Rock Climber Back on Her Feet After Traumatic Injuries in Death-Defying Fall | NYU Langone News
Source: https://nyulangone.org/news/rock-climber-back-her-feet-after-traumatic-injuries-death-defying-fall
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:16
Rock Climber Back on Her Feet After Traumatic Injuries in Death-Defying Fall | NYU Langone News
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artynka Wawrzyniak loves to keep her body moving. Her biggest passion is rock climbing and bouldering, though she also surfs and runs. After years of rock climbing, she decided to try ice climbing, which is climbing frozen waterfalls using ice axes and special boots fitted with crampons (sharp metal spikes).
On her fourth ice-climbing trip to Stony Clove Notch, a popular climbing locale in the Catskill Mountains, near Tannersville, New York, Wawrzyniak successfully completed an exhilarating climb. She took a break on a ledge when she dropped a glove. Trying to retrieve it, she slipped and fell two hundred feet, almost to her death, saving herself from falling onto a highway below by grabbing onto a tree and waiting to be rescued.
Wawrzyniak ended up breaking her talus, fibula, and calcaneus—bones in the ankle, leg, and heel—in her fall. After failing to find a local emergency department that was open on a Sunday afternoon upstate, she headed home to New York City. The following morning Wawrzyniak went to a local urgent care practice that sent her straight to NYU Langone’s
emergency department
, where she was referred to
Nirmal C. Tejwani, MD
, a professor in the
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and site chief of
NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital
.
“
… e
ven when it seems impossible to even get back on your feet, physical therapy can help you work toward your goals, and maybe even get you stronger than you were before your injury.”
Courtesy of Martynka Wawrzyniak
In surgery, Dr. Tejwani placed four screws in Wawrzyniak’s ankle and heel to repair the complex breaks. Her leg was not able to bear any weight for eight weeks, and she was on crutches for four months. To learn how to walk again, she began physical therapy recovery as soon as possible at a Jag One physical therapy practice near her home in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. But even a year later, Martynka was still limping and had difficulty with the range of motion in her ankle, which was limiting her in her active lifestyle of climbing, surfing, and running.
Her search to improve her gait and mobility led her to
Lauren E. Borowski, MD
, assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and director of the Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship Program at
NYU Langone Orthopedics
. Dr. Borowski assessed her condition and referred her to the podiatrist
James Johnson, DPM
, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, who fitted her with custom orthotics, and for specialized physical therapy with
Sarah Plumer-Holzman, PT, DPT
, a climber herself, at
Harkness Center for Dance Injuries
, part of
NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital
and
Rusk Rehabilitation
.
“When she came to me, I could see that Martynka is highly committed and highly motivated and smart about pushing herself,” Plumer-Holzman said. “She’s definitely at an elite level both in bouldering and in traditional and sport climbing, and bouldering in particular is hard, as it requires tremendous full body strength.”
Plumer-Holzman focused her physical therapy on Wawrzyniak’s foot first and then worked on her hip, where there was a compound injury resulting from many months of limping and improper gait. After working with Plumer-Holzman, Wawrzyniak saw improvements that allowed her to boulder even harder grades than before her fall. Her care team and her own determination led the way.
“I’m amazed at how far she’s come, and I credit her motivation and athletic conditioning for her remarkable recovery,” Dr. Tejwani said.
Dr. Borowski echoed that sentiment. “Martynka endured a traumatic accident and worked hard along her path to recovery,” she said. “It’s a testament to her hard work that she’s back climbing, surfing, and running.”
Martynka wants people to know that even after a
traumatic injury
,
physical therapy
can help them back to doing what they love.
“I want people to know that even when it seems impossible to even get back on your feet, physical therapy can help you work toward your goals, and maybe even get you stronger than you were before your injury,” she said.
Plumer-Holzman agrees. “It is absolutely worth taking the time to seek out a therapist who you feel is going to address your goals,” she said. “It’s often that last bit that gets you to 100 percent. We don’t want you to get to status quo. We want you to get your strength back better than before.”
Media Inquiries
Marlene Naanes
212-404-5016
Marlene.Naanes@NYULangone.org
Our Experts
Nirmal C. Tejwani, MD
Lauren E. Borowski, MD
James Johnson, DPM
Sarah Plumer-holzman, PT, DPT
Care & Services
Emergency Care
Sports Medicine Center
NYU Langone Orthopedics
Locations
Harkness Center for Dance Injuries
NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital
Rusk Rehabilitation
Departments & Institutes
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Need help finding a doctor?
Search all doctors
or call 844-698-7243.
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.
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We use cookies and similar tools to give you the best website experience. By using our site, you accept our
Websites Privacy Policy
.
If you need help accessing our website, call 855-698-9991
M
artynka Wawrzyniak loves to keep her body moving. Her biggest passion is rock climbing and bouldering, though she also surfs and runs. After years of rock climbing, she decided to try ice climbing, which is climbing frozen waterfalls using ice axes and special boots fitted with crampons (sharp metal spikes).
On her fourth ice-climbing trip to Stony Clove Notch, a popular climbing locale in the Catskill Mountains, near Tannersville, New York, Wawrzyniak successfully completed an exhilarating climb. She took a break on a ledge when she dropped a glove. Trying to retrieve it, she slipped and fell two hundred feet, almost to her death, saving herself from falling onto a highway below by grabbing onto a tree and waiting to be rescued.
Wawrzyniak ended up breaking her talus, fibula, and calcaneus—bones in the ankle, leg, and heel—in her fall. After failing to find a local emergency department that was open on a Sunday afternoon upstate, she headed home to New York City. The following morning Wawrzyniak went to a local urgent care practice that sent her straight to NYU Langone’s
emergency department
, where she was referred to
Nirmal C. Tejwani, MD
, a professor in the
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and site chief of
NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital
.
“
… e
ven when it seems impossible to even get back on your feet, physical therapy can help you work toward your goals, and maybe even get you stronger than you were before your injury.”
Courtesy of Martynka Wawrzyniak
In surgery, Dr. Tejwani placed four screws in Wawrzyniak’s ankle and heel to repair the complex breaks. Her leg was not able to bear any weight for eight weeks, and she was on crutches for four months. To learn how to walk again, she began physical therapy recovery as soon as possible at a Jag One physical therapy practice near her home in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. But even a year later, Martynka was still limping and had difficulty with the range of motion in her ankle, which was limiting her in her active lifestyle of climbing, surfing, and running.
Her search to improve her gait and mobility led her to
Lauren E. Borowski, MD
, assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and director of the Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship Program at
NYU Langone Orthopedics
. Dr. Borowski assessed her condition and referred her to the podiatrist
James Johnson, DPM
, clinical assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, who fitted her with custom orthotics, and for specialized physical therapy with
Sarah Plumer-Holzman, PT, DPT
, a climber herself, at
Harkness Center for Dance Injuries
, part of
NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital
and
Rusk Rehabilitation
.
“When she came to me, I could see that Martynka is highly committed and highly motivated and smart about pushing herself,” Plumer-Holzman said. “She’s definitely at an elite level both in bouldering and in traditional and sport climbing, and bouldering in particular is hard, as it requires tremendous full body strength.”
Plumer-Holzman focused her physical therapy on Wawrzyniak’s foot first and then worked on her hip, where there was a compound injury resulting from many months of limping and improper gait. After working with Plumer-Holzman, Wawrzyniak saw improvements that allowed her to boulder even harder grades than before her fall. Her care team and her own determination led the way.
“I’m amazed at how far she’s come, and I credit her motivation and athletic conditioning for her remarkable recovery,” Dr. Tejwani said.
Dr. Borowski echoed that sentiment. “Martynka endured a traumatic accident and worked hard along her path to recovery,” she said. “It’s a testament to her hard work that she’s back climbing, surfing, and running.”
Martynka wants people to know that even after a
traumatic injury
,
physical therapy
can help them back to doing what they love.
“I want people to know that even when it seems impossible to even get back on your feet, physical therapy can help you work toward your goals, and maybe even get you stronger than you were before your injury,” she said.
Plumer-Holzman agrees. “It is absolutely worth taking the time to seek out a therapist who you feel is going to address your goals,” she said. “It’s often that last bit that gets you to 100 percent. We don’t want you to get to status quo. We want you to get your strength back better than before.”
Media Inquiries
Marlene Naanes
212-404-5016
Marlene.Naanes@NYULangone.org
Our Experts
Nirmal C. Tejwani, MD
Lauren E. Borowski, MD
James Johnson, DPM
Sarah Plumer-holzman, PT, DPT
Care & Services
Emergency Care
Sports Medicine Center
NYU Langone Orthopedics
Locations
Harkness Center for Dance Injuries
NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital
Rusk Rehabilitation
Departments & Institutes
Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Need help finding a doctor?
Search all doctors
or call 844-698-7243.
Related Articles
Patient Care
,
Locations
,
Press Releases
NYU Langone Medical Associates—West Palm Beach Uncovers the Mystery Behind Patient’s Yearlong Struggle with Chronic Headaches
Relief came after months of pursuing care from specialists across the nation.
February 26, 2026
Patient Care
,
Press Releases
Thankful for Tomorrow: A New Mother’s Brain Hemorrhage Survival Story at NYU Langone Hospital—Brooklyn
Rapid, coordinated care and rehab made all the difference.
November 18, 2025
We can help you find a doctor.
Call
646-929-7800
or
browse our specialists
.
Patient Care
NYU Grossman School of Medicine
NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine
MyChart Patient Login
Patient Forms
Contact Us
Give
Education & Research
NYU Grossman School of Medicine
NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine
Current site
Current page