Physiotherapy - St. John’s Clinic

Physiotherapy combines a knowledge of how the body works with specialized knowledge of muscles and joints and the neurology that supports movement. Our skilled physiotherapists treat clients suffering from many types of problems, including sports injuries, arthritis, neuralgias, chronic and persistent pain conditions, low back pain, whiplash, headaches, strains and sprains as well as post-op rehabilitation.

Many fitness specialists have knowledge of normal movement, but a physiotherapist is trained to apply movement and fitness principles when your body is compromised by pain, associated injury, disability and poor posture.

Physiotherapy education and training provides the hands-on skills to assess, diagnose and treat illness, injury or disability relating to the muscle and skeletal systems. Our goal for all clients is to develop and implement a treatment plan that will meet individual client goals. Towards this end, physiotherapy objectives include:

• Pain relief and/or best management of chronic pain
• Educate regarding significance of injury to health, expectations for recovery and maintenance strategies that long term recovery
• Restoration of alignment of injured or painful areas, within an overall normal posture presentation
• help you stay motivated. We work together to see that your treatment plan is balanced and include home, work and recreational strategies
• Developing and monitoring exercise programs to mobilize and strengthen afflicted muscles and joints
• Cross-referring when needed to achieve best treatment results
• Implementing maintenance and follow-up strategies to prevent re-injury

What to Expect

At Avalon Laser Health Physiotherapy and Wellness, your first physiotherapy session is an assessment that will consider your health history, previous therapy and a clinical assessment of your injury. The assessment will take 40 to 60 minutes. Following the assessment, a treatment plan will be made, which will take into account your personal goals and any challenges you have with access to treatment.

Treatment sessions with your physiotherapist are always private. If you’ve chosen to receive Laser Therapy as well, those treatments are conducted in a semi-private room. These treatments vary in length, depending upon area(s) of treatment; generally 30 to 60 minutes.

We are also offering Online Virtual Care Physiotherapy to clients who are unable to visit the clinic. Click here to learn more!

Many of our clients are well informed about their injury or pain condition by the time they seek physiotherapy care. There is just so much information available on-line! Some of our favorite sources of on-line information include:

• PhysioCheck - a physio specific database which can help match your symptoms to a diagnosis, provide injury specific info and sometimes exercise
• OrthoInfo from the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• MelioGuide for Osteoporosis Prevention
• Long Covid Info & Support Group
• Gla:d Support for Arthritic Hips and Knees

With so much information available, it’s not surprising there’s considerable choice in treatment options. With respect to exercise selection, there are a generic few for any particular injury; and alternatively, there are the exercises chosen to suit individual requirements. A rule of thumb is that the generic few exercises may suit those with simple or first-time injuries. Some of our clients will choose this route, and it can be a valuable part of their learning and healing journey.

There are many reasons why a generic exercise program would not meet individual needs, including poor exercise technique, underlying poor alignment and associated muscle imbalances, and multi-site or extensive injury, etc, etc. When a generic program doesn’t work, it doesn’t mean that exercise should be abandoned. It does mean you need help with exercise selection and performance - best initiated with a physiotherapy assessment.

Your Interest in the injury & care process combined with participation in the treatment plan design and then compliance with the treatment plan will set you up for success. Best outcomes are achieved when we work together, client and therapist(s), with a keen eye on what you want to achieve from your rehab efforts.