What is a Physiotherapist and how can they help me?

Having been a physiotherapist for a number of years, it is still surprising to me that many people don’t know what a physiotherapist does or have a false impression of what they do. Why is there all this confusion? First of all, it is true that the scopes of practice of many healthcare professionals (physiotherapy, massage therapy, chiropractic, osteopathy, etc) have some similarities and therefore assumptions are made that all these professionals are the same. Could it also be that through word of mouth, an acquaintance had a bad experience with a physiotherapist thus causing a bad impression in the minds of others? Regardless of the reason, let’s breakdown what a physiotherapist is and how they can be helpful.

A physiotherapist is a university trained, primary health care professional with a vast knowledge of how the human body works. All physiotherapy programs offered in Canada have now been converted from a Bachelor program (Undergraduate) to a Master’s level (Graduate) program. Physiotherapists are considered primary health care professionals because they are regulated and people can access their services directly without needing a referral from a medical doctor. Physiotherapists use their knowledge of anatomy and physiology, in addition to specialized hands-on clinical skills, to assess, diagnose and provide treatment to help restore movement and function in 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. They are able to prescribe assistive devices as well as help set up user friendly home and work environments. 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 send us a message or comment to this post.

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Jason Bellefleur

Jason Bellefleur is a multi-award-winning physiotherapist. Most recently, he was recognized as a 2016 Ottawa Forty Under 40 recipient and received numerous awards from the Orléans Chamber of Commerce (the 2011 Young Business Person of the Year, the 2012 Healthcare Professional of the Year and the 2014 Business Person of the Year awards). Jason is proud to be an Orléans resident and to raise his family in a bilingual community. He enthusiastically promotes local business within the Orléans area and frequently supports and participates in local events. Jason was recognized for his community involvement by receiving the Orleans 150 Community Builder award in 2017 by Ottawa-Orléans MPP Marie-France Lalonde. Jason firmly believes in high-quality one-on-one physiotherapy interventions. His treatment approach emphasizes hands-on intervention, continued client education, and active involvement by the individual to help them reach their full potential. By opening a clinic that offers 'Higher Standards of Care,' Jason wants his patients to feel confident that they receive the highest level of patient care available. As a result, he is also preventing injury and helping to improve their health and well-being.