1. What is physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is a form of health care that prevents, identifies, corrects and alleviates acute or prolonged movement dysfunction. The primary objective of physiotherapy is to promote optimum health and function. It is one of the oldest healthcare professions, and an important part of total health care.
Canadian Physiotherapy Association
Physiotherapy is a major healthcare profession practiced by university-educated, highly trained individuals who are active members of the health care team. Physiotherapy is a key to mobility, an independent lifestyle and wellness.
Canadian Physiotherapy Association
2. What is a physiotherapist / physical therapist?
A physiotherapist is a rehabilitation expert dedicated to drug-free pain control and to working with patients to achieve maximum return to function and recovery from injury.
3. What do physiotherapists do?
Physiotherapists test and measure the functioning of the musculo-skeletal, neurological, pulmonary and cardiovascular systems; and treat physical problems caused by illness, injury or birth defect. While much of physiotherapy is rehabilitation from injury or illness, physiotherapists prefer to practice preventive health care.
Canadian Physiotherapy Association
Physiotherapists are key members of the healthcare team. They work in close co-operation with physicians, psychologists, educators, and a variety of health care professionals.
Canadian Physiotherapy Association
4. In what areas do physiotherapists practice?
Physiotherapists practice in many different clinical areas including:
5. Where do physiotherapists work?
Physiotherapists are employed in a broad range of settings: acute and extended care hospitals; rehabilitation and mental health centers; private clinics; government and community agencies; educational institutions; sports and recreation centres; and business and industry.
Ontario Physiotherapy Association
Physiotherapists practice in many different settings including:
6. What education do physiotherapists have?
Physiotherapists are university educated professionals. The physiotherapy programme at most universities in Canada has recently converted to a professional master's degree requiring two years of university, after having already completed a four year undergraduate programme with the relevant prerequisite courses.
In Canada there are physiotherapy programmes at Dalhousie, McGill University, University of Ottawa, Queen's University, University of Toronto, McMaster, University of Western Ontario, University of Manitoba, University of Saskatchewan, University of Alberta, and University of British Colombia.
Of interest, there is a school of physiotherapy for visually impaired students in England.
During the course of their university programme, students do internships in clinical settings, just like physicians do, in order to gain clinical skills.
After successfully completing a master's degree, prospective physiotherapists must pass a national exam, with both written and practical components, in order to qualify to practice as a physiotherapist.
After beginning practice, physiotherapists further their knowledge and clinical skills by taking continuing education courses on an ongoing basis.
Physiotherapists can also obtain a research master's degree and a doctoral degree.
7. How do I find a good physiotherapist?
It is difficult for members of the public to know which physiotherapists are “good” ones. Word of mouth can certainly be useful. Ask your friends, neighbours, and family physician, etc. if they have any experience with a good physiotherapist.
Once you contact a specific physiotherapy clinic, don't be afraid to ask the reception staff how long your prospective physiotherapist has been practicing, what areas of special interest they have, or if you could see a copy of their curriculum vitae which should include a list of their continuing education courses.
8. Do I need a referral to see a physiotherapist?
. They are primary care practitioners – that means they don't need a referral from a physician or anyone else to see a patient. Patients can go directly to a physiotherapist of their own accord.
There are only two situations in which a patient needs a referral from a physician in order to see a physiotherapist:
9. What are the benefits of physiotherapy?
Physiotherapists focus first and foremost on resolving pain, stabilizing an injury or condition and preventing it from getting worse. Then we focus on restoring strength, movement and function as much as possible. Our ultimate goal is to enable our patients to manage their own physical well-being independently.
The sooner the treatment of an injury or condition begins, the better. Early intervention prevents a condition from becoming chronic, keeps muscle and other soft tissue structures from weakening through disuse, speeds healing and, above all, increases the chances of full recovery.
Physiotherapy is a form of health care that prevents, identifies, corrects and alleviates acute or prolonged movement dysfunction. The primary objective of physiotherapy is to promote optimum health and function. It is one of the oldest healthcare professions, and an important part of total health care.
Canadian Physiotherapy Association
Physiotherapy is a major healthcare profession practiced by university-educated, highly trained individuals who are active members of the health care team. Physiotherapy is a key to mobility, an independent lifestyle and wellness.
Canadian Physiotherapy Association
2. What is a physiotherapist / physical therapist?
A physiotherapist is a rehabilitation expert dedicated to drug-free pain control and to working with patients to achieve maximum return to function and recovery from injury.
3. What do physiotherapists do?
Physiotherapists test and measure the functioning of the musculo-skeletal, neurological, pulmonary and cardiovascular systems; and treat physical problems caused by illness, injury or birth defect. While much of physiotherapy is rehabilitation from injury or illness, physiotherapists prefer to practice preventive health care.
Canadian Physiotherapy Association
Physiotherapists are key members of the healthcare team. They work in close co-operation with physicians, psychologists, educators, and a variety of health care professionals.
Canadian Physiotherapy Association
4. In what areas do physiotherapists practice?
Physiotherapists practice in many different clinical areas including:
- Orthopaedics – e.g. arthritic knee, sore back, post total hip replacement surgery
- Sports injuries – e.g. sprained ankle, rotator cuff tendonitis, post knee ligament surgery
- Neurology –e.g. strokes, diseases like Parkinson's and Multiple Sclerosis
- Paediatrics – e.g. developmental disabilities like Cerebral Palsy, and orthopaedic problems like torticollis
- Cardiac Rehab – e.g. after a heart attack
- Respiratory – e.g. Cystic Fibrosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, heart and lung transplants
- Physical Medicine – e.g. amputees, spinal cord injuries
5. Where do physiotherapists work?
Physiotherapists are employed in a broad range of settings: acute and extended care hospitals; rehabilitation and mental health centers; private clinics; government and community agencies; educational institutions; sports and recreation centres; and business and industry.
Ontario Physiotherapy Association
Physiotherapists practice in many different settings including:
- Hospitals – e.g. H.D.H. clinics, K.G.H. inpatients, St. Mary's of the Lake inpatients and outpatients
- Private practice
- those partially funded by O.H.I.P. e.g. Blaser's
- those with no O.H.I.P. funding
- Long term care
- publicly owned e.g. Rideaucrest Home
- privately owned e.g. Helen Henderson Care Centre
- Home care – e.g. Community Care Access Centre funded by the provincial government
- Corporate settings– none in Kingston with physiotherapists
- Schools – e.g. Child Development Centre out of H.D.H. serves local schools
- Community clinics– none in Kingston with physiotherapists
- Prisons – e.g. Kingston Penitentiary
- The Canadian Forces – e.g. C.F.B. Kingston, the Royal Military College
- Research – e.g. Queen's University
- Academic – e.g. Queen's University
- Third World Countries – e.g. with the Canadian International Development Agency (C.I.D.A.)
6. What education do physiotherapists have?
Physiotherapists are university educated professionals. The physiotherapy programme at most universities in Canada has recently converted to a professional master's degree requiring two years of university, after having already completed a four year undergraduate programme with the relevant prerequisite courses.
In Canada there are physiotherapy programmes at Dalhousie, McGill University, University of Ottawa, Queen's University, University of Toronto, McMaster, University of Western Ontario, University of Manitoba, University of Saskatchewan, University of Alberta, and University of British Colombia.
Of interest, there is a school of physiotherapy for visually impaired students in England.
During the course of their university programme, students do internships in clinical settings, just like physicians do, in order to gain clinical skills.
After successfully completing a master's degree, prospective physiotherapists must pass a national exam, with both written and practical components, in order to qualify to practice as a physiotherapist.
After beginning practice, physiotherapists further their knowledge and clinical skills by taking continuing education courses on an ongoing basis.
Physiotherapists can also obtain a research master's degree and a doctoral degree.
7. How do I find a good physiotherapist?
It is difficult for members of the public to know which physiotherapists are “good” ones. Word of mouth can certainly be useful. Ask your friends, neighbours, and family physician, etc. if they have any experience with a good physiotherapist.
Once you contact a specific physiotherapy clinic, don't be afraid to ask the reception staff how long your prospective physiotherapist has been practicing, what areas of special interest they have, or if you could see a copy of their curriculum vitae which should include a list of their continuing education courses.
8. Do I need a referral to see a physiotherapist?
. They are primary care practitioners – that means they don't need a referral from a physician or anyone else to see a patient. Patients can go directly to a physiotherapist of their own accord.
There are only two situations in which a patient needs a referral from a physician in order to see a physiotherapist:
- if they are seeing a physiotherapist in a public hospital. (The Public Hospitals Act has not kept pace with current legislation governing physiotherapists and still requires a physician's referral to render physiotherapy services to a patient.)
- A physiotherapist must assess each one of their patients and make their own conclusion about the physical findings. Physiotherapists, not the physician, are responsible for the assessment, reassessments and treatments, even if the patient was referred to the physiotherapist by a physician.
9. What are the benefits of physiotherapy?
Physiotherapists focus first and foremost on resolving pain, stabilizing an injury or condition and preventing it from getting worse. Then we focus on restoring strength, movement and function as much as possible. Our ultimate goal is to enable our patients to manage their own physical well-being independently.
The sooner the treatment of an injury or condition begins, the better. Early intervention prevents a condition from becoming chronic, keeps muscle and other soft tissue structures from weakening through disuse, speeds healing and, above all, increases the chances of full recovery.