Whether you are looking into physiotherapy for personal interest, or your doctor has recommended it to you, choosing the right physiotherapist for you can greatly influence your experience and success. Here are some tips from our physiotherapists at Motion Works Physiotherapy Stittsville for recommendations on how to find the best fit for you!
How to Find the Right Clinic First?
Before you can decide on a physiotherapist, you have to find a physiotherapy clinic.
One of the most important factors to consider when looking for the right physiotherapist, is where the clinic is located. Is it near your home? Your work? Somewhere in between? This decision can impact your ability to adhere to your physiotherapist’s treatment plan. When you first begin physiotherapy, oftentimes your physiotherapist will want to see you up to 1-2 times a week, depending on your ailment & needs. If the clinic is too far, this may make it difficult for you to achieve your goals.
Additionally, what are the hours of the clinic? If the clinic hours do not suit your current schedule, it may make it difficult for you to book your appointments. This can also lead to difficulty maintaining your sessions and the expectations of your treatment plan.
Are you seeking a particular service within the physiotherapy scope of practice (i.e. Pelvic Floor, Sports, Orthopedics, Neurological, Exercise Rehab with appropriate equipment)? It is also important to consider if the clinic offers any specialized services you may need.
A flexible weekly schedule is not the norm to many, so ensuring the clinic can suit your needs is an important first step when deciding on a physiotherapist.
How to Choose the Right Physiotherapist?
Now that you have decided on a physiotherapy clinic, you need to choose a physiotherapist at the clinic.
Being comfortable throughout your physiotherapy treatment is a top priority to ensure you receive the best care. How you get along with your physiotherapist can influence how comfortable you feel during your sessions, and if they're right for you. There are two things to consider when you first choose a specific physiotherapist as your provider.
- One: How knowledgeable is the physiotherapist? Depending on what you are receiving treatment for, it may suit you better to find a physiotherapist who specializes in your injury or body part. Physiotherapists can train to develop more knowledge to treat conditions like concussions, TMJ, or pelvic floor. They can also train to use tools like dry needling and acupuncture. Depending on your condition, having a specialized background may influence if this physiotherapist is the right choice for you.
- Two: Do I get along with my physiotherapist? Feeling comfortable with your physiotherapist is important for ensuring your sessions are a positive experience. As well, it can make it easier for you to relax when they perform manual therapy (hands-on care) during the sessions. While your physiotherapist's education is important, your comfort level with them is equally as important.
How Long Does A Physiotherapy Session Last?
Understanding how the clinic, and your physiotherapist schedule your sessions is important to consider when finding the right one for you. This includes how long the sessions will last. The length of a physiotherapy session depends on a couple of factors. The initial assessment is typically an hour long. This gives the physiotherapist enough time to ask questions about the injury or condition, and any relevant medical history. Once they have completed this step, they will often begin treatment during this session as well.
After the initial assessment, your physiotherapist will be able to identify how often you need treatment, and how long you can expect the sessions to be. Your physiotherapist will take into consideration the condition being treated, and the tools being used to help with your treatment plan (manual therapy, needling, electrotherapy, gym, etc.). With these in mind, a typical physiotherapy session may last anywhere from 30-60 minutes.
Knowing how long your sessions will be can help you ensure you pick the correct appointment times to suit your schedule. This will affect your overall experience with physiotherapy, and can help you decide if the physiotherapist is the right choice for you.
Our Clinic's Approach
At Motion Works Physiotherapy Stittsville we strive to offer the best care for our clients we possibly can. Here are the ways we ensure we do so:
- Through evidence-based and quality physiotherapy care.
- Education is a key component of our treatment plans. We believe you need to understand what is going on, what is the source of your problem, and how YOU can fix it.
- We treat female pelvic health, sports, osteopathy, and orthopedic (joint, muscle, bone, tissue) related issues, including those occurring in motor vehicle accidents. We also offer specialized training for concussions.
- We work in a large clinic space, with private treatment rooms and extensive rehab gym area.
- Our assessments last 60 minutes, and are one-on-one with a physiotherapist.
- Follow-up sessions are based on our assessment findings and goals, but last typically 30-60 minutes, one-on-one with your physiotherapist.
- We develop exercise programs & complete screening assessments for helping you prepare for your sport, hobbies, and health.
- Our physiotherapists make individualized treatment plans - based on your goals & our assessment findings.
- We are also life-long students ourselves, who love to learn more! We are always staying on top of current research, and attending local and national courses to bring you the most up to date care.
- We always look forward to welcoming you and helping you 'Get Active and Feel Great' at our Stittsville location!