At your first visit you will be asked to complete a brief health survey so your therapist can fully understand the big picture surrounding your mobility issue. For regulatory reasons, we require your consent to complete our assessment prior to starting the physical exam.
Your therapist will start by asking you some questions about your health and your mobility issues. Once they have gathered enough information, the physical examination will start. This involves demonstrating your physical abilities for standing, walking, balancing and moving in different directions. This allows the therapist to observe how your body moves in different ways before they begin the hands-on assessment. You may be asked to expose the body part that is affected and your therapist may ask to move your joints and touch your muscles.
Once the therapist has determined the source of your problem, they will begin by educating you about the diagnosis and potential treatment options. Depending on the severity of your movement issue you may be required to begin treatment on the same day as your initial consultation. This will be discussed with you so you are comfortable with any treatment decisions that are made.
Physiotherapy treatment can involve using one or more of the following interventions:
- Manual mobilization of the joints, spine, tendons, muscles and fascia.
- Exercise therapy that targets areas of pain, weakness and tightness.
- Thermo and cryotherapy treatments (use of hot and cold) to help improve circulation, promote healing, and decrease problems with swelling, edema and lymphatic drainage.
- Massage treatments to target specific areas of tightness to aid in healing and muscular performance
- Other forms of treatments and therapies based on your specific needs can include acupuncture, custom orthotics, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, vestibular rehab, pelvic examination among others.
