Nick Pappas, MD

10/12/2026

Plot twist: I was never cool 😂.

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Anyway, in my advanced years (I just turned 47), I do get excited about things like wild-caught salmon, creatine, red light therapy, and magnesium glycinate.

Let's go through them 👇

🐟 Wild-caught salmon: One reason I prefer wild-caught salmon over farm-raised is its favorable fat profile. Both are excellent sources of high-quality protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which may help reduce inflammation. However, wild-caught salmon is generally lower in total fat, saturated fat, and calories, while often having a more favorable omega-3 to omega-6 ratio.

💪 Creatine isn’t just for bodybuilders! Research shows it can improve muscle strength and exercise performance. It may even support brain health, although more research is needed.

🔴 Red light therapy: Multiple research studies have demonstrated potential benefits for wound healing, reducing postoperative scar tissue, muscle recovery, and even promoting hair growth. I’ve also seen it help some of my patients with chronic overuse conditions like tendinitis, although more research is needed in this area to draw definitive conclusions.

😴 Magnesium glycinate: I personally take magnesium glycinate before bedtime. While some research suggests magnesium supplementation may support better sleep, more high-quality studies are needed. Anecdotally, though, I’ve had great results myself.

💯 The older I get, the more I realize that investing in your health is a lot cooler than most of the things I thought were cool 20 years ago.

👇 What’s something you say now that your younger self would have laughed at?

10/11/2026

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🐶🐱🦷 Not all animal bites are created equal.

As a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, I’ve seen seemingly minor bites turn into serious infections—especially when the hand is involved. 🖐️

🐶 Dog bites can cause significant tissue damage and introduce bacteria deep into a wound.

🧑 Human bites can be particularly nasty, with organisms like Eikenella corrodens potentially causing deep infections involving tendons and joints.

🐱 Cat bites may look tiny—but don’t underestimate them. Their sharp teeth can pe*****te deeply and introduce bacteria such as Pasteurella multocida, sometimes leading to rapidly developing infections.

⚠️ Increasing redness, swelling, warmth, drainage, worsening pain, or fever after a bite deserves medical attention.

Small wound ≠ small problem.

10/10/2026

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As a board-certified orthopedic surgeon, I routinely tell my female patients these 5 things about their bones during perimenopause 🦴👇

1️⃣ Estrogen protects your bones. As levels decline, bone loss accelerates—even if you feel perfectly healthy.

2️⃣ Osteoporosis is common and often silent. Approximately 20% of women over age 50 have it, and a fracture can be the first warning sign. ⚠️

3️⃣ Collagen peptides show promise. A 12-month randomized controlled trial found that 5 grams daily of oral collagen peptides improved bone density in postmenopausal women. More studies are needed. 🔬 PMID: 29337906

4️⃣ Hip fractures can be life-changing—and deadly. Approximately 20–30% of older adults die within a year of a hip fracture.

5️⃣ Resistance training matters. 💪 Combine it with adequate protein, calcium, and vitamin D to help support bone and muscle health.

Your bones deserve attention BEFORE they break. Save this and share it with someone entering perimenopause. ❤️

10/09/2026

👉 I've been posting more recently on an app called SUBSTACK, which is nice because it's basically a combination of a newsletter, blog, and social media platform — all in one place.

😷 Here's my latest post (if you enjoy my other content, you'll enjoy this post):

https://nickpappasmd.substack.com/p/5-things-you-wont-change-my-mind

🤔 WHY IS SUBSTACK UNIQUE?
Unlike traditional social media, where algorithms largely determine what you see, Substack allows you to follow creators you trust and receive their content directly.

Here’s what I’m sharing on Substack:

🦴 Evidence-based information about bone and joint health

💪 Research on exercise, muscle, and healthy aging

🥗 Science-backed insights on nutrition and supplements

🔬 My thoughts on new medical studies and health trends

👨‍⚕️ Practical health advice from my experience as an orthopedic surgeon

And the best part? You can subscribe for FREE! 🙌

⭐ I’m also offering a PAID subscription for those who want more!

Paid subscribers will receive additional benefits, including:

❓ Weekly Q&A forums where you can ask me questions directly about health, exercise, orthopedics, and other medical topics.

🔬 Exclusive content with deeper discussions about medical research, health trends, and topics I don’t always cover on social media.

🎁 Exclusive discount codes for products I personally like and recommend, including products offered through my health education company, ELEVATED HEALTH (www.elevatedhealth.org).

📲 How do you join my Substack?

👉 Just click my link:
🔗 https://nickpappasmd.substack.com

I'm a US-based board-certified orthopedic surgeon with my own private practice and a social media following of over 750,000 who often discusses evidence-based ways to optimize health through appropriate diet, exercise, and adequate sleep. Click to read Nick Pappas, MD, a Substack with thousands of s...

10/08/2026

Aren’t doctors useful too? 😔

Why doesn't anyone want to marry doctors these days? Let me know your thoughts in the comments 🤨

10/07/2026

Did you know that orthopedic surgeons only operate out about 10% of the patients we see on average? 🦴

10/05/2026

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After 15 years as an orthopedic surgeon, here are 5 things I would NOT do to my joints: 👇

1️⃣ Push through sharp or worsening pain. 🚨
Muscle soreness after exercise is one thing. Persistent, sharp, or worsening joint pain is different. Listen to what your body is telling you.

2️⃣ Test my one-rep max. 🏋️‍♂️
I don’t need to lift the heaviest weight possible for one rep to build strength. I’d rather lift a weight I can control for multiple reps and reduce my risk of injury. 💪

3️⃣ Stop moving my joints. 🚶‍♂️🦴
Articular cartilage has no direct blood supply. Movement helps circulate synovial fluid and allows nutrients to diffuse into cartilage. Your joints need movement. 🔄

4️⃣ Avoid strength training as I get older. 💪⏳
Muscle helps support and stabilize your joints, and maintaining muscle and strength becomes even more important with age.

5️⃣ Eat a diet full of ultra-processed foods. 🍟❌
I favor whole foods, adequate protein, fish like salmon, fruits like blueberries, vegetables, and healthy fats. 🐟🫐🥦🥑

10/03/2026

🦴 As an orthopedic hand, upper extremity, and microvascular surgeon, I have reattached hundreds of fingers in my career. It comes with the territory.

🚨 If you are in a situation involving an amputated finger, just put the finger in a plastic bag with a moist gauze, put that bag on ice, and bring it to the hospital ASAP. I'll get to work reattaching it and remain extremely calm throughout the process.

🚨 However, if I notice in the middle of the day that my cell phone battery is under 20%, I just might lose my mind until I can find a charger.

👉 Who can relate? What's your personal threshold for panicking over your cell phone battery life?

10/03/2026

📩 Enjoy my content? Join thousands of subscribers who receive my FREE weekly newsletter every Saturday! 🎉

This week's NEWSLETTER is titled:

“5 THINGS YOU WON‘T CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT AS AN ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON 🦴”

👉 Each week I break down the complex world of medicine into practical, evidence-based ways to help optimize health—all with a little humor along the way. 🩺

🔥 Curious about topics like:

✅ ARTHRITIS 🦵
✅ PEPTIDES 🧬
✅ OSTEOPOROSIS 🦴
✅ WEIGHTED VESTS 🎽
✅ RED LIGHT THERAPY 🔴
✅ VIBRATION PLATES 🔊
✅ SUPPLEMENTS 💊
✅ NUTRITION 🥗
✅ FITNESS 💪

…and the latest health trends? I cover them all.

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Thanks,
Nick Pappas, MD
Board-certified Orthopedic Surgeon

10/02/2026

Would you have this done? Let me know in the comments.