The Climbing Doctor Podcast

In this episode, Sam Lemminger, a physical therapist specializing in pelvic floor health, discusses the importance of pelvic floor awareness for climbers and everyone interested in body performance. She explains how understanding and connecting with this often-overlooked area can improve climbing performance and overall well-being.
Sam Lemminger's Bio
Sam Lemminger is a Fort Collins, CO-based physical therapist specializing in treating orthopedic injuries and pelvic health. Sam has additional training in internal pelvic floor assessment and treatment, dry needling, manual therapy, and rehabilitation of rock climbers and CrossFit athletes. Her goals as a physical therapist include helping people of all ability levels optimize their health and fitness and reduce pain to feel their best while pursuing their passions. In addition to clinical care, she is a teaching assistant with the Spine Management division of the Institute of Clinical Excellence. When away from the clinic, Sam loves being active through hiking, CrossFit, climbing, running, or snowboarding. When it's time to slow down, you can find her baking bread and pastries!
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Pelvic Floor and Climbing
02:40 Understanding the Pelvic Floor
05:22 The Importance of Pelvic Floor in Performance
08:04 Common Issues and Misconceptions
10:52 Assessing Pelvic Floor Health
13:25 Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
16:12 Treatment and Management Strategies
19:34 Understanding Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
21:21 Stages of Treatment for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
23:10 Initial Assessment and Treatment Session
26:53 Active Engagement of Pelvic Floor and Core
30:20 Progressing Beyond Initial Treatment
33:37 The Importance of Nutrition and Recovery
Links and Resources for This Episode:
🎥 Video YouTube Podcast Episode
Social Media and Webpage:
🕸️Webpage / 📸 Instagram /📍Pinterest / 📝 Blog Articles: 
Books, Injury Protocols, and Rehab Tools
The Resilient Climber Book / Climb Injury-Free Book / Self-Help Injury Protocols / Rehab Tools:  /Brand Partner Discounts
Injury Rehab Coures
The Resilient Climber Course / Courses for Medical Providers / Courses for Coaches

This episode explores the complex relationship between pain, fear, and climbing injuries, featuring Riley Hess, a PT student with personal climbing injury experience. Discover how pain science, central sensitization, and psychological strategies like graded exposure and expectancy violation can help climbers overcome persistent pain and rebuild confidence.
Riley Hess's Bio
Riley Hess is a recent Doctor of Physical Therapy graduate from MCPHS University who will begin her career working in the acute care setting following licensure. Her passion for movement began outside of the classroom through climbing, where a love for both performance and community sparked an interest in human movement and rehabilitation. Since starting climbing in 2019, Riley has worked in the climbing industry through coaching and has expanded into providing educational talks focused on pain management and injury prevention. Outside of the clinic, Riley enjoys volunteering as a ski patroller and spending as much time in the outdoors as possible.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Overcoming Fear and Pain in Climbing
02:40 Understanding Pain and Its Nuances
05:22 Personal Experiences with Injury and Pain
06:56 Exploring Central Sensitization
08:24 Pain Management Strategies for Climbers
12:02 Graded Exposure and Expectancy Violation Techniques
16:03 The Role of Fear in Climbing and Recovery
21:06 Final Thoughts on Pain Management and Recovery
Links and Resources for This Episode:
📝 Full Article Reviewed in the Podcast
🎥 Video YouTube Podcast Episode
Social Media and Webpage:
🕸️Webpage / 📸 Instagram /📍Pinterest / 📝 Blog Articles: 
Books, Injury Protocols, and Rehab Tools
Climb Injury-Free Book / Self-Help Injury Protocols / Rehab Tools:  /Brand Partner Discounts 
Injury Rehab Coures
Courses for Medical Providers / Courses for Coaches

In this conversation, Marie-Eve Joanisse discusses the significance of pull-ups for climbers, exploring their biomechanics, variations, and injury prevention strategies. She emphasizes the importance of proper technique, the role of different muscle groups, and how to tailor training to individual needs. The discussion also covers common injuries associated with pull-ups and offers insights into effective training techniques and progressions for climbers of all levels.
Marie-Eve Joanisse's Bio
Marie-Eve is a physiotherapist based in the Montreal area, in Canada. Being a climber herself for many years, she has been involved at different levels in the climbing community, such as by volunteering in local competitions and working at her university's climbing facility during her studies. Recently graduated, Marie-Eve has begun dedicating part of her clinical practice to climbers at a local gym, and is working hard to expand her knowledge in this field. She now also acts as a sports first responder at climbing competitions. Outside of her clinical work, she enjoys climbing, snowboarding and doing virtually any outdoor sports.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Pull-Ups and Their Importance
02:05 Understanding Pull-Up Biomechanics
09:00 Injury Insights and Prevention Strategies
15:06 Exploring Different Pull-Up Variations
23:57 Training Techniques and Progressions
30:56 Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways
Links and Resources for This Episode:
📝 Full Article Reviewed in the Podcast
🎥 Video YouTube Podcast Episode
Social Media and Webpage:
🕸️Webpage / 📸 Instagram /📍Pinterest / 📝 Blog Articles: 
Books, Injury Protocols, and Rehab Tools
Climb Injury-Free Book / Self-Help Injury Protocols / Rehab Tools:  /Brand Partner Discounts 
Injury Rehab Coures
Courses for Medical Providers / Courses for Coaches

In this conversation, The Climbing Doctor interviews Stephen Kiraly, a physical therapy student, about shoulder hypermobility, particularly in climbers. They discuss what shoulder hypermobility is, how to assess it, its benefits and drawbacks, and rehabilitation strategies. The conversation emphasizes the importance of education for climbers regarding their shoulder health and provides practical tips for managing hypermobility through exercises and movement techniques.
Stephen Kiraly's Bio
Stephen Kiraly is a third-year Student Physical Therapist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Ever since he finally gave in to his friends bugging him to climb, he has not looked back, and climbing has become a central part of his life. Through climbing, he has had amazing experiences and met even more amazing individuals. Outside of climbing, he enjoys trail running, backpacking, biking, soccer, and basically anything outdoors. He is currently interested in staying in the climbing PT world upon graduation in May 2026. Reach out to Stephen at skiraly8@yahoo.com or on Instagram @zoliclimbs if you'd like to connect about climbing, rehab, or life as a future climbing-focused PT.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Shoulder Hypermobility

01:33 Understanding Shoulder Hypermobility

05:21 Assessing Shoulder Hypermobility

10:27 Benefits and Drawbacks of Hypermobility

13:21 Rehabilitation Strategies for Hypermobility

24:12 Movement Techniques for Climbers

27:38 Takeaways and Final Thoughts
Links and Resources for This Episode:
📝 Full Article Reviewed in the Podcast
🎥 Video YouTube Podcast Episode
Social Media and Webpage:
🕸️Webpage / 📸 Instagram /📍Pinterest / 📝 Blog Articles: 
Books, Injury Protocols, and Rehab Tools
Climb Injury-Free Book / Self-Help Injury Protocols / Rehab Tools:  /Brand Partner Discounts 
Injury Rehab Coures
Courses for Medical Providers / Courses for Coaches

In this conversation, Jared Vagy and Jack Brown discuss the necessity of developing a climbing-specific fitness battery for youth climbers. They explore the metabolic and biomechanical demands of climbing, the importance of assessing injury resilience, and the components of a comprehensive fitness assessment. The discussion includes a detailed breakdown of a two-day testing schedule, focusing on strength, power, and climbing-specific movements, while emphasizing the importance of strength training in preventing injuries and enhancing performance.
Jac Brown's Bio
Jac Brown is a physical therapist and avid climber, blending a passion for movement with a commitment to helping others stay active. After earning a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, Jac moved to New England, where she began working with youth climbers and supporting local youth climbing teams as a clinical resource. When not on the wall, Jac can be found juggling or geocaching around her neighborhood. Reach out at jac.brwndpt@gmail.com or via Instagram @dr.jac_dpt if you'd like to chat about injury prevention, rehab, or strength training for climbing
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Climbing-Specific Fitness
 

03:08 The Need for a Fitness Battery in Youth Climbing
 

06:00 Understanding Energy Demands in Climbing
 

08:58 Assessing Biomechanical and Injury Risks
 

12:00 Components of a Climbing Fitness Assessment
 

15:12 Importance of Strength Training for Resilience
 

18:12 Designing a Standardized Testing Protocol
 

21:04 Day One: Flexibility and Strength Testing
 

23:52 Day Two: Climbing-Specific Movement Assessment
 

26:57 Final Thoughts and Future Directions

Links and Resources for This Episode:
📝 Full Article Reviewed in the Podcast
🎥 Video YouTube Podcast Episode
Social Media and Webpage:
🕸️Webpage / 📸 Instagram /📍Pinterest / 📝 Blog Articles: 
Books, Injury Protocols, and Rehab Tools
Climb Injury-Free Book / Self-Help Injury Protocols / Rehab Tools:  /Brand Partner Discounts 
Injury Rehab Coures
Courses for Medical Providers / Courses for Coaches