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