You want to learn how physiotherapy can help you.
It’s always surprising to us that many people don’t know what a physiotherapist does or have a false impression of what they do. Why all the confusion? Perhaps it’s because the scopes of practice for many healthcare providers (physiotherapy, massage therapy, chiropractic, etc) have some similarities and therefore assumptions are made that all of these professionals are the same? Maybe someone you know had a bad experience with a physiotherapist thus causing a bad impression through word of mouth? Regardless of the reason, let’s have a look at what a physiotherapist is and how they can help you.
Physiotherapists are university trained, primary health care professionals with a vast knowledge of the human body and how it works. Currently, all Canadian physiotherapy programs are offered at a Master’s (Graduate) level. Physiotherapists are considered primary health care professionals because they are regulated and their services can be accessed directly without needing a referral from a medical doctor. Using their knowledge of anatomy and physiology, in addition to their specialized hands-on clinical skills, physiotherapists assess, diagnose and provide treatment to help restore movement and function to their clients as well as relieving pain.
Physiotherapists can be of great benefit to individuals of all ages and abilities. They can assist people by preventing and treating sports injuries, restoring range of motion in joints, increasing strength, coordination and balance, or just settling the aches and pains after a weekend of increased activity. If you are living with chronic pain or disability, recovering from a stroke or cardiac event, or dealing with a workplace or motor vehicle injury, physiotherapists can assist in the healing process with hands-on treatment techniques and education. Physiotherapists can also use physical modalities and prescribe exercises to help you in your recovery. Physiotherapists have a varied skill set to assist clients in improving their function and decreasing their pain.
If you are still wondering if a physiotherapist can be of benefit to you, feel free to contact us.