With the growth of the Internet, we now have at our fingertips an enormous and almost inconceivable amount of knowledge. There is no question that the Internet cannot answer! However, this does not mean that everything is true. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who do take what’s posted on the web as fact. It would take years to compile all of the false information out there so we will not be providing that today. But, we would, however, like to share a few of the more reputable sources for accurate and up-to-date health care information.
- WebMD.com – A great resource for health related information and tools. They have expert medical practitioners on their staff that review all the published content and take extra measure to make sure they are providing credible information.
- MedlinePlus.com – Through its extensive research database it provides the most up-to-date information on most health care topics with easy to use navigation tools, videos, illustrations, and dictionary of medical terms.
- MayoClinic.org – Is a website that produces content provided by more than 3,300 physicians, scientists and researchers with ties to the world renown Mayo Clinic.
- Education.physiowinnipeg.com – Okay, so we had to put our website on this list! After all we provide a great resource of information on orthopedic injuries, women’s health issues, and health tips. Our education section provides excellent illustrations, how-to guides, and even surgical explanations. Check it out, we think you will be impressed!
As physiotherapists we often have patients that will self-diagnosis or even self-treat due to health care information that they found online, even from these reputable sources. At times the patients have been correct and have performed the right stretches or exercises, but there are even more cases of patients who have either delayed their healing or made things worse by becoming their own doctor or physiotherapist. Just because you researched shoulder pain from one of these websites does not mean the diagnosis you think you have is the actual diagnosis. For example, if you have a torn shoulder muscle but through your research think you have tendonitis, which can present very similar to a tear, you could be doing the wrong treatments and making things worse. So use this information with a grain of salt and please do not disregard the value of a physical exam and diagnosis by a licensed professional. If you do suffer from an injury your best bet is to stop by and see one of our physiotherapists today. At our clinics you will get a personalized examination and diagnosis that will most often lead you to a quicker recovery. Call to schedule an appointment today!