Sometimes, all a person needs is to sit down with a physiotherapist and ask key questions before making the decision to invest time in physiotherapy. Unless you know one personally, the only way to get one-on-one time with a physiotherapist is to schedule an appointment. The next best thing to talking directly with a physiotherapist is to get your questions answered through reading real interviews with real physiotherapists.
Each month, a physiotherapist who is part of the team at Elite Sports Injury Physiotherapy Clinics carefully answers questions readers want answers for. Have you ever wondered…
- What to look for in a physiotherapist?
- What to wear to a physiotherapy session?
- How long it takes for physiotherapy to work?
You’ll find answers to these questions and more below.
Elite Sports Injury Physiotherapy Clinic PT Paula Sather Answers Your Questions
Q) If you ever personally needed physiotherapy, what 3 qualities would you want your physiotherapist to have?
A) I would want a physiotherapist to be…
- Personable – I think feeling comfortable with your physiotherapist is key. It helps to create a healthy bond and promotes trust. Also, sometimes patients get to have great conversations with a PT along with treatment!
- Driven – Some injuries and conditions are trickier than others. If one form or style of treatment doesn’t work, I would hope that a physiotherapist would be willing to try other forms of treatment to discover what works for the patient. In other words, they need to go the extra mile for patients. This assures patients that the physiotherapists they are working with truly care about them and what’s going on in their bodies.
- A good communicator – There has been research done to show that understanding your injury or condition can actually reduce pain! If you understand what’s happening with your injury/condition, it helps to ease stress and anxiety and gives reason as to why physiotherapists tend to prescribe so many exercises. A great physiotherapist will be able to provide this information to a patient.
Q) A common question from potential physiotherapy patients is “how long does it take for physiotherapy to work?”. What is your response to this question?
A) I would respond to this question with another question: “how long have you been experiencing your issue?” If a patient has had an issue for a few years or more, it’s going to take a long time for it to work. Physiotherapists are trying to unravel years of problems. If a patient sustained an injury yesterday, that’s a different story. There is a whole process the body has to go through to heal itself, and physiotherapy is there to guide it through the process as quickly and smoothly as possible. For a newly injured individual, this generally takes a few months. In the world of physiotherapy, that’s quick.
Q) What should a patient wear to a physiotherapy session?
A) If your issue is on the lower body, wear shorts. If it’s on the upper body, wear a tank top or loose-fitting shirt. If you are having issues with running, then bring some running shoes.
Q) What is the most common question you hear from your patients?
A) “Will this ever go away?” To this I reply that nothing is ever guaranteed! Some injuries can cause permanent issues. Most times, physiotherapists don’t know if an issue will fully resolve until a patient goes through the motions of treatment. This is why exercise/home programming is so important. The purpose of it is to prevent worsening of symptoms and help patients maintain functionality and quality of life.
Q) What type of specialties exist within the field of physiotherapy?
A) So many! Anywhere from physiotherapy for the hand or jaw, physiotherapy for babies, and physiotherapy for dogs and horses. Some physiotherapists have even received training in medical yoga therapy. Other physiotherapists can manipulate joints and do acupuncture. When it comes to physiotherapist specializations, the sky is the limit.
Q) Prospective PT patients often get overwhelmed when seeking out a physiotherapist or PT clinic if they have not been referred to one by their doctor. How should someone go about choosing a physiotherapy clinic?
A) Word of mouth is big. Ask friends or family where they have had positive physiotherapy experiences and go from there. Be sure to check out a physiotherapy clinic’s philosophy and see if it suits what you are looking for!
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Are you seeking an amazing team of physiotherapists near Winnipeg? If so, reach out to Paula and her fellow PTs at Elite Sports Injury Physiotherapy Clinics. Elite offers…
- Comprehensive physiotherapy services
- Massage therapy
- An online exercise library
- And much more!
In what ways do you hope to benefit from physiotherapy?
Key takeaways from Paula’s interview:
1) The length of time it takes a physiotherapy patient to recover depends on the type of injury he or she has.
2) There are physiotherapists equipped to meet your needs, no matter how unique they may be.
3) Ask friends and family for referrals to great physiotherapists. But, remember that in Canada you don’t need a doctor’s referral to see a PT.