Dr. Jared Vagy is a doctor of physical therapy and known as “The Climbing Doctor”. He’s a professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at USC, works with Olympic athletes on teams in both the US and China, and has treated and taught more than 1,000 climbers. He’s the author of Climb Injury-Free, which includes injury advice from professional climbers and step by step rehabilitation instructions for climbing injuries. In this interview, we talk about common injuries among climbers, how to know when to push hard and when to back it off, and the difference between pain and injury.
Company Spotlight
In today’s Company Spotlight, we feature a Portland, OR based company, Thunderbolt Sportswear, and it’s co-owner, John Connor. Thunderbolt’s signature item is a do-it-all pair of soft shell pants/jeans made with Schoeller Dryskin, and they’ve now expanded to shirts and outerwear. After the interview with John, Roommate Max and I review the products. For 25% off, use the code “mtnmeister” at www.thunderboltsportswear.com
Episode Sponsor
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Gear Recommendation
Dirtbag Tips: In his book, Dr. Jared Vagy explains how you can repurpose everyday items for injury prevention use. Climbing webbing can be used as a resistance band. Instead of a foam roller, you can wrap a towel around climbing rope. Finally, substituting for something like Power Fingers or Hand X bands, you can use a rubber band (specifically a broccoli or asparagus rubber band for the perfect tension).
Book
Whether you’re a professional athlete or a novice climber, Climb Injury-Free is the guide that will teach you how to climb stronger and pain-free. The book features The “Rock Rehab Pyramid.” A step-by-step rehabilitation and injury prevention system designed specifically for rock climbers. Learn exclusive injury advice with over 30 profiles from top professional climbers including Adam Ondra, Sasha DiGiulian Sean McColl, Jonathan Siegrist and many others.
Additional Resources
Check out these links to additional episode content.