2026 Program

July 29, 2026

	7:00-7:45 BREAKFAST & REGISTRATION
	7:45-8:00 Welcome Remarks: (Y. El-Sheikh)
	SESSION ONE: FINGER INJURIES (MODERATOR: Y. EL-SHEIKH)
	8:00-9:00 Clinical Management of Finger Joint Capsulitis and Synovitis in Climbers (J. Vagy) This session presents a climbing-specific framework for assessing and managing finger joint capsulitis and synovitis. Drawing from published case-based work, it outlines rehabilitation strategies including tissue unloading, mobility restoration, strength progression, and movement re-education. The focus is on practical clinical application for persistent finger joint overuse injuries.
	9:00-10:30 The Updated A2 Pulley Classification Schema—What We’ve Learned and What’s Next? (C. Cooper) This lecture reviews the evolution of the A2 pulley classification system, including the expansion from four to five variables. It highlights how advances in load tolerance assessment using dynamometry are reshaping clinical decision-making. The session provides updated research insights and their implications for diagnosing and managing pulley injuries in climbers.
	10:30-11:00 REFRESHMENTS
	11:00-12:00 Case-Based Assessment and Rehabilitation of the Elbow (J. Vagy) This hands-on workshop uses real climbing injury cases to guide assessment and rehabilitation planning for elbow conditions. Participants will work in groups to develop clinical reasoning, select appropriate tests, and design intervention strategies targeting load management, mobility, and movement quality. Selected techniques will be demonstrated and applied in practical scenarios.
	12:00-13:00 LUNCH
	SESSION THREE: CLINICAL TIPS AND TRICKS (MODERATOR: M. BUSE)
13:00-14:00	What Would You Do? Complex Cases in Climbing Medicine from Finger to Foot PART 1: Upper Extremity (C. Cooper) These presentations focus on practical strategies for assessing and treating climbing athletes in clinical settings. It highlights common injury patterns, diagnostic pitfalls, and key decision-making principles. The session is designed to translate clinical experience into actionable approaches for real-world climbing rehabilitation.
	REFRESHMENTS
	SESSION FOUR: CLINICAL TIPS AND TRICKS (MODERATOR: M. BUSE)
14:30-15:30	What Would You Do? Complex Cases in Climbing Medicine from Finger to Foot-PART 2: Lower Extremity (C. Cooper) These presentations focus on practical strategies for assessing and treating climbing athletes in clinical settings. It highlights common injury patterns, diagnostic pitfalls, and key decision-making principles. The session is designed to translate clinical experience into actionable approaches for real-world climbing rehabilitation.
15:30-16:00	Return To Climbing Following an Achilles Tendon Rupture: A Case Study (M. Fischer) TBC

July 30, 2026

7:00-8:00 BREAKFAST

SESSION FIVE: UPPER EXTREMITY INJURIES (MODERATOR: EL-SHEIKH)

8:00-8:30 Return to Climbing After Non-Operative Achilles Tendon Rupture (M. Fischer) This case study examines rehabilitation and return-to-sport considerations following a non-operative Achilles tendon rupture in a climber. It outlines progression from early loading through return to climbing at nine months, highlighting key decision points and challenges specific to climbing demands. The session integrates clinical principles with lived experience to provide practical guidance for managing Achilles injuries in climbing populations.

8:30-9:30 Evaluating and Treating Shoulder Injuries (C. Cooper)

9:30-10:00 Nonsurgical Approach for Managing Reduced Shoulder Flexion (C. Berman) This presentation examines conservative strategies for addressing reduced shoulder flexion, as a common functional impairment affecting climbers. The session focuses on non-surgical strategies for improving overhead mobility through assessment and targeted interventions, including postural considerations, spinal and scapular mobility, and therapeutic exercises.

10:00-10:30 REFRESHMENTS

SESSION SIX: UPPER EXTREMITY INJURIES (MODERATOR: Y. EL-SHEIKH)

10:30-11:20 Climbing Injuries of the Wrist: A Joint in Jeopardy (H. von Schroeder) Overview of common wrist injuries in climbers, including mechanisms, presentation, and clinical considerations for management.

11:20-11:40 Are your wrists “weak”? The Enigma of Midcarpal Instability (H. von Schroeder) Clinical features, diagnosis, and functional impact of midcarpal instability in climbing athletes.

11:40-12:00 Are your wrists at risk? TFCC tears and ulnar-sided issues (H. von Schroeder) Overview of TFCC injury and ulnar-sided wrist pathology, with emphasis on recognition and climbing-specific loading.

12:00-13:00 LUNCH

SESSION SEVEN: INVESTIGATIONS/NUTRITION (MODERATOR: N. TAPPIN)

13:00-13:30 Hocus PoCUS? Point of Care Ultrasound for Evaluation of Climbing Injuries (C. Lebrun) This session explores the role of diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound in the assessment of common climbing injuries. Using upper and lower extremity case examples, Dr. Lebrun will review common imaging findings, anatomical correlations, and practical scanning techniques, including probe positioning. The presentation will also discuss pathways to ultrasound training and competency, as well as the expanding role of handheld ultrasound in clinical practice.

13:30-14:00 What You Need to Know About Lab Testing in Athletes (M. Buse) This talk provides a practical framework for interpreting laboratory results in athletic populations beyond standard reference ranges. It highlights the distinction between “normal,” “suboptimal,” and performance-relevant values, with focus on metabolic health, oxygen transport, and recovery markers. The session also discusses how lab data can inform individualized nutrition and supplementation strategies for both correction and performance optimization.

14:00-14:30 The Athlete Microbiome (M. Buse) This session explores the role of the gut microbiome in athlete health, with emphasis on nutrient absorption, inflammation, and performance outcomes. It examines how gut dysbiosis may influence recovery and systemic health even in otherwise healthy athletes. Practical strategies for supporting microbiome health will be discussed, including nutrition approaches, supplementation, and referral considerations for more complex gastrointestinal presentations.

14:30-15:00 REFRESHMENTS

SESSION EIGHT: NUTRITION (MODERATOR: M. BUSE)

15:00-15:30 Creatine Supplementation: A Biochemical Geneticist’s Perspective (C. Brunel) This session reviews creatine supplementation through the lens of biochemical genetics and energy metabolism. It explores mechanisms of action, variability in response, and clinical considerations relevant to athletic populations. The talk highlights how genetic and metabolic differences may influence supplementation outcomes and performance benefits.

15:30-16:00 Assessing the Fatigued Athlete: A Clinical Framework for Referral OR When Performance Drops: Systematic Assessment of Fatigue in High-Performance Athletes (C. Brunel) This presentation outlines a structured clinical approach to evaluating fatigue and performance decline in high-performance athletes. It focuses on identifying underlying metabolic, nutritional, or medical contributors, differentiating normal training fatigue from pathological causes. The session provides a practical framework for assessment, interpretation, and referral decisions in complex cases.

16:00 ADJOURNMENT FOR FREE TIME / GROUP CLIMBING ACTIVITY

July 31, 2026

7:00-8:00 BREAKFAST

SESSION NINE: PERFORMANCE (MODERATOR: M. BUSE)

8:00-9:00 Nutrition Prescriptions for Female Athletes: Different, the Same, or Somewhere in Between? (K. Drager) This presentation examines current evidence on female athlete nutrition and its practical application in sport. It highlights the diverse hormone profiles among athletes and offers a practical lens for applying targeted nutrition. The session emphasizes translating research into individualized, real-world nutrition strategies for female athletes.

9:00-10:00 Not Making the Grade:  The Psychology of Quitting Climbing (H. von Schroeder) Exploration of psychological factors influencing disengagement from climbing, including injury, identity, and long-term sport participation.

10:00-10:30 REFRESHMENTS

SESSION TEN: PERFORMANCE (MODERATOR: Y. EL-SHEIKH)

10:30-11:30 Maximum-Difficulty Sport Climbing: Physiology and Performance at the Limit (E. Horst) This lecture examines the evolving performance demands of maximum-difficulty sport climbing in the context of recent landmark ascents and emerging research. It presents a model in which elite climbing is characterized by intermittent near-maximal efforts, requiring optimized movement economy and energy system utilization. The session emphasizes the coordinated development of aerobic and anaerobic alactic systems, and outlines training strategies designed to enhance performance on the world’s hardest routes.

11:30-12:30 General To Specific: Everyone (Almost) Is Right (S. Bechtel) This lecture explores how general strength training, sport-specific work, and climbing performance interact within effective programming. While climbers often debate between lifting, bodyweight training, hangboarding, or climbing more, the answer lies in understanding how different training modes create complementary adaptations. Using the principle of “productive compromise,” this talk outlines how to balance competing demands in training while maintaining long-term progress. Practical frameworks will be presented to help simplify decision-making and improve programming clarity, with a focus on what effective integration actually looks like in practice.

12:30-13:30 LUNCH

SESSION ELEVEN: PERFORMANCE (MODERATOR: N. TAPPIN)

13:30-14:30 Training High and Low – Why De-Emphasizing The Glycolytic System Might Lead to Better Performance (S. Bechtel) This session examines the role of energy system development in climbing, with emphasis on aerobic and alactic pathways and a reduced reliance on glycolytic fatigue-based training. Drawing from historical coaching theory and modern performance trends, the lecture explores whether commonly used high-fatigue methods (e.g., 4x4s, HIIT) produce the adaptations climbers actually need. Programming strategies will be discussed that prioritize recovery, minimum effective dose training, and sustainable performance across bouldering and route climbing, including implications for elite competition demands.

14:30-15:30 Visualization Techniques to Improve Performance (C. Berman) This session explores the science and application of motor imagery, commonly known as visualization, as a tool for enhancing climbing performance. Current research will be reviewed alongside practical strategies for integrating evidence-based mental training techniques into performance preparation and skill development.

15:30 CLOSING

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