Gretchen Reynolds

October 27, 2026 — 5:00am

As an orthopaedic surgeon for almost 30 years, Howard Luks has come to dislike one string of words that crops up constantly in his work.

“Bone on bone,” he said. “I wish we could remove that phrase from medical discussions. I’ve seen it do so much unnecessary damage.”

If there’s one thing you should do when you start to experience knee pain, it’s to keep moving. Getty Images

Luks, 63, has built his medical practice, growing social media presence, and personal lifestyle and training around the idea that our joints, especially our knees , are capable of remaining strong and functional throughout life, with some basic care and feeding.

He often writes and speaks about how knee pain , stiffness, tissue tears and even bone-on-bone osteoarthritis “don’t have to limit you”. They “don’t automatically require avoiding activities” you enjoy or need.…