Jose A. Ramirez-Del Toro, M.D.
Dr. Ramirez-Del Toro is a board certified Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation physician, with a sub specialty certification in Sports Medicine.
Dr. Ramirez-Del Toro was born and raised in Puerto Rico and moved to North Carolina in his youth. He completed his undergraduate studies at Princeton University, where he played basketball for legendary coach Pete Carril. He then went to Medical School at The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University in his home state of North Carolina. His internship was at The Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh and his residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation was at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He went on to complete a fellowship after residency in which he sub specialized in Sports Medicine at The New Jersey Sports Medicine Institute under the tutelage of one of the most well renowned sports medicine physicians within the field of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Dr. Gerard Malanga. The focus of the fellowship was non surgical musculoskeletal care of athletes and non athletes alike. During his fellowship, he served as the Team Physician for West Orange High School and also the Team Physician for Jersey City University.
After fellowship, Dr. Ramirez-Del Toro moved back to Pittsburgh with his wife. He joined The Orthopedic Group, a private practice orthopedic group, and worked there for 10 years prior to joining us here at South Hills Orthopaedics. During his tenure at The Orthopedic Group, he served for 9 years as the Head Team Physician and Director of Sports Medicine for California University of Pennsylvania, a large Division II university south of Pittsburgh. He also loves to teach and was able to incorporate teaching into his professional duties, becoming one of the few physicians in the area able to have a truly mixed private practice and academic practice. He initially served as one of the faculty for the non accredited Sports and Spine Fellowship in the department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at The University of Pittsburgh. Then, thanks in large part to his efforts, the fellowship become an accredited sports medicine fellowship. Once it became accredited, he became the Director of the Sports Medicine Fellowship in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, a position he held for four years.
Dr. Ramirez-Del Toro has a special focus in non surgical orthopedics. He treats all manner of musculoskeletal pain, both spine and peripheral joint related. He treats soft tissue muscular, tendon and ligamentous injuries as well as joint problems stemming form injuries and arthritis. His treatment approach aims to treat the whole person and to maximize all non surgical options for musculoskeletal pain, from very conservative to very aggressive, and everything in between. Every patient is initially seen for an extensive history and biomechanical physical examination, after which an evidence based plan is devised and undertaken, with appropriate follow up to gauge progress. Dr. Ramirez-Del Toro performs image guided procedures into the spine and joints using both fluoroscopy and ultrasound guidance. He also performs diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound if warranted as an adjunct to his history and physical examination to enhance diagnostics. Dr. Ramirez-Del Toro also utilizes regenerative medicine, including platelet rich plasma, as well as bone marrow aspiration and lipid aspirations for the isolation of stem cells, in order to enhance the body’s natural tissue healing properties, following evidence based guidelines. Additionally, he specializes in devising rehabilitation protocols after any acute, traumatic, overuse or chronic injury.
Dr. Ramirez-Del Toro has published several articles in peer reviewed journals as well as numerous book chapters, including a chapter in the book entitled Regenerative Treatment in Sports and Orthopedic Medicine, the first comprehensive textbook devoted to orthobiologic treatments for orthopedic conditions. He has also lectured locally, regionally and nationally in the field of Sports Medicine. He is very happy to be able to devote his energies purely to clinical patient care here at South Hills Orthopaedics. He focuses on clean living both for himself and for his patients and believes that a healthy mind, body and spirit are key to intentional joyful living. He is married and has two wonderful school age daughters.
