Physiotherapists work in many different settings like hospitals, long-term care facilities, and clinic settings. There are so many options in Winnipeg. How do you choose the best provider for your needs?
Below we have outlined 5 factors to help you pick the ideal Physiotherapy Clinic for yourself:
1) Experience and Expertise
Physiotherapy is used to treat a wide array of medical conditions. It’s very likely certain Physiotherapists have additional training on what is bothering you most. Physiotherapists have many continuing education courses accessible to them. The great ones (clinicians) never stop learning which shows their strong passion for the job, and truly demonstrates their dedication to helping their patients thrive.
Read their biography on the Clinic website to see what specialized training they have received and what courses they plan to take in the future.
Examples:
- Sciatica
- Low back pain and women’s health issues (Pelvic floor Physiotherapy)
- Neurological conditions (Parkinson’s disease, stroke rehabilitation)
- Children and / or infants (Pediatric Physiotherapy)
In addition, there may be other providers that also specialize in this area working at the same Clinic. Often, seeing more than one practitioner at once can really complement your treatment: Athletic therapy, Massage therapy, acupuncture, dry needling, custom foot orthotics, Pelvic floor, and Pediatric Physiotherapy can all help.
2) Location
If the Clinic you choose is out of the way it will become a stressor to attend as it might take up much of your personal time or even your work time. Also, chances are when life happens like you get stuck at work or you or your child are sick it’ll become too complicated to do it all, especially at a distance. Who do we put last? Ourselves always. If we need to go in a pinch as we’ve really tweaked the area of pain/injury, it will likely be less realistic to get in at the last minute if you need to travel far.
If you are recovering from surgery or battling a nagging back or neck, you will not want to endure a long car drive to get to the Clinic. You may not even have a vehicle if it is in the shop after an accident for example. Perhaps you need a location close to a bus route or a safe area to walk or bike.
3) Treatment Methods
Clinics that offer a wide array of treatment options are a good thing; if there is a treatment you don’t like, then you can try a different technique, like acupuncture or custom foot orthotics.
At Fit4Life Physiotherapy we are very hands-on. You can expect at least 15 minutes of hands-on patient care (soft tissue massage, passive stretching, muscle energy techniques, joint mobilizations, and manual traction (neck and low back).
Of course, we always ensure to educate you on exercises that help improve your symptoms and prevent the risk of injury in the future. Acupuncture, ultrasound, laser, TENS/IFC, heat and ice are other treatment techniques we also include depending on your diagnosis or condition.
4) Research Clinic Reputation
Ask around your work or neighbourhood if anyone has had a treatment there. Check out Google reviews, Facebook and Instagram comments, stories, and posts.
Go in first and see for yourself. How welcoming is the front desk staff? Take a tour of the Clinic. Are the Clinicians spending one-on-one time with their patients or are they running around attending to 3 different people at once?
Look up the history of the physiotherapy clinic. How long has it been in business? What is its Google score, 5 stars? Check out its Google reviews as well for real patient care experiences.
5) Consider Availability
If you need evenings, early mornings, or Saturdays, it’s important you find a suitable Clinician that works these hours. Otherwise, if you are waiting for that first treatment of the morning with that preferred Clinician, it’s not as likely to be free as often; this may result in you not being able to go regularly for treatments and thus affect your healing progress.
In summary, if the location is convenient, the staff are friendly and welcoming, and the Clinicians are thorough and dedicated to continuing education for the best interest of their patients, you will probably do well there. If the Clinicians are dedicated to patient care and one-on-one time, if there are other practitioners with similar specialties that you can seek treatments from if needed, and if the Clinic has a good reputation for quality care and longevity, book an appointment!