucks. Except if you’re @Brady_H

By Howard Luks, MD
Recovery Becomes Your Superpower as Performance Slows
SocialApr 15, 2026

Recovery Becomes Your Superpower as Performance Slows

Recovery is a superpower... A thread... 1/There's a moment most aging athletes eventually hit. You finish a routine workout, but the next day, something is off. You're not just tired. You're slower. Less inclined to train. Your body is responding differently to...

By Howard Luks, MD
Strength Training Beats Pills, Injections, Surgery for Knee OA
SocialApr 15, 2026

Strength Training Beats Pills, Injections, Surgery for Knee OA

Knee Osteoarthritis: Thread Number 3 The most powerful intervention for knee osteoarthritis is not a pill, not an injection, and not a surgery. It's not PRP and certainly not stem cells. It is the muscle above and below the joint. If you...

By Howard Luks, MD
Same DEXA Score, Different Fracture Risks Explained
SocialApr 13, 2026

Same DEXA Score, Different Fracture Risks Explained

Your DEXA scan gives you a number, your doctor gives you a category, but the conversation often ends there... there's so much more nuance. Two people with the exact same T-score can have completely different fracture risk, and DEXA...

By Howard Luks, MD
Keep Moving: Rest Worsens Knee Osteoarthritis
SocialApr 13, 2026

Keep Moving: Rest Worsens Knee Osteoarthritis

Knee Osteoarthritis... Thread #2 ! Your knee hurts. Your instinct is to rest it. Please don't. That instinct is very often wrong — and following it makes osteoarthritis worse, not better. Movement is one of the best evidence-based primary treatments for...

By Howard Luks, MD