What if the story you’ve been told about Aging joints isn’t the whole story?

In this episode of Ageless Athlete, I speak with orthopedic surgeon and researcher Dr. Kevin Stone about what’s recently changed in orthopedics — especially for athletes over 40 who’ve been told to slow down, live with pain, or prepare for joint replacement.

Dr. Stone shares how modern approaches are shifting from simply removing damaged tissue to repairing, replacing, or regenerating it, and why many people referred for total knee replacement may actually have other options. We talk about cartilage, Arthritis, biologic repair, precision surgery, and what long-term outcomes really look like when patients are tracked over decades.

This is not a conversation about miracle cures. It’s about understanding what’s possible today, how to ask better questions, and how athletes can make clearer decisions about Longevity, movement, and return to sport.

In this episode:

• Why arthritis and “wear and tear” isn’t always the end of the story
• When cartilage can be repaired or regrown
• Biologic repair vs. partial and total joint replacement
• How precision and robotics are changing return-to-sport expectations
• How one athlete was able to run across America on repaired knees

Resources:

• Play Forever by Dr. Kevin Stone
• Stone Clinic & Stone Research — clinical care and long-term outcomes research discussed in the episode

This episode is about expanding the conversation — so aging athletes can keep playing the long game.

—

🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it

If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete

📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter ! 

1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete Wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩

Courageous Alignment3
Tools and insights for a more aligned, present, and truthful life.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Support the show

Most Recent Episodes

May 27, 2026

Seven Things 70-Year-Old Athletes Understand That Most of Us Learn Too Late

Two weeks ago, I attended Vitalist Bay in Berkeley, surrounded by scientists, doctors, founders, and researchers exploring the future of longevity.A few days later, I was in the Eastern Sierra,...

Listen · 35:51

May 20, 2026

You Start Losing Muscle After 50 — Stop Making These Mistakes | Joe Friel, 82

Joe Friel is 82, still training, and still paying attention. In the last five years, he felt the shift—power fading on climbs, muscle disappearing even with a lifetime of lifting—and he’s not...

Listen · 1:25:27

May 13, 2026

Stop Numbing Out — Awe, Presence, and Feeling Alive Again | Caroline Paul

Astronauts come back from space describing the same strange shift: a sudden connection to humanity, compassion for living things, and this visceral understanding of how fragile Earth really is.They...

Listen · 1:09:39

Load More Episodes

Kush Khandelwal Host, Ageless Athlete Podcast

I’m Kush Khandelwal, host of the Ageless Athlete Podcast. While I come from a background as a lifelong rock climber and outdoor athlete, my work is really about something much broader: how we can all stay active, vibrant, and engaged as we age.

On the podcast, I interview world-class athletes, explorers, and health experts—but the lessons go far beyond sports. Together we explore how to keep our bodies strong, our minds sharp, and our spirits resilient—whether that means walking pain-free, picking up a new hobby at 60, or simply finding more joy in everyday life.

With almost 90 episodes, I’ve had conversations with Olympians, scientists, and ageless adventurers who prove that life after 50 can be just as bold and rewarding as any other stage. My mission is to share practical insights and inspiring stories that help all of us, athlete or not, embrace the second half of life with curiosity, confidence, and energy.