01
Performance and competition climbers
High volume, crimps and explosive moves. We prevent and treat pulley, shoulder and elbow injuries, and adjust your load so you train more and stop less.
Climbing · Hillwalking · Mountaineering · Canyoning · Trekking · Expeditions
Medicine forthose who wantto go higher.
Sports medicine for everyone who loves the mountains and for indoor climbers. We help you prevent and treat injuries and improve your performance as you prepare for your next adventure, with a team that knows the terrain.
About us
One medical team, everything the mountains demand.
Vertical Medicine brings together a multidisciplinary team that cares about you and your health. We are a rehabilitation, sports medicine and travel medicine clinic with a special focus on adventure sports. We offer ultrasound-guided injection treatments, myofascial therapy and individual physiotherapy, as well as support from psychology and nutrition. We start from your discipline, your terrain and your goal.
Prevent
We spot overload and imbalances before they become injuries, with a functional assessment designed for climbing and the mountains.
Treat
A precise diagnosis, clearly explained, and a staged rehabilitation plan with objective return-to-sport criteria. Consultations are supported by imaging.
Prepare
Acclimatisation, nutrition, conditioning and mental preparation, so you reach your goal and come back safely.
The team
Cláudia Gemelgo
Founder of Vertical Medicine
- Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
- Sports Medicine
- Mountain Medicine (climbing and expeditions)
- Adventure Travel Medicine
- Ultrasound-guided intervention techniques
Cláudia founded Vertical Medicine on a simple conviction: people who climb and head into the mountains deserve medicine that knows their terrain. She is our mountain medicine specialist and leads every plan, from first diagnosis to expedition preparation.
In partnership with Art Gym Medicine Project
Our consultations take place at Art Gym Medicine Project in Maia, which hosts us and shares an integrated multidisciplinary medical team in rehabilitation, physiotherapy, nutrition and psychology.
Meet the whole teamThe whole team
Soon you will be able to meet all the professionals who will look after you.
- Physical and Rehabilitation MedicineComing soon
- PhysiotherapyComing soon
- NutritionComing soon
- Sport PsychologyComing soon
Services
Nine services to take you further
One medical team, nine coordinated services, to help you reach your goal.
01
ClinicalSports Medicine
Diagnosis and treatment of sports injuries, with specialist expertise in climbing (indoor and outdoor) and other mountain sports. The consultation can include a targeted functional assessment and integrated imaging support.
Best for:climbers, hillwalkers and everyone who practises mountain sports. Athletes of every level.
01Sports Medicine
Diagnosis and treatment of sports injuries, with specialist expertise in climbing (indoor and outdoor) and other mountain sports. The consultation can include a targeted functional assessment and integrated imaging support.
Best for: climbers, hillwalkers and everyone who practises mountain sports. Athletes of every level.
02Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine
A careful assessment and a rehabilitation programme with clear milestones, to get you back on the wall, the trail or the mountain.
Best for: acute injuries, persistent pain and post-surgery recovery.
03Ultrasound-Guided Procedures
Injections and other procedures guided by ultrasound, with precision, to treat tendinopathies and joint and muscle injuries.
Best for: injuries that do not respond to conservative treatment alone.
04Adventure Travel Medicine
Acclimatisation, vaccinations, prophylaxis, health kits and advice before you leave for remote destinations, from the Himalaya to the Andes. We help you plan your adventure safely.
Best for: trekkers, adventure travellers and international expeditions.
05Expedition Consulting
Pre-expedition screening, acclimatisation planning, medical kits and risk management in remote areas.
Best for: multi-day expeditions, clubs and mountain guides.
06Mountain Medicine Education
Training and workshops on mountain first aid, mountain illnesses, hypothermia and frostbite, heatstroke and emergency management in remote areas.
Best for: clubs, mountain guides, climbing gyms and expedition teams.
07Physiotherapy
Manual therapy and exercise therapy, to help you through a progression designed for your sport, until you are back at your best.
Best for: injury recovery and preventing re-injury.
08Nutrition
Body composition, energy and hydration tuned to training, competition, long mountain days and life at altitude.
Best for: performance climbers, alpinists and long expeditions.
09Sport Psychology
Fear of falling, competition pressure and decision-making in high-risk environments. Mental training for the wall and the mountain.
Best for: competition, hard projects and mountain challenges.
Who we help
For people who live the mountains, in every form
From your first gym boulder to a multi-week expedition, we adapt medicine to your terrain.
02
Recreational climbers and boulderers
Indoors or on rock, we help you climb more often, with less pain and no forced breaks.
03
Alpinists and high-altitude mountaineers
Acclimatisation, cold, heavy loads and long days. We prepare your body and your plan, including for athletes who train or race at altitude.
04
Multi-day expeditions
Pre-expedition screening, medical kits and risk management in remote areas.
05
Trekking and adventure travel
Joints under load, vaccinations, mountain sickness and health in remote places, all sorted before you leave.
06
Canyoning and other adventure sports
Jumps, impacts, cold water and technical terrain. Injury prevention and recovery so you get back in the water with confidence.
How it works
From first contact to post-expedition
- Step 01
Get in touch
Fill in the form or call us. We will reply to schedule your consultation and tell you everything you should bring.
- Step 02
Assessment
A targeted consultation: clinical and sports history, physical examination, functional assessment and ultrasound support.
- Step 03
Plan
A plan for treatment, training and prevention, with realistic goals and timelines. Follow-up until you are back on the wall, the trail or the mountain, ideally stronger than before.
- Step 04
Post-expedition
Follow-up after you return from your expedition. We assess your recovery and adjust the plan, so you can keep training safely.
FAQ
Before you book
Do I need to be an experienced climber or mountaineer?
No. We work with everyone from people climbing their first routes indoors to alpinists and competition climbers. Your plan always starts from your level and your goals.
Where are consultations held?
In the Art Gym Medicine Project space, Rua N. Senhora da Maia 131, 4470-204 Maia (near Porto), where we work alongside a multidisciplinary team that shares the space with us.
How far ahead should I book a consultation to prepare for an expedition?
Ideally three to six months before departure. Some vaccines need several doses, and conditioning and acclimatisation planning take time. Leaving sooner? Get in touch anyway.
I have a finger injury. Do I have to stop climbing?
Not always. Many pulley injuries allow some activity with adjusted load. An early assessment defines what you can safely do and speeds up your return.
Do you work with clubs, gyms and mountain tourism companies?
Yes. We provide expedition consulting and mountain medicine training, tailored to each group.
Are consultations only in Portuguese?
No. We consult in Portuguese, English and French.
Contact
Ready to go higher?
Tell us your goal and what you need. The more we know about your discipline, the better we can prepare your first consultation.
Request sent
Thank you. We have received your request and will reply by email to schedule your consultation.
Phone+351 913 944 449(Call to a Portuguese mobile network)
HoursBy appointment
LanguagesPortuguese, English and French