Bone Doctor

Does exercising before a hip or knee replacement make recovery easier?

The research says yes, modestly. A 2025 overview spanning 65 trials found prehab improved strength and function and lowered complication rates, mostly in the first 6 months. It didn’t reliably shorten the hospital stay.

A good program covers strength, motion, balance, conditioning and learning what recovery is like, and a 2026 analysis found home programs work too for knee patients.

corycalendinemd.com/blog/joint-replacement-prehab/

Did you do any exercise program before your surgery?

1 day ago | [YT] | 7

Bone Doctor

Is a knee replacement worth it? The written version of my video is up, with the studies behind it.

About 1 in 5 people in a landmark study weren’t satisfied with their new knee, and newer reviews put it closer to 1 in 10. The biggest predictor wasn’t complications. It was expectations that weren’t met.

My rule before I book anyone: your standing X-ray and your life both have to say yes.

corycalendinemd.com/blog/is-knee-replacement-worth…

If you’ve had a knee replaced, what did it give back that you didn’t expect?

2 days ago | [YT] | 23

Bone Doctor

Your meniscus weighs less than a nickel, yet it helps decide how long your knee will last.

Most people call it a shock absorber. In this video I show why that is like calling a seatbelt a strip of fabric: the ring of collagen fibers inside turns load into hoop tension and spreads it across the whole joint.

Watch now >> youtube.com/shorts/EnOAyE7A8A...

Quick question before you watch: What did you think the meniscus did?

2 days ago | [YT] | 8

Bone Doctor

Do GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro affect your bones?

A 2026 study of 73,483 matched pairs of adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity found osteoporosis diagnoses in 4.1% of GLP-1 users vs 3.2% of non-users over five years. That’s about 9 extra cases per 1,000 people: real, but small.

The steps that help: strength training, enough protein, calcium and vitamin D, and a bone density scan if you’re at higher risk. Don’t stop your medication on your own.

corycalendinemd.com/blog/glp-1-osteoporosis-risk/

Video >> youtube.com/shorts/Be1LcrlGsK...

Are you on a GLP-1, and do you lift weights?

3 days ago | [YT] | 2

Bone Doctor

Where does your knee hurt? Pointing to the spot is one of the most useful things you can do at a visit.

Front: often the kneecap joint or its tendons.
Inner side: the meniscus, the MCL or arthritis.
Outer side: the IT band or the outer meniscus.
Back: a Baker’s cyst or a hamstring strain.

A swollen, warm calf needs same-day care, since it can be a blood clot.

The full knee pain location chart: corycalendinemd.com/blog/knee-pain-location-chart/

Which part of your knee bothers you most?

4 days ago | [YT] | 16

Bone Doctor

Osteopenia or osteoporosis: which one did your bone density scan show?

The difference is your T-score. -1.0 or higher is normal. Between -1.0 and -2.5 is osteopenia, thinner bone that deserves a plan. At -2.5 or lower it is osteoporosis, and most people need medication.

Osteopenia still matters: in one large study, 82% of women who broke a bone had T-scores above the osteoporosis cutoff.

Full guide: corycalendinemd.com/blog/osteopenia-vs-osteoporosi…

Have you had a bone density test yet?

4 days ago | [YT] | 47

Bone Doctor

This is the one ACL surgery where we do not replace the ACL.

In growing kids, the ACL is often stronger than the bone it anchors into. When the knee twists or hyperextends, the ligament does not tear. It pulls a fragment of bone off the top of the tibia. That is a tibial spine avulsion fracture.

The repair focuses on the anchor, not the ligament. Sutures go around the base of the ACL, down through small tibial tunnels, and are tied tight against the bone. Then early motion keeps the knee from stiffening up.

Video >> youtube.com/shorts/DuY1vIZbOz...

Before this video, did you know a ligament could pull off its own bone?

5 days ago | [YT] | 8

Bone Doctor

New Short: how most ACL tears actually happen.

More than 70% of ACL tears are non-contact. The foot plants, the shin slides forward, the knee caves inward and the leg twists over the planted foot. The ligament fails in a split second; the buckle you see is the aftermath.

Video >> youtube.com/shorts/x4CFQgqf20Q

Quick poll: did your ACL tear, or a teammate's, involve contact?

This content is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.

5 days ago | [YT] | 4

Bone Doctor

The first two weeks after a knee replacement are the hardest, and that's exactly how it's supposed to go.

I just published a full knee replacement recovery timeline: walking on surgery day, a cane by weeks 2 to 3, most daily tasks by week 6, near-normal life by about 3 months, and a knee that keeps settling in for up to a year. It also covers the warning signs that deserve a same-day call.

Read it here: corycalendinemd.com/blog/knee-replacement-recovery…

If you've had a knee replaced, which week was your hardest?

1 week ago | [YT] | 21

Bone Doctor

Can you hunt and fish after a knee replacement?

A study now in press in The Journal of Arthroplasty surveyed 513 patients who had total knee replacement. The results: 75 percent of hunters and 76 percent of anglers got back to it, most within six months, and 93 percent would recommend the surgery to a fellow outdoorsman dealing with knee pain.

I break down the numbers, the caveats, and what this means if you are weighing surgery before next season. Watch the full video and let me know in the comments: what activity would you most want to get back to?

Watch now >> youtube.com/shorts/kt_92jjJB9w

2 weeks ago | [YT] | 24