Show Notes

Dr Paulina Kloskowska

Specialist Sports & Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, researcher, and former lecturer at King’s College London.

Her work focuses on female hip pain, injury prevention, and applying a biopsychosocial approach to rehabilitation. She currently leads a UEFA-backed international research project on injury prevention in women’s football.

Key Topics Covered

1. Why the “one-size-fits-all” model fails women

Medical and sports research is largely based on male data

Women are under-researched and underloaded

Personalised care is essential for adaptation

2. The biopsychosocial approach

Moving beyond mechanical views of the body

How emotions and beliefs shape pain and performance

Treating the person, not just the joint

3. The Adaptation Zone

Underloading = no progress

Overloading = injury

Finding the “sweet spot” for strength and resilience

4. Strength & real-world demands

Hip joints experience up to 9x bodyweight in running

Why bands and bridges alone aren’t enough

Preparing the body for real life, not just rehab

5. Empowering women in healthcare

Avoiding dependence on passive treatments

Building confidence and agency

Understanding the difference between rest and avoidance

6. Menstrual cycle & training myths

Why cycle-syncing advice lacks strong evidence

Tracking your own patterns

Listening to your body over social media

7. Bone density & perimenopause

Estrogen’s role in bone health

Strength training as a longevity tool

Preventing stress fractures and frailty

8. Heavy lifting in pregnancy

Evidence showing lifting up to 80% 1RM is safe

Benefits for physical and mental health

Why fear-based advice can be harmful

9. UEFA research project

Collaboration across Central & Eastern Europe

Identifying real-world barriers to injury prevention

Practical solutions for women’s football by 2026

You are not weak. You are not fragile. Your body is capable of adaptation at any point. The sooner you find your adaptation zone, the healthier you will be.

Who This Episode Is For

Women optimising health and performance

Physiotherapists, coaches, and clinicians

Anyone interested in female physiology and longevity

Athletes at every level

Those navigating pregnancy, perimenopause, or injury recovery

🔹 Recommended Future Guests

Dr Monica Grigorovich – FIFA Centre of Excellence clinician & researcher

Dr Brooke Patterson – La Trobe University injury prevention expert

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Stay curious. Stay strong. And keep going Beyond Better. 💪