Laura Ramirez-Perez

Dr. Laura Ramirez-Perez


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

3Years (2024-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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23 November 2024 in Gait & Posture
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
LRLaura Ramirez-Perez
Laura Ramirez-Perez
GKGraham Kerr
Graham Kerr
Antonio Cuesta-VargasAntonio Cuesta-Vargas
Antonio Cuesta-Vargas
The shoulder complex, which has the highest prevalence of instability, is currently, the subject of considerable debate regarding the methodologies used to assess shoulder stability during dynamic exercises. The primary aim is to summarize evidence on various methodologies used to evaluate shoulder stability during dynamic exercises. This scoping review included cross-sectional studies focusing on various evaluation techniques to assess shoulder forces, kinetics, and stability during dynamic movements. In analyzing each study, the selected data included population profile, sample size, exercise type, and evaluation methodology used. Twenty-seven studies with a total of 1187 subjects were included. Among the studies, various dynamic exercises were evaluated, including throwing exercises, movements with dumbbells or elastic bands, push-ups, and functional tasks. Most evaluation techniques were combined, with eleven studies using surface electromyography; seven used dynamometers to obtain direct strength measurements; two used six-force axis sensors; one utilized force platforms; and one was focused on the loss of speed using linear velocity transducers. Furthermore, motion capture systems such as high-speed cameras were used in fourteen studies. In conclusion, surface electromyography and high-speed cameras are the primary techniques for measuring muscle activity and kinetic and kinematic data. However, they do not directly measure glenohumeral stability, meaning further research is needed to develop reliable methodologies for this purpose. This study holds significant relevance in the field of shoulder instability and has clear clinical implications, as it establishes the primary tools for estimating glenohumeral stability, which could enable patient stratification and the design of optimal intervention programs based on these measurements.

21 June 2025 in Physiotherapy Research International
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Journal Article
Open access
LRLaura Ramirez-Perez
Laura Ramirez-Perez
ACAntonio Ignacio Cuesta‐Vargas
Antonio Ignacio Cuesta‐Vargas
Background and Purpose: Electromyography has been widely used to analyze muscle activation during different tasks to establish standard patterns of muscle activity that allow the establishment of preventive strategies related to each type of motor task. The primary aim was to evaluate the muscle activity of the upper trapezius, lateral deltoid, anterior deltoid, and biceps brachii during analytical movements; and to estimate physiological fatigue from kinematic data obtained during the T‐Fast Test.Methods: This cross‐sectional study was developed at Axarquia Hospital (Spain). The study evaluated 38 adults suffering from glenohumeral instability. Surface electromyography was used to evaluate the electrical activity, timing, and mean frequency change of the muscles around the shoulder. In addition, inertial sensors were used to assess kinematic parameters during the T‐Fast Test.Results: Altered patterns in muscle activity, a delay of 1.48 ± 3.69 s for activation timing, and a mean fatigue value of 18.1% ± 40.46. A significant relationship was found between the mean frequency change of the upper trapezius during flexion and the angular velocity in the Y axis during the 30″ T‐Fast Test (p = 0.044). The mean frequency change of the lateral deltoid during abduction was related to linear acceleration in the Z axis during the 30″ T‐Fast Test (p = 0.026) and 120″ T‐Fast Test (p = 0.009) and angular velocity in the Y axis during the 120″ T‐Fast Test (p = 0.032).Discussion: This study revealed altered muscle activity patterns with high fatigue levels in glenohumeral instability and the great utility of inertial sensors to estimate physiological fatigue. Future research should be developed to determine a cut‐off time for fatigue that helps to stratify the population suffering from glenohumeral instability.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05443295

30 June 2025 in Healthcare
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Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
SSSandra Sánchez-Morilla
Sandra Sánchez-Morilla
PCPablo Cervera-Garvi
Pablo Cervera-Garvi
LRLaura Ramirez-Perez
Laura Ramirez-Perez
IPIrene García Paya
Irene García Paya
SMSalvador Francisco Díaz Miguel
Salvador Francisco Díaz Miguel
AOAna Belen Ortega-Avila
Ana Belen Ortega-Avila
Background: The ankle joint plays a key role in stabilizing the lower limb during interaction with ground reaction forces. Instability can result in pain, weakness, and impaired movement. Although assessing ankle stability is important, few studies examine existing in vivo methodologies for dynamic load assessment, limiting effective injury management. Objective: To identify in vivo techniques using objective measurement tools for assessing ankle stability during dynamic exercise. Methods: A scoping review was performed based on PRISMA-ScR criteria. Five databases—PubMed, PEDro, Embase, SPORTDiscus, and CDSR—were searched from inception to September 2024. Results: Out of 1678 records, 32 studies met the inclusion criteria. A total of 1142 subjects were included: 293 females (25.6%), 819 males (71.7%), and 30 unspecified (2.62%). Six categories of dynamic exercise were identified: analytical, functional, balance, stair climbing, running, and walking. The techniques used included 3D motion capture, force and pressure platforms, dynamometry, electromyography, accelerometers, pressure and speed sensors, instrumented treadmills, and inertial measurement units. Conclusions: The 3D motion capture systems (240 Hz) and the force platforms (1000 Hz) were most frequently used in functional tasks and walking. Combining these with multisegmented foot models appears optimal, though tool selection depends on study goals. This review enhances our understanding of ankle stability assessment.

18 December 2024 in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
LRLaura Ramirez-Perez
Laura Ramirez-Perez
ACAntonio Ignacio Cuesta-Vargas
Antonio Ignacio Cuesta-Vargas
Glenohumeral instability is a highly prevalent pathology; however, there are problems in defining it. Traditionally, structural problems such as labral injury or bone loss in the glenoid cavity and/or humeral side were considered the main causes; but recently, it has been seen that motor control plays a very relevant role. This means that currently, there is a disparity of action protocols, and the treatment of this pathology is a great challenge. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a supervised multicomponent therapeutic exercise program in reducing multivariable fatigue in patients with instability of the glenohumeral joint. A single-blind randomized controlled trial will be carried out, in which 108 adult patients who have suffered at least one episode of glenohumeral instability in the last year will be recruited by the Department of Traumatology and Rehabilitation of Axarquia Hospital (Málaga). Patients will be randomized to the intervention group, which will carry out a multicomponent therapeutic exercise program supervised by physiotherapists (MoveUS Program); or to the control group, which will receive the usual care. All subjects will be evaluated at baseline, mid-treatment, after the intervention, and three months later at the follow-up. In these evaluations, range of movement, maximum peak of isometric force, kinematic, physiological, and psychometric fatigue, return to activity, motor control, and number of recurrences will be assessed; as well as the quality of life measured through the Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index, which will be the main outcome variable. A multivariate analysis will be performed through a statistical program to better determine the factors that could influence the results. This study aims to determine if therapeutic exercise supervised by physiotherapists is capable of reducing multivariable fatigue, reducing the number of recurrences, and improving quality of life; to be able to implement it in the future in public and private clinics since materials are available and physiotherapist have enough skills in the field of therapeutic exercise, so it is expected to be a quality tool in the approach to glenohumeral instability. Registry: ClinicalTrials.gov. Number: NCT05443295. Date: 01/07/2022.

27 August 2025 in Sensors
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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LRLaura Ramirez-Perez
Laura Ramirez-Perez
ESEric Yung-Sheng Su
Eric Yung-Sheng Su
Antonio Cuesta-VargasAntonio Cuesta-Vargas
Antonio Cuesta-Vargas
GKGraham Kerr
Graham Kerr
The assessment of shoulder stability is a great challenge in sports medicine. There is a lack of objective tools to assess functional shoulder stability in sports with high demands on the upper limb. This cross-sectional study recruited twenty healthy adults to analyze the use of a force platform in a push-up analysis as a valid tool for estimating glenohumeral stability. For this purpose, the subjects performed one strength task based on a maximum lateral abduction against a dynamometer. They also performed three variations of a push-up task on force plates with movements recorded by a 3D motion capture system. The results showed that healthy adults present similar movement patterns during push-ups, without differences in terms of stability between sexes, although males showed greater values in lateral abduction strength (left: 63.2 vs. 36.8; p < 0.001; right: 64.2 vs. 38.9; p < 0.001) and ground reaction force peak in the three push-up tasks (p < 0.005). Moreover, four prediction models were developed based on the use of force plate data to estimate kinematics concerning humerus acceleration (p < 0.001). In conclusion, this research demonstrated that force plates are a valid tool for upper-limb assessment with significant correlations with dynamometer and 3D motion capture measures.

6 February 2025 in Evolutionary Intelligence
Verified
Journal Article
Closed access
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LRLaura Ramirez-Perez
Laura Ramirez-Perez
Antonio Cuesta-VargasAntonio Cuesta-Vargas
Antonio Cuesta-Vargas