What is Physiotherapy?
"Physiotherapists have advanced understanding of how the body moves, what keeps it from moving well and how to restore mobility." www.physiotherapy.ca
Physiotherapy is the treatment, management and prevention of a wide variety of physical injuries. Physiotherapists treat individuals of all ages for injuries to any part of the body. Physiotherapists increase movement, decrease pain, and return individuals to their previous function and activity levels.
What type of injuries do physiotherapists treat?
Work related injuries
Motor vehicle accidents
Repetitive, overuse injuries
Sports related injuries (running, swimming, biking, hockey, etc.)
Total hip, knee, shoulder replacements
Injuries to the spine or neck
Other common injuries: Rotator cuff injuries, plantar fascitis, tennis elbow, patellofemoral syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, bursitis
Fractured or sprained joints
Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis
Incontinence
Vestibular Rehabilitation
Torticolis (infants & adults)
What does the assessment involve?
Detailed History (Subjective)
•History of the injury
•Health history (current, previous injuries)
•Medical record, medications, x-ray/ MRI reports, etc.
•Pain evaluation (rate you pain on a scale of 1-10)
Physical Assessment (Objective)
•Range of motion/ movement patterns
•Strength, endurance
•Reflexes, sensation
•Gait analysis (how you walk)
•Palpation (areas of pain)
From the assessment the physiotherapist determines a diagnosis and a treatment plan in partnership with the patient to accomplish their goals.
Treatment will begin the day of the assessment, and the patient will be given exercises with a handout to do until the next visit.
Do I need a doctor's referral?
No you do not need a doctor's referral for physiotherapy assessment and treatment. Your insurance company provider may however need a referral to reimburse you for the cost of treatment. Most insurance companies pay between 80-100% of treatment up to a certain amount per year.
What are the hours?
The Human Performance Centre physiotherapy/massage therapy clinic is open is open Monday, Wednesday, Friday 7:00am to 5:00pm and Tuesday, Thursday 8:00am to 7:00pm. Early morning and evening treatment appointment times are available to accommodate those who work.
The Human Performance Fitness Centre is open Monday to Thursday 6:30am to 10:00pm, Friday 6:30 to 8:00, Saturday 8:30 to 5:00, and Sunday 11:00 to 5:00.
How long will I have to wait to get an initial assessment?
HPC will try it's hardest to get you an assessment within 24hrs of contacting the clinic.
What do I need to bring to physiotherapy?
Wear clothes that allow access to the body part being assessed:
•Tank top/short sleeve shirt for neck, shoulder
•Shorts for back, hip, knee, ankle
•Doctors notes, x-ray/MRI/CAT scan reports
•Assistive devices: cane, crutches, walker, etc.
•Orthotics, running shoes
•Splints, braces
How long is each session?
The assessment lasts approximately one hour. Each session after that lasts between 30-60 minutes depending on if there is a gym component to your treatment plan.
How many treatments will be required to heal my injury?
After a thorough assessment, your physiotherapist will be able to give you an approximate length of treatment that will be required to meet your goals. The natural healing process of an injury depends on a number of factors:
•Severity of injury
•Area of body, or multiple body parts involved
•Previous injuries to that body part
•Medical history
•Activity level, healthy lifestyle
•Occupation (not resting the injured body part)
•Is the patient doing their exercises? Correcting their body posture? Avoiding certain positions? Using proper body mechanics?
•Severity of the injury prior to treatment
What does treatment involve?
Treatment can involve passive or active range of motion, manual therapy techniques, active assisted or repeated movements, stretches and massage. Physiotherapy can also include a number of modalities such as ultrasound, laser, TENS, IFC, moist heat, ice, and/or acupuncture. Treatment will include exercises that can be done at home, or at the gym. Exercises are reviewed and progressed or changed depending on how the patient is doing.
Will I have to do exercises?
Exercises will depend on the individual and what is required for their injury. Some individuals only need to do a few exercises to regain their range of motion, strength and function, while others need a detailed supervised exercise program. Our facility has a gym with a full time Kinesiologist that supervises the exercise program. The physiotherapist and Kinesiologist communicate and modify or progress the exercises as needed.
