YOUR QUESTIONS: ANSWERED
FAQs
Click the questions below to see the answers to some of our frequently asked questions.
What services do you offer?
Click here to learn about the services we proudly offer to elevate your recovery.
I want to get a bike fit assessment. What can I expect?
Stephanie Rhea, RPT, performs custom bike assessments for new and leisure riders. Click here to learn more.
I'm dizzy and am dealing with BPPV. How can you help?
In just a few physiotherapy treatments, the dizziness from BPPV can resolve.
Learn more here.
What should I wear?
Ultimately, please wear comfortable clothing that you can freely move in.
Shorts for knee, hip, and low back assessments are appreciated. Tanks and loose fitting shirts are ideal for upper back and shoulder care.
Do I need a referral from my Doctor?
No!
Physiotherapists are self-regulated, direct access health care professionals; meaning you do not require a referral to attend physiotherapy.
However; if you have private insurance, it may be an eligibility requirement to obtain a doctor’s requisition before costs will be reimbursed.
A doctor’s requisition is also recommended if you are attending physiotherapy because of an injury that occurred at work or as a result of a car accident.
My referral is for another clinic. Can I still come to Ireland Physio?
You sure can!
As a patient, you have complete say in where you choose to receive your treatment from, whether it comes from a physician, specialist, or insurance company.
If you have been in an automobile accident and your insurer has directed you to attend to a specific clinic, it's important to understand that some insurers make contractual agreements with health care providers called Preferred Provider Networks.
Insurers have an obligation to disclose the nature of this arrangement to you prior to obtaining your voluntary consent for receiving treatment. Insurers should disclose your right to obtain care from a service provider of your choosing. This disclosure should also be evidenced in writing as per the Financial Services Commission of Ontario.
How will I remember my exercises?
Ireland Manual Physiotherapy uses a software platform called Physiotec. This allows you to have access to your home exercise program online through your smartphone, electronic tablet or computer. It's easy to view images of each exercise, see the number of sets and repetitions, as well as the written instructions in English, French and Spanish.
Oftentimes, your physiotherapist will customize the exercise instructions to meet your specific needs. In these cases, the video displayed may be slightly different from what was reviewed in the clinic. In this case, read the exercise description for your exact instructions.
If you are opening up your exercises on your smartphone, and your physiotherapist has provided additional notes, you will need to click on the yellow-orange exclamation point to view these.
The Physiotec app also allows you to time your exercises and indicate if you have completed your program. This is a voluntary feature for you to use and your physiotherapist does not review your compliance in using the app.
If you would prefer, we can still provide you with a printed copy of your program. Just let us know.
I want to refer my friends and family to you. How do I do this?
Thank you!! We look forward to helping them. Send their info to us here.
What do I need to bring to my appointment?
Please bring relaxed clothing and non-slip footwear that allows you to be comfortably active. Clothing that allows the injured area to be easily exposed is recommended.
Please also feel free to bring any diagnostic tests, imaging and any other information that you feel would be helpful to your physiotherapist.
You can fill out this consent to release form here and send it to us ahead of your appointment and we can request any imaging or reports on your behalf.
Does insurance cover physiotherapy costs?
Each private health carrier has different plans with different coverage options.
Prior to your first appointment, we recommend that you call your benefits company and inquire about physiotherapy benefit entitlement, as well as the details of the type of coverage, including the need for a physician requisition to meet eligibility requirements.
We cannot make these calls on your behalf due to health privacy legislation.
I have extended health benefits. Do you direct bill?
The short answer is YES, for the most part.
If your private health insurance allows for direct billing on your behalf, we do provide this service, with some exceptions.
If you do have secondary insurance, we do not direct bill this alternate carrier do to the difficulty of coordinating benefits. You will need to submit on your own for reimbursement of eligible physiotherapy costs with the detailed receipt we provide you. However, if your secondary carrier is Greenshield, we are able to submit for you in this case.
If you are attending physiotherapy for injuries resulting from an automobile accident and have secondary private insurance other than Greenshield, we will need your timely cooperation and participation in submitting these invoices to your secondary carrier in order to be eligible to access automobile insurance funds.
Does OHIP cover physiotherapy costs?
Unfortunately, OHIP does not cover the cost of physiotherapy services at Ireland Manual Physiotherapy.
What does one-on-one care mean?
One-on-one care means that when you attend our clinic, we just see you. From start to finish you will work with the same physiotherapist each and every visit, for the entire duration of your visit. We really enjoy providing quality, focused care and believe this one-on-one model is foundational to better, quicker outcomes.
How long is a physiotherapy session?
When you attend for your initial assessment, plan to be one-on-one with your physiotherapist for an hour. Subsequent follow-up appointments that are also solely with your physiotherapist, are usually about thirty minutes for orthopedic cases, or 45 minutes for pelvic health clients.
Your therapist may recommend longer appointment times to be better able to provide more comprehensive treatment for more complex presentations. If this is appropriate, your therapist will discuss this with you further.
I've heard you do dry needling. What is it?
Check out our description here, watch a video here, or read Steven Georges', RPT blog about dry needling here.
To review our consent form (which also has lots of information about dry needling), click here.
For more information, check out the Integrated Dry Needling website.
How do I know if I have pelvic floor dysfunction?
Click here to review this Pelvic Floor Screening Tool to see if you would benefit from pelvic health physiotherapy.
What can I expect for my pelvic health appointment?
Check this out here for our services page.
Head over to Pelvic Health Solutions here for a run down on how we approach pelvic health and here to learn more about the internal exam that may be performed.
If you are on your period when it is time for your appointment, this does not limit our ability to continue with your pelvic health care.
What are your hours of operation?
The posted hours of operation relate to the administrative hours provided. Our therapists have their own schedules and work varied hours to try to offer as much convenience to you as reasonably possible.
Typically, our hours are Monday: 8-6 Tuesday: 8:30-5 Wednesday: 8:30-6:30 Thursday: 8:30-5 Friday: 8:30-1:30.
When you are booking your appointment, let our administrative representative know what your availability is and we will work to accommodate your schedule.
For any holiday related closures and special hours, please click here to review our updated hours of operation on our Google Business listing.
*Please note, we are not an urgent care clinic. If you are in need of medical assistance please contact your doctor or urgent care facility.
If you have an urgent medical question regarding your physiotherapy care, and cannot connect with the clinc, please contact your doctor or seek direction from an urgent care facility.
I want to share how great my physiotherapy experience was. How do I do this?
You can do that here!
Thank you! Reviews really help our community learn about how we can help.
What will happen at my appointment?
If it is your first time attending the clinic, we will collect information from you and review your health history. Over about an hour, you will be one-on-one with your physiotherapist in a private treatment room where your physiotherapist will compassionately guide you through a conversation about your lifestyle, health and activity routines, stress, nutrition, medication usage, sleep habits, past medical history and details about your injury, among other topics. This will help your physiotherapist get a detailed understanding of your injury or complaint so that he or she can identify the root of the problem and all of the contributing factors.
Your physiotherapist will also watch you move and use their hands to feel how freely different areas of your body move as well. Your physiotherapist will remind you that you are always in charge and if there is something you are uncomfortable doing, he or she will provide an alternate option.
Your physiotherapist will provide you with information about your injury and areas that need to be addressed to improve your recovery outcomes. He or she will also provide you with strategies to help you help yourself! And, of course, some homework in the form of exercises will be provided.
We like to make your appointments as valuable as possible. We also strive to try to be financially and logistically efficient in our overall care delivery. As such, we believe it's important that we spend time demonstrating your exercises to you and ensuring your proficiency in them, but we prefer not to use your appointment time for you to perform the entireity of your home exercises. After all, they are homework for a reason ;)
Modalities such as manual therapy, dry needling, acupuncture, taping, IASTM, cupping, and ultrasound, among others, may also be discussed as inclusions to your program of care.
After starting physiotherapy, I am feeling a little more sore. Is this normal?
While it is not our intention, and in most cases we try to limit pain provocation, it wouldn't be abnormal to feel some temporary increase in discomfort after an assessment. Our assessments are very thorough, and where permissable we are asking you to move in ways that you have possibly been limiting due to your injury or pain.
We do strive to balance this out with interventions to calm down any irritated areas.
As you and your therapist are building rapport and getting to the root of your condition, it would really be helpful to share with your therapist your honest response to the assessment, treatment, and any exercise we prescribe. This information is critical in tailoring the perfect treatment plan for you.
If your exercises are causing you some discomfort, let your therapist know too! The two of you can discuss whether this is an expected response to new movement and load or whether this is not an expected response requiring changes to your program.
How long will my recovery be?
Unfortunately, there is no simple formula that will predict your recovery as it is multi-factorial and varies from person to person. However, after you have been assessed, your physiotherapist will be able to make an informed estimate of the time frame that it might take to get you moving better.
In almost every case, it's important to understand that progress does not happen linearly. Inevitably, there will be setbacks. But with each setback, you and your body will learn how to manage these better with the help of your physiotherapist. Overtime, the setbacks will be of shorter duration, decreased intensitiy and reduced frequency.
It's really important to communicate honestly and regularly with your physiotherapist to navigate setbacks best.
I am feeling better. Do I still need Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy can be a foundation to quality of life from birth to grave.
While pain and injury are great motivators to finding ways to prioritize taking care of ourselves, physiotherapy has an important role in prevention of injury, disease, and disability.
Additionally, if your pain has resolved (Yay!!), there may be other areas such as strength building, motor pattern refinement, and nervous system wellness approaches that would help in preventing a setback or new injury in the future.
I've already had an assessment. Why do I need another one?
Getting a thorough assessment performed is the foundation for understanind your pain or injury and developing a solid plan of care to achieve your goals.
If you have had another assessment at another clinic, or by another provider, unfortunately, the therapist you are currently seeing stills need to perform their own assessment. This is a minimum requirement by our college to ensure safe delivery of care. Even more importantly to us, we need to assess you properly in order to treat you efficiently!
If you have been to our clinic before, and you are returning after a prolonged period of time, a full assessment (new injury/concern or returning after more than 6 months since your last visit), or in some cases, a shorter re-assessment (less than 6 months since your last visit for the same issue) is required.
Why do I need to complete the health history?
We understand that life feels a lot too fast paced these days, and fitting more things in feels like climbing Everest. However, your therapist wants to maximize their time with you to help you feel better as efficiently as possible.
In addition to portions of the health history being a College of the Physiotherapists of Ontario requirement for safety, a complete health history allows your therapist to "get" you and your injury in a more comprehensive way. This foundation allows for better treatment delivery and ultimately gets you better results, with fewer appointments.
If it's been longer than a year since your last appointment, thank you for your participation in updating your health history.
Are you really as great as they say? Prove it!
We are very proud of our 70+ 5 star reviews! Check them out for yourself here!
I've been in a car accident. How do I access physiotherapy?
Being in a car accident is a real bummer. We understand that the last thing you want to do is paperwork when you are not feeling your best. However, in order to access physiotherapy, there are some forms to complete.
After notifying your insurer, they will send you the OCF 1 or Application for Benefits Package to complete prior to commencing physiotherapy.
At your assessment, our administrative representative will need to verify your idenitification with government issued photo-ID (this is a FSRA requirement).
If you have private health insurance, this will need to be exhausted first, prior to being able to access automobile insurance funds. This is a requirement of the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS), and can be found under Section 47. This no-fault insurance is a provincially mandated part of your car insurance premiums.
As an aside, it makes us feel icky that you have to use your private insurance for injuries related to an automobile accident.
As of spring of 2023, the Ontario Physiotherapy Association commenced advocacy efforts to address this SABS requirement. It would be helpful to this cause if you shared your thoughts about this legal requirement with your MPP.
Additionally, if you have secondary private health insurance, we will need your timely cooperation and participation in submitting these invoices to the secondary carrier, as we cannot coordinate benefits with the current billing portal.
NOTE: Some insurers make contractual agreements with health care providers called Preferred Provider Networks. Your insurance company may direct you to their preferred provider.
Insurers have an obligation to disclose the nature of this arrangement to you prior to obtaining your voluntary consent for receiving treatment. Insurers should disclose your right to obtain care from a service provider of your choosing. This disclosure should also be evidenced in writing as per the Financial Services Commission of Ontario.
I have a workplace injury. How do I access physiotherapy?
To start receiving care to recover from your injury, you need to register your injury with the WSIB and obtain a claim number AND receive authorization from WSIB that you have physiotherapy entitlement for your claim. We need this authorization before commencing physiotherapy.
In order to complete your claim registration, you will need to fill out a Form 6 (Employee's Report) and your employer will need to fill out a Form 7.
Unfortunately, navigating WSIB can be challenging and getting authorization for physiotherapy entitlement can be cumbersome. We recommend that you call them regularly until you get a memo or confirmation number for physiotherapy entitlement. Also note the date, name of the WSIB representative who provided the authorization as well as any details about the entitlement (i.e.: areas of injury, service delivery model, duration of approved treatment, etc.). Our administrative representative at the clinic will take all this information from you.
You can contact WSIB with this number: 1-800-387-0750.
While not necessary, it is helpful to have a doctor's requisition for physiotherapy to support your claim.
How do you update my doctor?
On our intake and health history form, we ask for your consent to communicate with your health care team.
After the initial assessment, we do send your physician a brief summary of our thoughts and treatment to keep your physician in the loop.
Periodically, we will also send progress reports and finally a discharge report to provide information about your status.
How do I sign up for your workshops or learn about mentorship opportunities?
Follow @irelandphysio on Instagram or Facebook or click here to view our list of upcoming workshops and here to contact us regarding mentorship opportunities
Why see a physiotherapist?
We want you to reach out to Ireland Manual Physiotherapy if you are sore, stiff, slow, weak, off-balance, recovering, apprehensive, or limited in any way. If you want help pushing physical limitations, realizing untapped movement potential, avoiding injury with your activities, promoting your health status, preventing disease, and improving your quality of life, make an appointment to come see us!
Physiotherapists are highly qualified rehabilitation professionals that have a detailed and comprehensive understanding of anatomy, pain science, pathology, and movement! They use their knowledge and skills to ensure that physiotherapy is appropriate for you, and in the case that it isn’t, they will refer you to a more appropriate health care professional. Physiotherapists will use their hands, exercise, modalities, and education to achieve your movement goals. They work collaboratively with you and your team (family physician, specialists, massage therapist, chiropractor, osteopath, dentist, etc.) to make a difference in living an active, healthy, quality life.
Your physiotherapist can help you prepare for surgery, recover from surgery, avoid surgery, reduce your fall risk, keep you moving, reduce and abolish your pain, restore joint mobility, make you stronger, make you straighter, avoid injury, and increase your confidence, among so many other things!
There is such a wide range of conditions that your physiotherapist can help you with. Here are just some:
- Pelvic pain/Sacroiliac (SI) Pain
- Urinary incontinence
- Jaw pain
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Concussion symptoms
- Back and neck pain or stiffness
- Plantar fasciitis
- Bursitis
- Patellofemoral pain syndrome (knee pain)
- Tendonitis, soft tissue sprains and muscle strains (tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, rotator cuff dysfunctions, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc.)
- Nerve pain
- Numbness and tingling
- Arthritis
- Sciatica
- Postural deficiencies
- Sports injuries
- Pre- and post-natal muscle imbalance
- Pre- and post-operative rehabilitation
- Sports conditioning
- Motor vehicle accidents
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
