Dr. Moose Herring

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Richmond, VA
Dr. Moose Herring

The opinions expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of OrthoVirginia.

🏃‍♂️Athlete Treating Athletes
💪Fellowship-Trained Ortho Surgeon specializing in Shoulder Replacement, Rotator Cuff & ACL.
📍OrthoVirginia Richmond, VA
➡️ Book an appointment at the link in my About Section

05/25/2026

Why do I keep training the way I do at 59?

So I can keep up with my nature-loving family! Always grateful for adventures with them!

05/22/2026

Something you may not know about surgery - this is a small but essential detail about surgery that makes a big difference: the "time out."

Right before any procedure, the surgical team takes a moment to double-check everything, like confirming the patient’s identity, the exact site and side of the surgery, the procedure itself, and making sure all needed tools are ready to go.

This pause allows all members of the surgical team to communicate and confirm these details, helping to prevent mistakes such as wrong-site surgery.

It is part of the World Health Organization (WHO) surgical safety checklist and is standard in many hospitals.

Here’s a quick pic from a recent “time out”. Patient safety is essential!

05/21/2026

New video on protein intake and why it matters so much for both athletes and anyone recovering from surgery.

One of the biggest things we get asked about is how much protein people actually need. While everyone is different, a good general recommendation is around 1.6–1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.

For example, a 200-pound person would need roughly 145 grams of protein daily to help maintain muscle mass and recover properly.

Protein provides the amino acids your body needs for muscle repair, recovery, and overall muscle health. And as we age, maintaining muscle mass becomes even more important for strength, mobility, and long-term health.

One thing most people realize when they start tracking is they’re usually not getting nearly as much protein as they think. Using something like MyFitnessPal can be really helpful to understand your intake.

The best approach is usually spreading protein across 4–5 meals or snacks throughout the day instead of trying to get it all at once.

One important note: I’m not a nutritionist. This is simply what’s worked well for me and for many patients I’ve worked with over the years.

For more personalized guidance, I often refer patients to at Train4Life for individualized nutrition support.

The goal isn’t just better performance today. It’s supporting recovery, maintaining muscle, and staying healthy enough to keep doing what you love long term.

05/20/2026

Today I participated on an IG live with on the .rva page about ACL injuries and how to avoid them as a young female athlete.

But it's also important to discuss how to avoid them at any age/gender.

A lot of people assume ACL tears only happen to young athletes playing high-impact sports. The truth is, your risk doesn’t disappear once you’re out of competitive sports.

Depending on your hobbies, like skiing, trail running, or even recreational pickleball, you may actually face a higher risk if you’re not training strength and mobility. As we age, muscle mass, balance, and joint stability naturally decline. Without the right foundation, a wrong step or sudden pivot can cause an ACL tear.

The best way to protect yourself is by training smart. Strong hips and glutes give your knees better control during movement, while balanced hamstring strength helps offset the quad-dominant load many adults carry.

Single-leg stability work builds balance and makes you more resilient to awkward landings. Also, keeping your ankle and hip mobility in check reduces stress that would otherwise shift to the knee.

ACL injuries aren’t just for college athletes. If you want to stay active and injury-free in your 30s, 40s, and beyond, building strength and stability is non-negotiable.

If you think you’ve torn your ACL, come see me. Book now: bit.ly/mooseherring

05/18/2026

I’m excited to be joining Dr. Tricia and Dr. Rob of .rva on Wednesday at 2pm for a live webinar focused on one of the biggest challenges we’re seeing in youth sports today: ACL injuries, especially in female athletes.

Over the last two decades, ACL injuries have increased dramatically, with female athletes now more than twice as likely as boys to suffer this devastating knee injury.

As an orthopedic surgeon, I see firsthand how impactful these injuries can be, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally for young athletes and their families. The encouraging part is that research continues to show that injury prevention training can make a significant difference.

A simple 20-minute program performed just 3 days a week has been shown to reduce ACL injuries by up to 2/3.

During this webinar, we’ll discuss:
• Why ACL injuries are increasing
• Why female athletes are at higher risk
• The FIFA 11+ injury prevention program
• How coaches, parents, and athletes can begin implementing these exercises right away

We’ll also walk through the program itself so you can see exactly how these movements and drills are applied in real training environments.

If you’re a parent, coach, athlete, or anyone involved in youth sports, I hope you’ll join us for this important conversation.

Date: Wednesday, 2PM
Location: Instagram Live on the .rva page

05/14/2026

Running has a way of becoming more than just exercise. It builds resilience, clears the mind, and creates opportunities to challenge yourself in new ways. Whether you’re training for your first race or your next endurance event, staying healthy along the way is what keeps you moving forward.

As both an orthopedic surgeon and endurance athlete, I’ve seen firsthand how smart training habits can improve performance while reducing injury risk. Building run fitness isn’t just about mileage - it’s about consistency, recovery, and training with intention.

Here are 4 fundamentals I focus on for healthy, sustainable running:

1. Build gradually and follow a structured training plan.
2. Easy, consistent miles are the foundation of long-term fitness.
3. Introduce speed and intensity progressively, and prioritize recovery between harder efforts.
4. Incorporate low-impact cross training on recovery days to support joint health and longevity.

If you want to dive deeper into training smarter and staying healthy while running, check out this blog:
richmondshoulderandknee.com/blog/run-with-purpose

Happy running!

05/08/2026

New video on creatine. It’s one of the supplements I’ve consistently believed in for a long time, and one I get asked about all the time.

Most people think of creatine as something just for younger athletes looking to get stronger, faster, or more explosive. And while it absolutely helps with power and performance, that’s not really why I take it at this stage of life.

As I’ve gotten older, the biggest benefit for me has been recovery.

I’m not trying to crush high intensity sessions every day anymore. I want to recover better, maintain muscle mass, and continue training consistently for the long haul. That’s where creatine can be incredibly helpful.

The research shows it may help reduce muscle damage, improve recovery, and support muscle function, especially when taken consistently in smaller daily doses around 2–5 grams per day.

We also know maintaining muscle mass becomes more important as we age. The better you recover, the more consistently you can train. And consistency is what really moves the needle over time.

I get mine from The Feed because I trust the quality and purity, and the powder is easy to use.

The goal isn’t just performance today. It’s supporting strength, recovery, and longevity so you can keep showing up year after year.

05/06/2026

I received a lot of questions after my post earlier this week about creatine, so I wanted to share a little more info on it.

Creatine is one of the most studied supplements we have. The first studies on creatine date back to the early 1900s, and research has continued for decades supporting its safety and potential benefits when used appropriately.

Most people only think of creatine in the context of bodybuilding, but the research goes far beyond that. There’s growing evidence showing benefits for:
- Maintaining muscle mass as we age
- Recovery after surgery or injury
- Strength and exercise performance
- Brain health and cognitive function

One of the biggest issues we see with aging, injury, and surgery is loss of muscle mass. That loss of strength affects mobility, recovery, balance, and overall function.

Creatine isn’t a magic solution, but it’s an interesting area of research and another example of how nutrition and exercise can play an important role in long-term health and recovery.

For most healthy adults, studies typically use 3–5g of creatine monohydrate daily.

Do you take creatine? Have you noticed any effects or benefits from it? Let me know.

05/04/2026

I've had many people ask me what supplements I take as an athlete and what I recommend to my patients before surgery. One of the key supplements I recommend is creatine.

Creatine Monohydrate, a natural compound synthesized in the liver and found in foods like pork and fish, offers significant benefits for muscle health and recovery.

There is a great deal of research that shows creatine can be a safe supplement to take, and the primary benefit is strength and power.

Creatine provides several effects that help with muscle loss in aging, recovering patients, and master athletes.

Benefits of creatine include:
1. Muscle Hydration: Creatine aids muscle hydration, enhancing performance and minimizing dehydration-related declines in function.

2. Aging and VO2 Max: With age, VO2 max decreases, primarily due to muscle mass loss. Creatine enables higher intensity training, slowing this decline and improving recovery.

3. Post-Surgery Recovery: Creatine plays a vital role in muscle recovery post-surgery, aiding strength and power regain when combined with adequate protein intake.

4. Training for Master Athletes: Combining creatine with appropriate training and rest helps master athletes build strength and slow decline.

5. Cognitive Benefits: Creatine supplements may improve concentration and memory by supporting brain function.

6. Research Areas: Ongoing research explores creatine's effects on bone density, muscle recovery, fat loss, and carb absorption.

7. Dosage: A daily intake of 3-5 grams suffices, focusing on consistency rather than timing. A loading dose of 20 grams/day for 7 days is an alternative but may cause gastrointestinal irritation.

8. Clean Racing and Recovery: Creatine is not a gateway drug; it supports clean racing and recovery, contrasting with prohibited substances like testosterone, thyroid meds, inhalers, and growth hormones.

05/01/2026

Another question I get a lot from shoulder surgery patients: “How am I going to sleep after?”

The answer: you’re probably not going to want to sleep flat for a while.

Most people feel way more comfortable propped up a bit. Lying flat can put pressure on the shoulder and just isn’t great early on.

If you have a recliner, that’s usually the best setup. It keeps you from rolling around, supports your arm, and lets you adjust how far back you lean. A lot of patients end up sleeping there for the first 4–6 weeks. If you don’t have one, you can rent one, or you can make it work with an adjustable bed or a fancy pillow - but the goal is the same: stay elevated.

Big thing is just planning ahead. Don’t wait until after surgery to figure it out.

If you're considering shoulder surgery in 2026, come see me: bit.ly/mooseherring

Address

7858 Shrader Road
Richmond, VA
23294

Telephone

+18042701305

Website

https://linktr.ee/mooseherringmd

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