By Joon Nah - Certified Vestibular Physiotherapist and Founder, Therapia

Finding the best physiotherapist to help you recover from an injury is a critical task that may mean the difference between a great outcome and living with unnecessary pain. There are almost 900 registered Physiotherapists in Ottawa Ontario and they all have unique training and abilities. Finding the perfect Physiotherapist for you can be daunting. Follow these tips to make sure that you can find the perfect fit.

Experience Matters

With any profession having a wealth of experience to draw upon provides a deeper understanding and leads to better decision making. However, it is not enough to simply have a lot of years of practice under your belt. You should be looking for a physiotherapist with lots of experience treating patients with similar problems to yours. Physiotherapists work in a variety of different settings. You do not want a physiotherapist focused on spinal cord injury guide you through your rehab following ACL reconstruction and more than you would ask your plumber to build you a deck. When considering an organization ask questions about what type of patients they see most and who in the organization has the most experience dealing with your specific problem.

Customer Service

Recovering from injury is difficult and it takes your time and energy. A good Physiotherapy organization should make things as easy as possible for you so that you can focus on the recovery plan. When talking to potential rehab providers get a feel for their general level of customer service. Are they flexible with appointment times? Do they help you with documentation and insurance reimbursement? These seem like small things, but over the course of a rehab plan they add up to become frustrations.

Trust and Rapport

Patients get the best results when they are engaged in the plan. You will find it much easier to remain engaged in your rehab if you have a high degree of trust and a good rapport with your Physiotherapist. If this is not the case and you find yourself questioning their decisions, or if you just do not enjoy spending time with them, it may be wise to make a change to a physiotherapist who you feel good about and will get you motivated to perform your best.

Convenience Is King

A successful Physiotherapy plan requires several treatments spaced out over time. Be sure to choose a provider where there are no barriers to attending appointments. If you have to drive downtown Ottawa from your home in Kanata, or if parking is a pain, it makes an already difficult situation worse. Look for a quality provider that requires as little deviation from your usual routine as possible.

At Therapia we think about the patient experience a lot. We have a large roster of physiotherapists in Ottawa with a wealth of experience in all areas of practice. We make administrative processes as seamless as possible. We make booking appointments easy and we are always here to help with documentation for your insurer. Our therapists are vetted and have excellent rating from their past patients, and if for any reason there is not a fit, we can find you a Physiotherapist that you click with. Lastly, we aim to provide the most convenient rehab experience possible by sending out Physiotherapists out to your home. What could be easier than having your therapist show up at your door when you need them. You are the one in pain, so we come to you making rehab as easy and comfortable as possible.

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