Physiotherapy treatments can help you achieve your goals of relieving pain, restoring physical function and improving mobility to resume activities of daily living (ADLs). Some ADL rehabilitation involves maintaining personal hygiene, managing continence, dressing, walking, and feeding. Also, improved coping in doing ADLs helps people to remain as independent as possible. 

Other physical therapy functions include conducting a physical examination and assessment, diagnosis, patient education, prognosis, physical intervention, rehabilitation, health promotion, and disease prevention.

Physiotherapy or physical therapy can help improve movement, reduce pain, speed up the healing process, and increase quality of life. This can include, but are not limited to: 

• back and knee pain
• neck pain
• joint pain
• aches, sprains, and other soft tissue injuries
• arthritis
• urinary and bowel incontinence
• recovery from broken bones
• neurological conditions like Parkinson’s Disease or multiple sclerosis
• developmental delays in children
• chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis
• mobility and rehabilitation after surgery or a stroke
• occupational health and safety

To work as a physiotherapist in Canada, you must register with the province’s regulatory body and hold at the bare minimum a bachelor’s degree from a recognized University.

If you have an injury or condition that may affect how you function daily, you should go to physiotherapy. For example, after a heart attack or stroke, you can visit a physiotherapist for passive and active range-of-motion (ROM) exercises and strengthening. Passive ROM exercises are used to regain flexibility and mobility in muscles. These exercises are used to strengthen the communication between the brain and body for increased movement.

For relieving pain, physiotherapists have treatments involving acupuncture treatment, potentially recommending orthotics and custom knee braces management, compression stockings education, whiplash treatment (due to motor vehicle accident or other trauma), concussion management, and sports injury management. 

When you visit a physiotherapy clinic near you, a physical therapist (PT) should provide you with individualized prescribed exercises (in the form of drawings or videos) for your home exercise program.

A physiotherapist or physical therapist can do many types of treatments. The PT can decide which types of treatments will be most effective for your condition. 

Achieving your goals is easier with these treatments provided by professionals. Some of the physiotherapy clinics’ treatments involve soft and deep tissue massage therapy, trigger point therapy, dry needling, joint mobilizations, and postural corrections.

You will fill out a comprehensive intake form when you book an appointment. When you arrive at the physiotherapy clinic, you may also be required to fill out other questionnaires related to your specific injury or condition. The physiotherapist will interview you for a detailed medical history. 

The physiotherapist will then observe your flexibility and check for pain on some basic movements like standing, sitting, or lying down. In other words, provide a thorough physical examination. 

This assessment will allow the physiotherapy and rehabilitation provider to develop a specific treatment plan for you. Wear clothing where your limbs can easily be observed, such as shorts and a T-shirt.

Yes, physiotherapy is covered by insurance under extended healthcare plans (EHP), BC Medical Services Plan (MSP for those who qualify), and health trusts, covering the cost of medically-necessary rehabilitation services. Depending on your income, you should check if you are eligible for these insurances prior to coming in for your first visit. Also, registered physiotherapists in BC have services that are covered under these plans, which are tax-deductible. If you have an extended healthcare plan, it’s always recommended that you check with them how much coverage you have for physiotherapy prior to your initial assessment.

Bring your insurance plan information to facilitate direct billing with your insurance company. The cost of physiotherapy is varied in Canada. In BC, private initial assessment and treatment cost ranges from CA$ 90 – CA$ 145. Subsequent visits to a private health practitioner or physical therapist usually range from CA$ 85 – CA$ 140 per session. Active rehabilitation or exercises costs CA$ 80 per session. All of these costs may be full or partially covered by your insurance provider. 

Depending on your injury and treatment, onsite and virtual physiotherapy appointments may take anywhere from 30 min to 60 min depending on your unique situation. Sessions include one-on-one therapy, a supervised exercise or other treatment modality, and physiotherapy advice. 

If you are not sure how long to book your initial assessment, please contact us to find out more information.

For different types of back pain, such as non-specific lower back pain, sciatic pain, or spinal stenosis — a physiotherapist may recommend a treatment plan that will likely include education around your condition, a home based exercise program, and self-management techniques. Your unique treatment plan may involve manual therapy, movement exercises, and progressive strengthening exercises. 

Manual therapy uses hands or other tools to relieve pain and stiffness, improve joints and muscles’ movement, and potentially enhance muscles’ strength. Movement exercises include those exercises that restore motion. If you have low back chronic pain, progressive strengthening exercises that focus on core stability can also help.

Some conditions do not resolve by themselves. Daily physiotherapy exercises assist in strengthening the muscles, reducing stiffness and pain. It really depends on the unique situation you have. When you come for your initial assessment, your physiotherapist will outline a custom treatment plan outlining exactly the recommendations, exercises, self management techniques, and expectations of what you should do on a daily basis between appointments.

Licensed physiotherapists and physical therapists do not require a prescription for physiotherapy treatment. Physiotherapists are considered Primary Health Professionals since 1995. As such, these health care professionals may be visited without a referral from a physician.

However, in regards to your extended healthcare insurance coverage, we always recommend that the best practice is to contact your insurance provider prior to your initial assessment. Although it is a rare situation, some insurance plans require a doctor’s note for your physiotherapy sessions to be covered by your extended healthcare insurance provider.

Physiotherapy may treat any part of the body, from head to toe. Registered physiotherapists manage cardiovascular, skeletal, pulmonary, sensory and other systems and parts of the body. In particular, their specialized training enables them to assess and evaluate the most common problems such as chronic back pain, neck pain, fractures, strains, or sprains, concussions, and vertigo, which may require emergency treatment.

There are many treatments like pelvic floor physiotherapy, sports physiotherapy for sports injuries, naturopathic medicine treatments, laser therapy, acupuncture treatment, massage therapy, assessment and fitting for custom orthotics, and relief from chronic pain because of workplace injury incidents.

Take note that each treatment plan or outcome is unique per client, and proper assessment and evaluation should be practiced. Some illnesses require more aggressive treatment, while some conditions may go away in a short time. 

Usually, the therapists follow a holistic treatment plan where evaluation and recommendation for follow-up diagnostics are required. Follow-up diagnostic exams may be required when changes occur to rule out other illnesses, which may react adversely to the specific therapies. Also, monitoring and advice on lifestyle changes may prevent any possible worsening of these particular conditions. 

Seeking a physiotherapist (in Vancouver or Port Coquitlam, BC) for these ailments, including workplace injuries, motor vehicle accidents, concussion, or sports injuries, may help you manage your pain or improve your overall mobility. For some, working with a physiotherapist may lead to early diagnosis and treatment of a more serious injury or condition which may require medical intervention, medical imaging or referral to a medical specialist.

Physiotherapy or physical therapy focuses on how the body moves and functions. A large part of what a physiotherapist does includes teaching and prescribing rehabilitation exercises. A registered physiotherapist, or physiotherapy professional focuses on physiotherapy treatment (to improve joint mobility and pain, restore physical function, and relieve pain) in a clinic (therapy clinic and sports clinic).

If injured areas of the body can’t be moved due to sports or workplace injuries, motor vehicle accidents, chronic pain, women’s health and chronic disease to name a few, there will be decreased blood flow to the area of concern. Increased blood flow is vital as it transports bodily fluids necessary for healing. By visiting physical therapists who provide physiotherapy care near you, one can expect improvements in their overall health and human function.

Physiotherapy services are covered by Extended Health Care Insurance Plans, including telemedicine (telerehab, virtual physiotherapy or online physiotherapy). However, visiting a physiotherapy clinic located near you for in-person care may be the best option for seeking the services of a registered physical therapist because of the need for specialized space and equipment.

This is really dependent on the reason for seeking treatment. A physiotherapist may recommend anywhere from once every two weeks to up to three times a week.

In-person visits or online consultations depend on the severity of the illness or condition. For example, if you had a minor sprain while jogging, this condition may go away in a few weeks. However, if you had a severe motor vehicle accident, you may spend more time for treatments and rehabilitation. 

For pain relief or other treatments, book an appointment at our physiotherapy clinic near you.