Physiotherapy
Our goal is to return you to your activity as soon and as safely as possible!
Physiotherapy at GRSM
Physiotherapy at GRSM focuses on sport and activity-specific rehabilitation.
- You will be assessed by a Registered Physiotherapist
- Your appointment will be approximately 60 minutes long
- You may need to bring shorts/tank top/ running shoes – depending on the location of your injury
- Together, you and your Physiotherapist will determine the frequency of future visits to ensure you achieve your treatment goals
- Initial Assessments are $145 and can be billed directly to your insurance (if it allows). We also have various payment options.
- Provide you with a clinical diagnosis
- Explain the nature of your injury and the factors that will contribute to your rehabilitation
- Educate you regarding your prognosis (how long it will take you to get better)
- Discuss your goals for treatment
- Whole body biomechanical assessment – poor biomechanics often contribute to localized injuries
- Manual therapy – “hands-on” techniques used to restore joint function
- Acupuncture, electrotherapy and ultrasound – to decrease pain and inflammation
- Individualized home or gym rehabilitation programs – including sport-specific strengthening and stretching exercises
- Video analysis – athletic technique (e.g., pitching technique, running gait, golf swing) is recorded on video and analyzed on computer
- A co-op student from high school, college, or university
- A volunteer
- Will be 30, 45 or 60 minutes of individualized care from a Registered Physiotherapist. The length of the appointment will be determined through discussion with your Physiotherapist
- Education regarding your condition and prognosis
- Manual treatment (hands on treatment for the joints/muscles)
- Completion of Outcome Measures to help measure your progress
- Instruction in therapeutic exercise (in clinic exercises and/or a home program)
- Modalities (may include ultrasound, interferential current, muscle stimulation, acupuncture, Gunn intra-muscular stimulation)
- Engage in open and honest discussion with your Physiotherapist
- Comply with your home and in-clinic exercise program
- Ensure you book and keep your appointments
Booking Your Appointments
- If you have a busy lifestyle or restricted schedule, we recommend you book your appointments two weeks ahead to ensure you get the appointments you need
- Ask about the cancellation list if you cannot get the number of appointments and/or the specific times that you prefer
- Please call before 2pm the day before your appointment to cancel your appointment and avoid the $50 missed appointment fee
- EVENING APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE (Note: they book up quickly!)
Our Physiotherapists
Mackenzie Carter
Physiotherapist
Cambridge
Common Conditions We Treat
- Osteoarthritis
- Stress Fractures
- Patellofemoral Syndrome
- Sciatica
- Concussion
- Rotator Cuff Dysfunction
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Metatarsalgia
- Finger/Wrist Tendonitis
- Achillies Tendonitis
- Iliotibial Band (ITB) Pain
- Acute Injuries
- Joint Instability
- Pinched Nerve
- Shin Splints
- Ankle/Foot Sprains
- Hip Flexor Strains
- Hip Bursitis/Tendonitis
- Low Back Pain/Strain
- Neck Pain/Strain
- Patellar Tendonitis
- Overuse Sports Injuries
- Groin Pull
- Hamstring Strain
- Elbow Pain
- Knee Ligament Tears (ACL, MCL)
- Post-Surgical Rehabilitation
- Post-Fracture Rehabilitation
- Shoulder Separation
- Frozen Shoulder
- Calcific Tendinopathy
GRSM Physiotherapy Programs
Intramuscular Stimulation
IMS is a total system for the diagnosis and treatment of myofascial pain syndromes (chronic pain conditions of the musculoskeletal system) (Gunn, 2013).
Pelvic Health Physiotherapy
Pelvic floor dysfunctions causing pain or continence problems can be successfully treated by physiotherapy. An internal examination reveals details about strength, control, and specific zones of weakness.
Acute Injuries Rapid Response
GRSM is committed to providing a Rapid Response in assessing and treating Acute Injuries that have been referred by Physicians.
Sports Concussion
GRSM is committed to providing an efficient and comprehensive assessment and treatment of sport concussions in the high standard of care that GRSM is renowned for.
The Ultimate Guide to Physiotherapy
What is a Physiotherapist?
A physiotherapist is a health care professional who has education, training and certification in treating injuries and conditions by assessing your whole body biomechanics and function in relation to your individual needs as a person and in relation to the specific requirements of your condition or injury. To help you on your journey to recovery, a physiotherapist uses various skills and techniques that include good listening and understanding of your needs, as well as clear communication and education.
What are the Top 5 Benefits of Physiotherapy?
- Decreased pain: in addition to finding and fixing the root cause of your problem, the best physiotherapists also use various techniques and modalities to lessen your pain so that your daily life is more manageable and you feel better sooner rather than later
- Increase strength and stabilization: your physiotherapist will find where you are weak or unstable and help you to fix those deficits so that you can fully recover
- Improved range of motion and mobility: if you are tight or lacking joint range of motion, your physio will use hands-on skills and other techniques to fix these
- Better balance and coordination: injuries often occur due to lack of joint balance or limb coordination so your physio will help to correct this with neuromuscular and proprioceptive retraining
- Strategies to prevent re-injury: the best physiotherapists spend the time to properly educate you on what to do at home or in your gym to achieve and maintain good body functional strength and stabilization to best ensure that you can prevent injuries in the future
What are the Top Types of Physiotherapists?
Sports & Exercise Physiotherapist
Has special training and experience in treating injuries and conditions related to sports and exercise; in a multidisciplinary full-service sports medicine centre, the sports injuries are the “bread and butter” of the physios who works there.
Orthopedic Physiotherapist
Has added certifications in the techniques needed to treat orthopedic injuries and conditions (i.e., related to bones, muscles, tendons and joints); in a sports medicine clinic, it is important for the physios to also have special orthopedic training.
TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) Physiotherapist
The clicking, snapping and pain in your jaw can be very annoying and disconcerting; a TMJ physiotherapist has special knowledge and techniques to address this condition.
Foot & Ankle Physiotherapist
Has special training and knowledge in treating foot and ankle conditions and injuries.
Core & Hip Stabilization Physiotherapist
Stabilizing your “core” (deep lower abdominal and lower back muscles) and hips (gluteal, buttock muscles) can be very complex and difficult to teach; but physios who have a focused interest in this area are especially helpful in treating hip and back problems.
Back Pain Physiotherapist
Back pain can be very difficult and painful; physios who have a focused practice in treating back pain have a special interest and knowledge in this area and typically have special training in core strength, Pilates and pelvic floor.
Neurological Physiotherapist
Neuro Physiotherapy helps optimize recovery from neurological injury with a focus on normalizing movement and function. Neuro Physiotherapists have taken additional post-graduate courses to better understand the complex nature of the brain and nervous system, and to learn how to help retrain the brain.
Vestibular Physiotherapist
Has special training in treating conditions that affect the vestibular system which result in problems with balance, dizziness, vision, etc.
Concussion Physiotherapist
Concussions are very common and can cause a lot of chronic disability if not treated properly; a concussion physiotherapist has focused knowledge in the issues that contribute to concussions or are important in the recovery process (neck injury; vestibular and balance problems; retraining the brain and body to return to work, school and sport; visual problems).
Post-Surgical Physiotherapist
Have experience and training in helping patients recover from orthopedic surgeries such as knee ACL reconstruction, shoulder stabilization, shoulder rotator cuff repair, knee meniscal tear, hip and knee joint replacement.
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist
Pelvic health physiotherapists have specialized training in treating the pelvic floor. This is a group of muscles, joints, and nerves that contribute to bowel and bladder function, sexual function and stability of the pelvis, hips and back.
Sports & Exercise Physiotherapist
Has special training and experience in treating injuries and conditions related to sports and exercise; in a multidisciplinary full-service sports medicine centre, the sports injuries are the “bread and butter” of the physios who works there.
Orthopedic Physiotherapist
Has added certifications in the techniques needed to treat orthopedic injuries and conditions (i.e., related to bones, muscles, tendons and joints); in a sports medicine clinic, it is important for the physios to also have special orthopedic training.
TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) Physiotherapist
The clicking, snapping and pain in your jaw can be very annoying and disconcerting; a TMJ physiotherapist has special knowledge and techniques to address this condition.
Foot & Ankle Physiotherapist
Has special training and knowledge in treating foot and ankle conditions and injuries.
Core & Hip Stabilization Physiotherapist
Stabilizing your “core” (deep lower abdominal and lower back muscles) and hips (gluteal, buttock muscles) can be very complex and difficult to teach; but physios who have a focused interest in this area are especially helpful in treating hip and back problems.
Back Pain Physiotherapist
Back pain can be very difficult and painful; physios who have a focused practice in treating back pain have a special interest and knowledge in this area and typically have special training in core strength, Pilates and pelvic floor.
Neurological Physiotherapist
Neuro Physiotherapy helps optimize recovery from neurological injury with a focus on normalizing movement and function. Neuro Physiotherapists have taken additional post-graduate courses to better understand the complex nature of the brain and nervous system, and to learn how to help retrain the brain.
Vestibular Physiotherapist
Has special training in treating conditions that affect the vestibular system which result in problems with balance, dizziness, vision, etc.
Concussion Physiotherapist
Concussions are very common and can cause a lot of chronic disability if not treated properly; a concussion physiotherapist has focused knowledge in the issues that contribute to concussions or are important in the recovery process (neck injury; vestibular and balance problems; retraining the brain and body to return to work, school and sport; visual problems).
Post-Surgical Physiotherapist
Have experience and training in helping patients recover from orthopedic surgeries such as knee ACL reconstruction, shoulder stabilization, shoulder rotator cuff repair, knee meniscal tear, hip and knee joint replacement.
Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist
Pelvic health physiotherapists have specialized training in treating the pelvic floor. This is a group of muscles, joints, and nerves that contribute to bowel and bladder function, sexual function and stability of the pelvis, hips and back.
How do I Find the Best Physiotherapist Near Me?
When you do an online search to find a good physiotherapist, you will undoubtedly come up with dozens of options. So how do you choose between the many physios in your area? How do you figure out which physio is right for you? How do you determine if your physio is any good? You want to find a physio who is well qualified, offers high quality of care, and can connect with you and your condition or injury on an individual basis. Here are the important steps to finding a good physiotherapist near you:
- Certifications and credentials: make sure that your physiotherapist is a registered physiotherapist with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario, and has other special certifications that suit your individual needs depending on your injury or condition
Recommendations from friends and family: there is nothing better than getting a recommendation from someone close to you who you trust, who has had a good experience with a physiotherapist. It is still important to look at all the factors in finding the best physiotherapist for you since even though your friend or family may care for you a lot, they may not know the particulars of your injury or condition
- Recommendations from your physician or other health care provider: physicians and nurse practitioners commonly refer to physiotherapists; although, it is difficult for physicians and nurse practitioners to know every physiotherapist or the strengths of every physiotherapist, should be able to give you some good direction based on their experience in referring to physios
- Recommendations from a coach or trainer: although coaches may not have in depth knowledge about particular injuries, they have often had experience with physios who have treated their athletes
- Google or other online reviews: doing Google searches is important as we tend to search everything online these days; however, Google reviews and ratings can sometimes be manipulated and/or be uncertified, so look at the total number of reviews, the average rating compared, whether the actual reviews appear real or not
- Focused areas of practice and specific training: does the clinic offer physiotherapists who have focused areas of practice that will better suit your needs for your particular condition or injury. Examples of focused areas of physiotherapy include: sports medicine, pelvic floor, foot & ankle, TMJ (temporomandibular joint), concussions, vestibular, neurological, running, core & hip stabilization
- Clinic cleanliness, space and equipment: make sure the clinic environment is clean and safe, enough space to do rehab exercises, enough space to do sport-specific training, equipment and machines that help in the rehab process, is the clinic environment pleasing to be in
- Administrative staff: do they seem happy, do they treat you with respect, do they genuinely try to help you or are they just trying to sell you something
- Practical issues: direct insurance billing, online booking
- Assess the physio at the first appointment: ensure that the physio takes enough time to assess you and your situation fully so that your needs are well-understood; ensure that you have good rapport with the physio and that the physio can communicate with you clearly; ensure that the physio genuinely cares about you and your goals and is not just see you as a number.
What are the Top Techniques used by the Best Physiotherapists?
- Whole body biomechanical assessment: the physio should assess not just the injured body part but should assess your whole body and how it functions; poor biomechanics often contribute to localized injuries and a good physiotherapist takes the time and puts in the effort to analyze you comprehensively
- Manual therapy: “hands-on” techniques are often needed to restore joint function, improve mobility, relieve tightness… all of which are important to healing your injury or condition
- Modalities: such as acupuncture, electrotherapy and ultrasound are part of treatment and in relieving pain but these should not form the basis of your treatment
- Home or gym rehab programs: your physio should be giving you the tools to take care of yourself to heal your injury and to prevent re-injury; this includes a comprehensive but convenient home exericise program to restore strength, mobility and full function, and that is individualized to your personal situation and injury
- Motion and video analysis: to get you back to full health, your physio needs to carefully assess how you move and function for your sport or activity, as well as for your movements of daily life
- Education and communication: your physiotherapist should be good at communicating the diagnosis, underlying biomechanical issues, treatment plan, expectations for improvement, and in teaching you how to help yourself now and in the future
- Neuromuscular retraining: the best physiotherapists understand that the recovery process involves retraining the whole neural pathway from your brain to your muscles, so that you can regain full function
Insurance Covered & Submitted For You
Your treatments are covered by most insurance plans. We also direct bill your insurance company when available.
Need Help?
FAQs
Here are the most frequently asked questions about our Physiotherapy services.
Do I need a referral?
We always encourage involving your family doctor, but you do not need a referral to consult with the professionals at GRSM. Many of our patients call the clinic and make their own appointments while others are referred by their family physicians. A referral may be required by your extended health care provider to receive benefits.
How do i book an appointment?
Appointments may be made in person or by calling (519) 622-4529 (Cambridge) or (519) 571-7111 (Kitchener). You can also fill out our online form and one of our staff will call you. Remember: Please give us at least 24-hours notice if you need to cancel, so we can give that time to another patient.
Can you bill my insurance company directly?
GRSM is able to bill directly to the following insurance companies for Physiotherapy and Chiropractic visits:
- Sunlife
- Manulife/OTIP
- Greenshield
- Great West Life/Canada Life
- Bluecross
- Manion
- Industrial Alliance
- Johnson Inc.
- Claim Secure
- Equitable
- SSQ
- Desjardins
- RWAM
- Co-operators
- Johnson Group
Please Note:
– Your plan must allow for direct billing (not all plans permit direct billing).
– It is the responsibility of the patient to review specific insurance requirements including whether a medical referral is required by insurance and specific coverage information.
Contact your Employee Benefits or Human Resource Department to determine what extended health care benefits are. Don’t forget to ask how much coverage you have for various services. Most plans have an annual deductible or co-payment amount that the employee must pay.
What should I wear for my appointment?
Shorts should be worn for lower extremity (below the waist) injuries and tank tops are preferred for upper extremity (above the waist) injuries. We have washrooms and a change room if you need them, and your valuables can be locked safely at the reception desk.
How long will my appointment be?
Your first physiotherapy appointment usually takes 60 minutes and will include assessment and treatment. After that, treatments can last either 30, 45 or 60 minutes.
Are the physiotherapists at the clinic registered practitioners?
Yes. All of the physiotherapists at GRSM are registered to practice in Ontario.
Services
Our mission is to help athletes and active individuals achieve their sports and exercise goals!