Elevated Health

Resistance training is the key to preserving lean muscle mass, which has been tied to longevity in multiple studies. Muscle helps regulate your glucose levels and metabolism overall.

We continue to lose muscle mass as we age, so it's important for us to do our best to preserve it. Aside from a diet rich in protein, resistance training is a must. My favorite exercise is squats because it works out some of the largest muscles in your body: your legs. Deadlifts also work your muscles well overall, but I feel like the risk of injury is slightly higher depending on your technique.

Ideally you would get all your nutrition from your diet; however, if you're looking for natural supplementation for muscle growth, the two safest substances which have the most literature behind them are creatine and urolithin A. I take both of these regularly.

As always check with your doctor before starting any new supplements, as they can have side effects.

A 2022 study in the Journal of Hand Surgery (American) showed promising results for the use of topical CBD (with a concentration of 6.2 mg of CBD per mL of shea butter) in reducing pain and disability from arthritis.

Here is the link to the same concentration CBD balm for those interested: https://elevation-health-solutions.myshopify.com/products/elevated-cbd-balm

Ask for the study, improvements in VAS pain & disability scores (DASH) were statistically significant (p value less than 0.5). Specifically pain was reduced by about 60%.

Although the study was small and only included 18 participants with short term follow up of about 1 month, it was a randomized controlled trial (which is generally speaking the highest level of evidence) and does show that the topical CBD with the 6.2 mg/mL concentration both reduces pain and disability from arthritis. In addition, there were no adverse events.

This is very promising and suggests that it may be also useful in the management of other conditions such as tendinitis. It would be nice in the future to see a larger, more long-term trial comparing topical CBD to other treatments such as Voltaren gel or even corticosteroid injections.

As a result of this study, I do often discuss the option of topical CBD (1 mL twice daily) with the 6.2 mg/mL concentration to my patients in the non-operative management of arthritis and other conditions such as tendinitis (e.g. tennis elbow). Multiple studies have shown that CBD has an anti-inflammatory effect, and the study discussed here shows that the 6.2 mg/mL concentration is both safe and effective.

However, always check with your doctor to see if topical CBD or any other similar treatment is safe for you.

Have you ever used topical CBD? What are your thoughts? Does it work for you?

If you would like to look up the study referenced in this video, the Pubmed ID is 35637038.

Newsletters are boring... this one isn't because it's too short to get boring. Either way, it's useful information right in your inbox every week (plus it's FREE).

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Just reposting some of my top hits from 2025.

👉 Those knees don't always move like they used to once you hit your 40s. I turn 46 next month.

👉 All jokes aside, as an orthopedic surgeon, I definitely don't recommend jumping from that height with weight on your back at any age (as shown in the first video clip). The risk of serious knee injury far outweighs whatever benefit there is.

🏋️‍♂️ If you want a good workout for your legs, my favorite exercise is squats with at least some resistance (although body weight is OK too). If you can't do squats for whatever reason, walking up a treadmill with a 6° incline or more is also a good leg workout.

🦵 Building your legs is important because it helps increase your overall lean muscle mass, which has been tied to longevity in multiple studies. It can also help reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes because muscle basically helps your insulin work better.

👉 For more helpful health information, comment NEWSLETTER and I'll send you a link to my free weekly newsletter.

🚨 Comment NEWSLETTER for more similar evidence-based health information, and I'll send you a link to my free weekly newsletter 🗞️

🦴 Can hanging from a bar actually RESHAPE your acromion? 🤔🏋️‍♂️

Short answer: there are currently NO peer-reviewed human studies proving it does. ❌📚

The idea comes largely from Dr. John Kirsch’s hanging protocol, where he suggests the humerus acts like a lever and may gradually lift the acromion through Wolff’s Law 🦴⬆️

Sounds interesting…but here’s what the science actually says 👇

✅ What may be true:
• Hanging can temporarily decompress the shoulder joint
• It may increase subacromial space in the short term
• Many people notice improved mobility, grip strength, and symptom relief 💪

⚠️ What is NOT proven:
• Permanent reshaping of the acromion
• “Curing” impingement by changing bone anatomy
• Any peer-reviewed literature with human CT or MRI studies confirming structural remodeling 📉

🧬 Most experts believe acromion shape is largely genetic, making major remodeling from simple hanging unlikely.

💡 So why do some people feel better?
Most likely because of temporary decompression, improved mobility, and better tissue tolerance—not because the bone itself changed.

🚨 Do NOT try this if you have:
• Rotator cuff tears
• Labral tears
• Shoulder instability
• A history of dislocations

In those cases, hanging may actually make things worse ⚠️

🎥 Bottom line: Hanging can absolutely be a useful tool for the right shoulder, but the claim that it permanently reshapes your acromion is still theory, not proven science.

👇 Have you tried dead hangs for shoulder pain? Did it help?