FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

You do not need to get a doctor’s referral in order to start physiotherapy treatment. Sometimes there is a misconception that it is required before coming into a physiotherapy clinic, but it is not needed.

In Ontario, physiotherapy is considered an essential health service and licensed physiotherapists can begin the assessment, diagnose and treat the problem right away. Additionally, they can communicate with the physician if needed with the progress you are having. GTA Physiotherapy will routinely update your family physician regarding your injury or condition. 

**Sometimes your work benefits/insurance will require this piece of paper to be submitted so you can be reimbursed for treatment. Please check your policy requirements.

Your physiotherapy assessment will be split into two parts. Firstly, your full story will be heard as we get an idea of your injury/pain, how it bothers you and what your goals are. Afterwards, a physical scan will be performed with active and passive movements and hands-on special testing as needed to confirm or rule out certain structures of the body.

At the conclusion of the assessment, a diagnosis will be made and reported to the patient on what it is, and how physiotherapy can fix it.

It is recommended the client wear comfortable and appropriate clothing for a proper examination (e.g. if there is shoulder pain, please wear a sleeveless shirt).

Depending on what your diagnosis or condition is, your physiotherapist could recommend you a variety of treatment options. Most of them will include: appropriate exercise you can perform at home and some form of hands-on manual therapy (stretching, joint mobilization, passive movement, soft tissue massage, etc.).

Other services at GTA Physiotherapy can include:

Ultrasound

Medical Acupuncture

Cupping Therapy

Sports Taping

Rehabilitation & Re-conditioning Program

Falls Prevention Program

Concussion and Vestibular Management

Telehealth/Virtual Care (if deemed not appropriate for in-person care)

In-home physiotherapy is a serviced delivered to the Greater Toronto Area and GTA Physiotherapy will be able to perform all services in your home or workplace.

The duration for homecare is 1-hour long and all the equipment will be brought to you to have a comprehensive treatment. Mobile physiotherapy is a convenient option for those who are unable to mobile in the clinic due to deconditioning, poor balance or recent traumatic injuries (e.g. from car accidents).

This totally depends on what your condition is. It could take two weeks or two months, but it will be thoroughly explained to the patient before we proceed. Unlike some clinics out there, GTA Physiotherapy will never prescribe more treatment than what is necessary and recommended. The patient will be followed-up to evaluate program and ensure improvements are achieved. 

At GTA Physiotherapy, we do not use PTAs or Kinesiologists as assistants to our care. Licensed physiotherapists treat the patient directly from beginning to end during every treatment session. 

The College of Physiotherapists have outlined specific guidelines to maintain safety in the community. GTA Physiotherapy follows these precautions very carefully and ensures that safety is a priority. 

GTA Physiotherapy therapists have the skillset and experience to carefully examine the injured area(s), measure change and deliver a multi-modal treatment approach. This has been shown to be a very effective way in addressing any physical concerns in the body. 

We are located by Highway 427 and Dundas Street West (east end of Mississauga) so it is easily accessible by people of the Greater Toronto Area. Additionally, our in-home physiotherapy provides another option of treatment delivery to those who may not be able to access the clinic easily. The same level of care and effectiveness is brought to your home with our mobile service.

There are a lot of similarities and differences. 

They all deal with some form of hands-on, manual therapy to treat your issue. 

Physiotherapist and chiropractors can assess and provide a full diagnosis. Chiropractors are able to order X-rays easily (some may have the imaging system on site). 

Chiropractors perform ‘adjustments’ or ‘joint manipulation’ on the the spine and other joints of the body. 

All disciplines are able to provide acupuncture if they have been certified in a course(s). Additionally, they are all able to prescribe exercises that will help you get better.

A very common question by the public: what should I put on my painful injury?!

For ACUTE pain that has symptoms of warmth, swelling, tenderness and sensitivity, use cold or an ice pack. 

For CHRONIC pain that has been around on and off for awhile, symptoms of soreness, tension, stiffness: use a hot pack to increase blood flow and relax the tissues. 

In both cases, be sure that the hot or cold pack does not touch the skin directly as you can cause skin damage or other injuries. 

This method of pain management is called ‘thermotherapy’ and is a simple way to ‘numb’ the pain and reduce symptoms for a short period of time. 

They are actually synonymous! Yes, physiotherapists and physical therapists are the exact same. They refer to the same thing so do not get confused.

Some practitioners argue there is a slight difference.  ‘Physiotherapists’ refer to more manual therapy-based treatment and ‘physical therapists’ refer to a more exercise focused approach to treatment. 

I would argue that almost all physiotherapists do a combination of those in your treatment. 

GTA Physiotherapy accepted walk-in service previously, however due to COVID-19, that service is temporarily suspended. This is to maintain a safer environment for our community. We will provide an update when we can resume walk-in service safely.