Leaders in Arts and Entertainment Medical Logistics

Backstage ArTs equips arts and entertainment organizations with experienced athletic trainers who provide industry-leading injury care, performance enhancement, workplace safety, and initial emergency response services.  We take on the complexities of recruiting, hiring, training, and managing performing arts athletic trainers so our clients can focus on creating and performing at the highest possible level.

Our Clients Span the Country and Travel the Globe
Our athletic training services are most commonly utilized by professional performing companies and artists, touring productions, university performing arts departments or schools, elite training academies, performing arts high schools, and film and television productions.

They love the benefits of our services, like:
  • enhanced performer recruitment and retention
  • reduction of missed rehearsals and performances due to injury
  • improved athleticism, health, mechanics, and aesthetics of their performers
  • increased occupation-related quality of life for their performers and staff
  • a decrease in employee healthcare costs and reduction in worker’s compensation claims and costs

Our Athletic Trainers are Highly Skilled and Knowledgeable
The Certified Athletic Trainers we employ are trained and skilled in a range of injury care techniques, including:
  • Manual Therapy
    • soft tissue mobilization Examples: “therapeutic massage”, psoas release, “vocal cord release”
    • joint mobilizations to decrease pain and increase range of motion Examples: reseating of first rib or clavicle
    • cupping therapy
    • instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization Examples: Graston Technique®, gua sha
    • muscle energy techniques Examples: a “pelvic reset” or rib re-alignment
    • proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching techniques
  • Advanced Activity-Specific Rehabilitation Programming
  • Activity and Equipment Modification to Accommodate for Injuries or Pain
  • Individual and Group Injury Risk Assessment and Prevention Planning
  • Emergency Response and Acute Injury Management

Our Founder has Cared for Performers of All Ages and Disciplines

 Laura Mertz
​Laura Mertz is a Certified Athletic Trainer and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist.  She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Athletic Training from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and was a violinist in the UNL Symphony Orchestra.  Following her graduation from Nebraska, Laura earned her Master’s Degree in Athletic Training from Indiana University.  At IU, she served as the sole athletic trainer for 50 ballet dancers within the nationally-renowned Jacobs School of Music.  During her time with Indiana University Ballet Theatre, Laura evaluated, treated, and rehabilitated injuries on a daily basis and provided backstage medical care before, during, and after all dress rehearsals and performances.

​After graduating from IU, Laura was hired by one of the country’s largest children’s health care and research centers where she co-founded a Pediatric Dance Medicine Program within the hospital’s sports medicine department.  As co-chair for this program, Laura forged relationships with numerous dance studios and pre-professional training programs, coordinating the unique spectrum of dance medicine services each studio received.  As a part of her outreach work with these dance studios, Laura performed on-site injury evaluations, presented educational workshops, and led in-studio strengthening and injury prevention exercise classes.  In the hospital’s rehabilitation clinic, Laura crafted individualized recovery and reconditioning plans for injured performers.

In 2013, ​Laura struck out on her own to bring athletic medicine services to the performing arts community: first serving performers in Kansas City, then Atlanta.  She went on to found two organizations, Backstage ArTs and Behind the Scenes Medical Consulting, focused on expanding the athletic medicine care available to performing artists throughout the country.

​Laura has also provided care on tour with a professional musical production and currently provides on-site services to the world's largest contemporary circus producer.

In addition to her work within the performing arts, Laura has provided athletic training and strength & conditioning services to US military special operations personnel and elite athletes before, during, and after their Olympic and professional careers.
Create your ideal performing arts athletic training program with expert guidance from
​our friends at Behind the Scenes Medical Consulting.