Physiotherapy

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What is Physiotherapy?

Physiotherapists are primary health care professionals with a significant role in health promotion and treatment of injury and disease. They are ‘direct access’ health professionals that do not require a MD’s referral to book an appointment.

They combine their in-depth knowledge of the body and how it works with specialized hands-on clinical skills to assess, diagnose and treat symptoms of illness, injury or disability.

Physiotherapy is now a Master’s level program and therefore requires the physiotherapist to have completed a minimum of 6 years of University education which includes a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s in Science in Physiotherapy.

All physiotherapists registered to practice in Canada are qualified to provide safe and effective physiotherapy. They have met national entry-level education and practice standards, and have successfully passed a standardized physiotherapy competence examination prior to being registered with the college of physiotherapists in their province/territory.

What can Novo do for you?

Assessment

At Novo, our physiotherapists are highly trained in the various assessment techniques needed to determine the root cause of your individual problem. This focus on a proper initial evaluation is critical to resolving the patient’s pain and dysfunction. The therapist is given sufficient time to take a proper history and perform a physical examination that tests the mobility, strength and function of the body as a whole. This evaluation can include leading edge 3D body scanning technology and gait analysis that can identify dysfunction and also track the patient’s progress through treatment. After the assessment process is complete and the therapist has identified the structures causing the pain and dysfunction, the patient is given a thorough report of findings (ROF), educated on the body parts involved using anatomical models and diagrams so they can truly understand their injury. The treatment plan is provided to the patient so they have realistic expectations of their improvement and know the course of action that the therapist believes gives the best chance of success in resolving the issue.

Treatment

At Novo, we provide patient focused physiotherapy that utilizes a wide spectrum of treatment options that involve: • Manual Therapy- ‘Hands on’ therapy that can include massage, soft tissue release, joint mobilizations, joint manipulations and anything that includes the therapists using their hands to treat the patient. • Exercise prescription- patient specific exercises that allow the progression of healing and prevention of re-occurrence. • Education- crucial part of treatment is making sure the patient know what the treatment is doing, what they should be feeling, and what the desired outcome is. This allows the patient to be an active participant in the therapy, which is crucial for success. • Laser Therapy (see laser therapy section of services) • Dry Needling/Acupuncture (see services section) • Modalities (heat/ice/ultrasound/electrical stimulation)