Physiotherapy has evolved significantly over the past 10 years, and has developed into a medical service that plays a huge part in recovery and is essential in everybody’s life.
In the past, physiotherapy was typically limited to treating injuries such as a fractured bone, or for rehabilitation after a surgery, and would consist of supervised exercises and that weird “tingly shock” machine.
And, not surprisingly, people would wonder: “If I can do the exercises at home, why do I need to pay someone to watch me do it?”.
Physiotherapy is SO much more than just exercise
The way I like to think of the necessity of Physiotherapy following an injury, is comparable to learning to drive a car without a driving instructor.
Imagine your first day driving a car, but your driving instructor doesn’t show up. You are familiar with the car because you have sat in it often before, however, you have never been in the driver’s seat or had to navigate through traffic. So you think “Hey, I can probably figure this out”. It takes you 20 minutes to start the car because you don’t know where the key slot is. Then, you end up running through stop signs because you don’t know what they mean!
Recovery from an injury IS equally as complicated as learning to drive a car
As a Physiotherapist, we help guide you through the complexity towards a smooth recovery. Similarly to how a driving instructor will teach you the functioning of your car, what to do, what not to do, how to avoid being hit, as well as optimize your driving habits; your physiotherapist will explain your injury, reassure your concerns, inform you regarding activities that can hamper your recovery, and teach you exercises and habits that will speed up your recovery.
Additionally, with our thorough understanding of the body and its healing processes, we can diagnose biomechanical dysfunctions in the muscles/joints/nerves that are limiting your recovery. In fact, some studies have even shown that a physiotherapist’s clinical diagnosis can be even more accurate than the diagnosis from a radiological scan or a primary care physician!
After finding the problem, we can use specific manual therapy techniques to facilitate your recovery. Think of it as how your mechanic will fix your flat tire to improve your driving experience. Without this correction, going from point A to B in your recovery will not only be a rough ride, but you might not make it at all.
Over the course of your life, you will likely suffer from one or multiple injuries, each of which comes with its own challenges and pathways. Navigating through a multitude of injuries, you may need to learn how to drive a “car”, another time a “motorcycle”, and you might even extend to “watercrafts”. Lucky for you, our CAMPT-Certified physiotherapists have internationally recognized advanced assessment and treatment skills to appropriately manage injuries. CAMPT-Certified therapists, therefore, have the knowledge to pilot and, teach you to pilot, all these “vehicles”.
With this understanding, why do we automatically comprehend the essential nature of getting a driving instructor to learn driving, but not the importance of having a physiotherapist following a physical injury? We are talking about your health, and it deserves the best!
Our recommendations for a smooth recovery?
Book an assessment with a CAMPT-Certified Physiotherapist! Even if it is just one visit, you will come out understanding your injury, and with a clear plan of what road you need to take to get better.
And if you give it a chance, you might notice that your brakes are now adjusted, engine oiled, suspensions repaired and 100% ready for the road!
About Ryan Chan
Ryan cofounded Integral Performance Physio in 2018 to establish a practice providing a high standard in comprehensive, patient-centered, and evidence-based physical rehabilitation services. Ryan is a passionate physiotherapist with over 9 years of experience in orthopedic care treating in the field of sports injuries, spinal rehab, as well as everyday aches and pains. Following extensive post-graduate training in Ontario, Ryan has attained recognition in his advanced practice as a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physiotherapy (FCAMPT). Learn more about Ryan on Facebook, Instagram or his website.