Stepping up to the plate: Abbey Lauver brings new skills and spirit to the team

Since joining the outpatient rehabilitation team on the IU Health Ball Memorial campus in August 2025, physical therapist Abbey Lauver has made an immediate impression. Her fellow team members say she brings new energy, advanced clinical skills and a collaborative mindset that strengthens care for patients.

Lauver relocated from South Carolina, where she worked in a hospital-based system with a large physical therapy team. She says she was drawn to the same sense of community and shared learning at IU Health. “I loved being part of a team with multiple therapists from different backgrounds. It made it easy to learn new techniques and collaborate on complex patients,” she says. “Physical therapy is always evolving, so it is important to have mentors and colleagues you can collaborate with.”

“They have the saying ‘the art of medicine’ for a reason, Lauver says. "It's nice to be able to show new techniques to our clinicians here and, on the flip side, learn from them as well since we all have different backgrounds and training.”

Lauver's commitment to continual learning is already expanding what is possible for local patients. Her expertise in blood flow restriction therapy has renewed interest in the tool across the team. She explains that the technique helps patients who have weight-bearing restrictions build strength safely and efficiently. By mimicking the benefits of high-resistance exercises without stressing healing tissue, it can prevent muscle atrophy and support faster recovery.

She has also increased access to dry needling services. “Dry needling is wonderful at trigger point release and decreasing pain when less invasive techniques haven’t provided enough relief,” she says. “It helps patients get back to the activities they love with less pain.”

Lauver’s collaborative approach is equally impactful. She has been intentional about building connections with the orthopedic physician group, including a new orthopedic surgeon whose partnership has already improved coordination of care. The proximity of the therapy department, she says, makes those face-to-face conversations easier and helps patients get timely answers.

Looking ahead, Lauver is excited about opportunities to serve baseball athletes, one of her favorite populations to treat. She has pursued advanced training in baseball rehabilitation and shoulder mechanics and says she enjoys the challenge of finding the “why” behind subtle movement issues that can affect performance. With planned updates to the rehabilitation space that will enhance sports assessment, she is eager to work even more closely with youth and competitive players.

Her initiative and passion reflect the spirit of IU Health and continue to elevate the care available through Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation.