The terms “physiotherapy” and “physical therapy” mean the same thing and are used interchangeably, as are the terms “physiotherapist” and “physical therapist”. The focus is on drug-free pain relief and maximum function.
The physiotherapy profession is a self-regulated and recognized health profession in Canada. Physiotherapists are primary care practitioners whereby clients may directly access their services. Physiotherapy is the art and science underlying movement and function, whereby physiotherapists make clinical judgements and apply their skills to develop a client’s functional abilities. Physiotherapists have the opportunity to develop expanded skills and advanced competence through experience, additional post-graduate education and training, continuing professional development and research.
Physiotherapists address orthopedic, neurological, cardiopulmonary and cardiac problems among infants, children, adults and geriatric populations. Some of the orthopedic disorders treated are sports injuries, fractures, joint disorders, amputation, back and neck pain, arthritis and post-operative conditions. Intervention involves therapeutic exercise to improve strength, range of motion and endurance, joint mobilisation to reduce stiffness and modalities to relieve pain.
Neurological disorders such as strokes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy and spinal cord injury make up a great percentage of a physiotherapist’s caseload. For children suffering from cerebral palsy, physiotherapy is essential in helping to reduce spasticity and deformity, improve postural control, train the child to use assistive devices and do all that is necessary to maximise the child’s functional independence. We will also educate the family so they can help carryover what the child has learned during therapy sessions.
How Physiotherapy Helps
Our advanced therapies and techniques incorporate postural integrated strengthening in order to enhance core strength, improve posture, reduce risk of injury and accelerate performance. Physiotherapy focuses on restoring and maintaining a healthy level of function by:
- Reducing pain and inflammation
- Promote break down of scar tissue of fibrotic adhesions
- Improving joint (including spinal) range of movement and flexibility
- Increasing functional strength and plyometric power
- Designing rehabilitation programs for return to sport retraining
- Improving balance, stability and proprioception
- Pre and Post operative conditioning and rehabilitation
- Treating chronic pain and neurologically related syndromes
Physiotherapy Treatments
- Injury due to sports
- Workplace accident (WSIB claim)
- Motor vehicle accident
- Headaches
- Chronic condition causing discomfort, reduced movement or making exercise difficult, e.g Cancer, Stroke, MS, Parkinson’s or Osteoporosis
- Joint, shoulder, back and neck pain
- Need for pre-operative or post-operative rehabilitation
- Reduced joint mobility and muscle strength
- Desire for better physical health – improved exercise, better fitness and improved posture and strength
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy is beneficial in improving the symptoms of a variety of pelvic floor dysfunctions. Incontinence, urinary frequency/urgency, constipation, dyspareunia (painful intercourse), pudendal nerve irritation, pelvic girdle pain and post partum assessment are a few of many issues that can be helped and treated with the aid of Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy.