What is a Physiotherapist?

Rachel Onishi is a staff physiotherapist at ISM Rehab. She went to University of Waterloo for Health Studies. While completing her undergraduate degree she was considering medical school at the time. She decided to volunteer at the physiotherapy clinic in her 3rd year of undergraduate study, and from that experience she decided that physiotherapy was the career she wanted to follow. She successfully applied to Queen’s University with a Master’s in Physical Therapy. Following graduation, she worked in private practice and community clinics.

What do Physiotherapists Do?

I enjoy working in physiotherapy, as it is a very rewarding profession in terms of working with people and helping achieve their functional goals.
​
Physiotherapists are primary care providers – which means that patients can directly access physiotherapists without requiring a referral. Often patients receive a referral from a physician’s office; however, this is usually for insurance purposes to allow for coverage of the physiotherapy visit from the patient’s extended health care benefits.
This includes:

• New Assessments and Follow-up Assessments (physio history, physical, can be trained additionally to interpret imaging results)
• Therapeutic Treatments may involve:
  • Manual Therapy – hands on, mobilizations (moving a joint passively) and manipulations, soft tissue work
  • Modalities – TENS machine, Interferential current, muscular stimulation, biofeedback, heat, ice, ultrasound therapy, taping, laser therapy, shockwave which help decrease pain and/or swelling, and improve healing
  • Exercise Prescription
  • Patient Education

Description of Physiotherapy in Canada, page 3, 2012 edition

Acupuncture, among treatment modalities, manual therapy and exercise prescriptions are ways physiotherapists help to improve patients’ physical function

---

Specialties and Areas of Focus in Physiotherapy

here are different areas a physiotherapist can work in:

• Physiotherapists in respiratory rehabilitation / pulmonary rehabilitation: these physiotherapists may work with patients who are suffering from issues such as COPD, emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
• Physiotherapists in cardiovascular rehabilitation may work with patients who are recovering from a heart attack, heart surgery or other heart conditions.
• Physiotherapists in neuro rehabilitation may work with patients in hospital and in the community who may be recovering from a stroke, spinal cord injury, acquired brain injury, or suffering from conditions such as Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis and ALS.
• Physiotherapists in MSK / Orthopaedics / Sports Medicine  see patients with a variety of conditions which may include such sprains, strains, soft tissue tears, arthritis, fractures, and post- operative conditions to name a few.  They may also treat people with sports injuries, workplace injuries, or post motor vehicle accident injuries.
• Paediatrics
• Wound Care
• Women’s Health
• Critical Care
• Occupational Health
• Education and research

Continuing Education for Physiotherapists

Learning does not stop after physiotherapy school. There are many continuing education courses that physiotherapists can complete, and many different directions a physiotherapist can go in to focus their practice.
For example, these special skills workshops go beyond what is taught in physiotherapy school, some of these courses is just on a weekend, a few weeks, or some a few years. Here are a few examples of some special skills workshops:

• Acupuncture
• Manual therapy courses (i.e. Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physiotherapy: CAMPT manippt.org/)
• NDT for adults with stroke, brain injury and other neuromotor
• Pelvic Health (urinary incontinence, pelvic pain, post and pre-natal care)
• Vestibular Rehab (e.g. dizziness, vertigo)
• Active Release Therapy
• Concussion Rehab
• Golf Rehab
• Taping
• Wound Care

Rachel providing supervision and direction to Yuki, a McMaster Physiotherapy student