Dr. Howard Luks

Dr. Howard Luks Orthopedic Surgeon and Sports Medicine Specialist. Author: Longevity Simplified
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A Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon who specializes in the treatment of the shoulder, knee, elbow, and ankle. I have a very "social" patient centric approach and believe that the more you understand about your issue, the better your decisions will be. Ultimately your treatments and my recommendations will be based on proper communications, proper understanding, and shared decision making principles --- all geared to improve your quality of life and get you or your loved one back on the field or back in the game.

03/18/2026

Your spine is not fragile. Your brain is just telling you it is.

This is one of the most damaging beliefs I encounter as an Orthopedic Surgeon. Fear of movement causes more functional decline in osteoporotic women than the bone loss itself.

Loaded, controlled movement through the spine is protective... and over time will build bone.

In general, you are overestimating the risk... by a lot. And you are underestimating the load required to build new bone.

Avoidance is the risk.

The Liftmor study proved this... Heavy weight lifting... 3 movements. In women with osteoporosis. They built new bone and had no fractures due to the exercises.

Most of you will need some guidance before starting a heavy-weight training regimen.
Please stop telling yourself and others that they shouldn't lift heavy because they have osteoporosis. They need to... it should be supervised until you are proficient... but it should not be avoided.

Why Most People Quit Exercise (And How to Make It Stick)We often think motivation is the reason people stop exercising. ...
03/18/2026

Why Most People Quit Exercise (And How to Make It Stick)

We often think motivation is the reason people stop exercising. But the truth is simpler and more fixable.

Most people quit not because they don’t want to move but because they tried to do too much, too soon.

Maybe it was an ambitious plan. 60-minute workouts every day, complex routines, perfect form in every exercise. Week one feels doable. Week two is tough but inspiring. By week three, soreness sets in, life gets busy, and the whole routine feels unsustainable. And just like that, the habit collapses.

Here’s how to make it work for your body, especially as we age:

1. Start small. Ten minutes of walking, a few squats, or light resistance work is enough. Small wins add up.

2. Focus on movements that matter. Squats, sit-to-stands, heel raises, and short walks improve strength, balance, and independence.

3. Build gradually. Add repetitions, sets, or time slowly. Avoid “all-or-nothing” routines.

4. Make it routine. Showing up consistently even with minimal effort compounds into long-term durability, mobility, and confidence.

Your goal isn’t a perfect week.
Your goal is a body that moves independently for decades to come.

Too often, we treat tendons, joints, and muscles like fragile glass, something to hide, protect, and shield from the wor...
03/18/2026

Too often, we treat tendons, joints, and muscles like fragile glass, something to hide, protect, and shield from the world. But the truth is we are not trying to protect the tendon from life forever.

Avoidance may calm discomfort temporarily. Skipping movement, resting too much, or fearing certain exercises may reduce pain for a day or a week but it doesn’t solve the underlying issue. Over time, inactivity weakens tendons and reduces mobility.

Strength and movement, done safely and consistently, do something incredible.
They restore freedom. Tendons and muscles adapt to load.

Build a Life Worth Waking Up ForLife gets busy, routines settle in, and sometimes we move through our days half-asleep, ...
03/18/2026

Build a Life Worth Waking Up For

Life gets busy, routines settle in, and sometimes we move through our days
half-asleep, checking boxes instead of feeling alive.

Building a life worth waking up for isn’t about perfection, flashy workouts, or following the latest trend. It’s about small, consistent actions that protect your body, your energy, and your independence.

Ask yourself:
Can I move through my day without fear of pain or falling?
Can I lift, bend, and carry what I need to live independently?
Am I living with curiosity, connection, and purpose, or just going through the motions?

The answers are in your choices today.

Train for the Life You Want at 80We all get caught up in short-term goals looking good this summer, hitting the latest f...
03/17/2026

Train for the Life You Want at 80

We all get caught up in short-term goals looking good this summer, hitting the latest fitness trend, or chasing a number on a scale. But the truth is your future self already knows.

Picture yourself at 80. Can you see it? Walking confidently without gripping a railing. Rising from a chair without hesitation. Playing with grandchildren, gardening, traveling, or just enjoying the simple freedom of being able to move without pain or fear.

That is the life your body is capable of but only if you invest in it now.

Your muscles, tendons, and joints don’t maintain themselves by magic. They adapt to the demands you place on them. If yo...
03/17/2026

Your muscles, tendons, and joints don’t maintain themselves by magic. They adapt to the demands you place on them. If you stay sedentary, your tissues gradually weaken. If you challenge them consistently, they grow stronger, more resilient, and better able to support you in daily life.

From an evolutionary perspective, your body is smart. It won’t waste energy maintaining tissues that aren’t needed. This is why fragility or durability comes down to how you use your body.

Imagine two 65-year-olds. One walks every day, takes the stairs, lifts groceries, and does simple resistance exercises. Their tendons and muscles are strong, their balance is reliable, and they move confidently. The other avoids activity, sits for long periods, and rarely challenges their strength. Over time, their tissues weaken, movements feel harder, and even small tasks like standing from a chair or climbing stairs become risky.

The difference isn’t age....
It’s how their bodies were used.

A surprising amount of adult joint and tendon pain happens without an injury.No fall.No tear.No obvious damage.Yet the s...
03/17/2026

A surprising amount of adult joint and tendon pain happens without an injury.
No fall.
No tear.
No obvious damage.

Yet the shoulder aches.
The knee stiffens.
The Achilles tendon burns in the morning.

In many cases, the joint itself is not the true problem. The discomfort is often a downstream signal of poor metabolic health. Metabolic health refers to how well your body regulates blood sugar, insulin, inflammation, and energy use. When this system is under strain through insulin resistance, excess visceral fat, chronic inflammation, or elevated uric acid, it can affect tissues throughout the body.

Tendons and joints are especially sensitive to these changes.
Poor metabolic health can lead to:
-Increased systemic inflammation that irritates joints
-Reduced blood flow to tendons, slowing repair
-Glycation, where excess sugar stiffens collagen fibers
-Higher levels of uric acid, which can irritate joints and tendons
-Greater risk of conditions like tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, and frozen shoulder

This is why treating pain sometimes requires looking beyond the joint itself.

Improving metabolic health often reduces joint symptoms over time. And the solutions are surprisingly simple, though not always easy:
-Regular walking and daily movement
-Strength training to build muscle
-Eating whole foods and limiting ultra-processed sugars
-Maintaining healthy body composition
-Sleeping well and managing stress

Your joints are not isolated parts of your body. They live inside a system.
When the system improves, the joints often follow.
Sometimes the best treatment for joint pain doesn’t start in the joint.
It starts with improving the health of the whole body.

Many older adults start to believe their tendons are fragile or something that might “snap” if they move too much. That ...
03/16/2026

Many older adults start to believe their tendons are fragile or something that might “snap” if they move too much. That belief often leads to avoiding movement. Unfortunately, avoidance is exactly what makes tendons weaker.

Tendons are the strong connective tissues that link your muscles to your bones. Every time you walk, stand up from a chair, climb stairs, or reach overhead, your tendons transmit force from your muscles to your bones. They also store and release energy, helping your body move efficiently.

But tendons follow a simple biological rule. They adapt to the loads they experience.

When tendons are used regularly through walking, gentle strength training, or daily activities, they become stronger and more resilient. The fibers align better, stiffness improves, and the tendon becomes better able to handle force.

When tendons are not used, the opposite happens. They lose strength and elasticity, and everyday movements start to feel harder or more painful.

This is why movement is so important, especially as we age.
Simple activities can keep tendons healthy:
• Walking regularly
• Standing up and sitting down repeatedly
• Heel raises for the calves
• Light resistance exercises for the legs and hips

You don’t need extreme workouts.
Although if trained properly, tendons don't mind jumping.
Your tendons were built to manage load for a lifetime.
Give them the movement they need, and they will continue to support you.

Your knees were built to bend, load, and move. Squatting is one of the most natural human movements. We do it every time...
03/16/2026

Your knees were built to bend, load, and move. Squatting is one of the most natural human movements. We do it every time we sit down, stand up, pick something off the floor, or get out of a car.

When you practice squatting regularly, several important things happen:
1. Stronger leg muscles – Squats strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes, which act as shock absorbers for the knee joint.

2. Better joint stability – Strong muscles around the knee help keep the joint aligned and protected.

3. Improved mobility – Regular bending keeps the knee joint lubricated and flexible.

4. Better balance and coordination – Essential for preventing falls as we age.

5. Greater independence – The ability to stand up from chairs, climb stairs, and get off the floor relies heavily on squat strength.

When we stop using this movement, muscles weaken, joints stiffen, and everyday activities become harder. Over time, this can increase the risk of knee pain, falls, and loss of independence.

Start where you are.
Use a chair, hold onto support, or perform partial squats.
Your knees don’t need less movement.
They need stronger muscles and regular practice.

If your heart rate jumps into the 150s just seconds after you start running, your body is likely working too hard for yo...
03/16/2026

If your heart rate jumps into the 150s just seconds after you start running, your body is likely working too hard for your current fitness level.

True aerobic base building happens at lower intensity. That’s where your body improves endurance by building more mitochondria, expanding capillaries, and using fat more efficiently for fuel.

When the intensity is too high too soon, the body relies more on short-term energy systems. This increases fatigue and recovery time rather than building a strong aerobic base.

There’s also an injury risk. The heart and lungs adapt faster than tendons, fascia, cartilage, and bone. Starting with high impact and high intensity can lead to issues like plantar fasciitis, Achilles pain, knee irritation, or hip tendon problems.

For beginners, activities like brisk walking, incline walking, cycling, rucking, or walk-run intervals allow the body to build endurance with less stress.

Build the base first.
Let your tissues adapt.
Then running becomes easier, safer, and sustainable.

You Don’t Need Permission to Get StrongerSometimes we hesitate. We feel shy, self-conscious, or worry about what others ...
03/13/2026

You Don’t Need Permission to Get Stronger

Sometimes we hesitate. We feel shy, self-conscious, or worry about what others might think, especially as we get older. “Am I too old for this?” we wonder. “Will they judge me?”

But the truth is you don’t need anyone’s permission to move, to get stronger, to invest in your health. If you want to go to the gym, stretch in those new yoga pants, or try a new activity, do it. Let people talk. Let them judge. Their opinions don’t shape your body, your energy, or your joy.

Strength isn’t about impressing others. It’s about showing up for yourself to protect your independence, preserve your balance, and feel alive in your own skin.

So start today. Move in a way that makes you happy, healthy, and proud.
Let your choices be yours and let your body thank you for it for years to come.

Most of our weariness comes not from years, but from stillness.When you move, your heart hums, your muscles remember the...
03/13/2026

Most of our weariness comes not from years, but from stillness.

When you move, your heart hums, your muscles remember their strength, your joints bend with ease, and your body’s rhythm stays alive. When movement fades, even the simplest daily tasks feel heavy. Energy slips through your fingers, and independence quietly drifts away.

The remedy is simple....
Keep moving.

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128 Ashford Avenue
Dobbs Ferry, NY
10522

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Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 7am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm

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