Article written by Detroit Medical Center, a 4Frenzy sponsor.
Meet Our Athletic Trainer
Recommended Videos
Learning at the knee of top orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists, and certified as an athletic trainer, Laura Ramus has spent 31 years treating sports injuries in amateur, high school, collegiate, and professional athletes. Her resume includes work at the 1994 Paralympics, the 1996 Olympics, the 2015-2016 women’s professional tennis tour, the WNBA Detroit Shock, the New York Liberty, and the Las Vegas Aces. Now, she’s settled down—a little bit—at the Detroit Medical Center as a senior physical therapist.
Q. What types of athletes do you work with at DMC?
A. All of my patients aren’t athletes, although the majority of them are very active individuals. We’re the official healthcare sponsor of the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers, but I’ll see everyone from your 10-year-old adolescent athlete all the way up to your 68-year-old looking to get back on the ski slopes after a total hip replacement. My specialty sports are basketball, volleyball, softball, and running, with an emphasis on the female athlete. But as a physical therapist and athletic trainer, once you’ve mastered human anatomy and biomechanics, you can apply it to help athletes in any sport.
Q. What are some of the most common injuries you treat?
A. Injuries are frequently related to a specific activity or sport. For instance, golfers frequently have back, hip, and shoulder problems. We typically see runners for knee and foot problems. Tennis players most frequently have shoulder injuries. In recent years, we’ve been seeing more people for rehabilitation from hip pain, particularly hip labral tear repairs. Ten years ago, that surgical procedure wasn’t even available, and now tears can be repaired with arthroscopic surgery.
Q. What recent developments are you seeing in the field of physical therapy?
A. One big development is an increased emphasis on the importance of a customized recovery program being just as important as a conditioning program. At DMC Sports Medicine, those programs can include, for instance, a cutting-edge strength training strategy called blood flow restriction. Blood flow restriction helps patients get the fastest strength gains following leg and arm surgery. It’s great for quick strength gains in athletes, but it’s also effective and safe for people who have had joint replacement surgery.
Q. What can an athlete do to avoid needing your assistance?
A. Prevention of injuries starts at the very beginning, long before they get on the field or the court. It’s about making sure the athlete warms up properly and is involved in a training program that addresses strength, flexibility, and recovery.
Q. Why should an athlete come to DMC for care?
A. Athletes should choose DMC for their rehabilitation because they can expect state-of-theart, individualized care. Our sports medicine program has doctors, physical therapists, and athletic trainers who use a team approach to provide the best care for all athletes. We’re the official healthcare provider of the Tigers and the Red Wings, but any athlete who comes to us can expect the same top-notch care the pros receive.