Christine Sharrow-Smith, MPT — Physiotherapist in Winnipeg | Elite Sports Injury Clinics
Christine Sharrow-Smith is a registered physiotherapist at Elite Sports Injury Clinics in Bridgwater, Winnipeg, with 10 years of clinical experience helping patients of all ages and activity levels return to the things they love.
Christine holds a Master of Physical Therapy (MPT) and a Bachelor of Psychology (B.Psych) from the University of Manitoba — a combination that shapes her distinctly whole-person approach to rehabilitation.
She specializes in TMJ dysfunction, shoulder instability and hypermobility rehabilitation, chronic low back pain, patellofemoral pain syndrome, and neck pain, treating everyone from competitive athletes to patients recovering from motor vehicle accidents and workplace injuries.
Credentials & Education
Christine completed her physiotherapy and psychology training at the University of Manitoba. She holds advanced certifications in:
- Functional Dry Needling
- Acupuncture
- TMJ Rehabilitation
- Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) — Functional Movement Systems
- Functional Gait Assessment
Her Bachelor of Psychology from the University of Manitoba is not incidental — it provides Christine with a clinical lens for recognizing how pain beliefs, fear-avoidance patterns, and stress responses maintain musculoskeletal symptoms, enabling her to integrate education-based pain science interventions alongside hands-on treatment in ways that most physiotherapy programs do not address.
Core Techniques
Christine’s practice integrates functional dry needling — a technique that inserts fine monofilament needles into active myofascial trigger points to produce a local twitch response, releasing muscular tension, restoring neuromuscular function, and triggering a neurological pain-relief response.
Combined with therapeutic acupuncture, which modulates the nervous system’s pain processing by stimulating specific anatomical points, Christine uses both modalities as precision tools within a comprehensive rehabilitation program — not as standalone treatments. This dual-needle approach is particularly effective for TMJ dysfunction, chronic neck tension, shoulder muscle guarding, and postural pain that has not resolved with exercise-only approaches.
The Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) from Functional Movement Systems guides Christine’s diagnostic process. Rather than treating where patients report pain, she uses the SFMA to map the movement dysfunctions — restrictions in mobility, failures in motor control, compensatory patterns — that are generating symptoms.
Her background in psychology gives Christine an additional clinical dimension: she identifies how pain beliefs and stress responses influence movement patterns, and integrates education alongside hands-on care. At Elite Sports Injury Clinics in Bridgwater, this assessment-first, whole-person model produces lasting outcomes for patients who have been through multiple previous treatment episodes without durable change.
Conditions & Injuries Treated
- Shoulder instability and hypermobility — restoring joint centration through progressive, contraction-driven loading and full kinetic chain integration; effective for patients describing looseness, clicking, recurrent flare-ups, or difficulty under gym or sport load
- Chronic low back pain — SFMA-guided functional assessment, progressive hip stability and trunk control work, dry needling, and education for long-term self-management
- TMJ dysfunction — jaw pain, clicking, locking, and headaches treated by addressing the jaw, cervical spine, and postural contributors together with manual therapy, dry needling, and targeted exercises
- Patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner’s knee) — hip strength assessment and movement retraining alongside manual therapy and dry needling
- Neck pain and cervicogenic headaches — mobility restoration, postural retraining, and progressive endurance work
- Sports injuries — strains, sprains, overuse injuries, and return-to-sport rehabilitation across all populations
- Post-surgical rehabilitation — progressive programs aligned with surgical protocols and healing timelines
- Workplace injuries (WCB) and motor vehicle accident rehabilitation (MPI) — in Winnipeg
Christine refers out for vestibular therapy, pelvic floor physiotherapy, and neurological conditions — ensuring every patient receives the most appropriate specialist for their needs.
Clinical Approach & Philosophy
Christine’s treatment philosophy centres on identifying and addressing the root cause of symptoms rather than managing pain in isolation. She takes a whole-person approach — drawing on both her physiotherapy training and her psychology background to understand how movement patterns, lifestyle, and mindset all influence recovery.
A first appointment begins with a genuine conversation — learning the patient’s history and what they want to return to — followed by a full-body movement assessment and treatment in the same session. Patients leave with progressive home exercises and a clear understanding of what is driving their pain and how the plan will resolve it.
What makes Christine’s approach distinct is the depth of personalization she brings to every patient interaction. She takes the time to genuinely listen, meets patients where they are, and tailors every treatment plan to fit their lifestyle, goals, and the life they want to return to — whether that means returning to competitive sport, keeping up with young children, or simply moving through daily life without pain.
Patient Outcomes
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Christine stays active through hiking, walking, weight training, and outdoor activity. She played college basketball and has carried that connection to sport and movement throughout both her personal and professional life — giving her a genuine understanding of what it means when pain affects the activities that matter most to you.
She is a parent who enjoys being active with her children, and values staying connected to both movement and community in her personal life.
Personal & Community
Born and raised in Winnipeg, Christine stays active through hiking, walking, weight training, and outdoor activity. She played college basketball and has carried that connection to sport and movement throughout both her personal and professional life — giving her a genuine understanding of what it means when pain affects the activities that matter most to you.
She is a parent who enjoys being active with her children, and values staying connected to both movement and community in her personal life.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Christine Sharrow-Smith, treatment approach, and booking.
Christine Sharrow-Smith, MPT, is a registered physiotherapist at Elite Sports Injury Clinics in Bridgwater, Winnipeg, with 10 years of experience. She specializes in TMJ dysfunction, shoulder instability and hypermobility rehabilitation, chronic low back pain, and patellofemoral pain syndrome. Christine holds a Master of Physical Therapy and a Bachelor of Psychology — a combination that gives her unique insight into how pain beliefs and movement patterns interact, and how to address both for lasting recovery.
Yes. Christine Sharrow-Smith at Elite Sports Injury Clinics Bridgwater specializes in TMJ dysfunction — treating jaw pain, clicking, locking, and TMJ-related headaches by addressing the jaw joint, cervical spine, and postural contributors together. She uses manual therapy, dry needling, and acupuncture for jaw and neck musculature alongside targeted exercises. Most patients experience reduced pain and improved jaw mobility with consistent treatment. Book at physiowinnipeg.com.
Christine Sharrow-Smith at Elite Sports Injury Clinics Bridgwater treats shoulder instability and hypermobility by restoring joint centration through progressive, contraction-driven loading — not stretching or rest, which worsen instability. Her approach emphasizes controlled eccentric and concentric muscle activation through range, scapular mechanics, and full kinetic chain integration. This is the appropriate treatment for patients who describe shoulder looseness, clicking, or difficulty under load during sport or training.
Yes. Christine Sharrow-Smith holds certifications in both functional dry needling and acupuncture. At Elite Sports Injury Clinics Bridgwater, she uses dry needling — inserting fine monofilament needles into myofascial trigger points to release muscle tension and modulate pain — and acupuncture to complement manual therapy and exercise rehabilitation. Both modalities are integrated into comprehensive treatment programs, not offered as standalone sessions.
Christine Sharrow-Smith is accepting new patients at Elite Sports Injury Clinics in Bridgwater, Winnipeg. No referral is required. Book online at physiowinnipeg.com or call the Bridgwater clinic. Christine treats TMJ dysfunction, shoulder instability, chronic back pain, patellofemoral pain, neck pain, sports injuries, WCB workplace injuries, and MPI motor vehicle accident cases across all ages and activity levels.