How to find the Best Physiotherapist: Toronto Edition

With so many options available choosing the best physiotherapist to fit your needs can feel like an overwhelming task. When you are starting your search online you need to know how to focus your time and energy effectively, so you can find the best physiotherapist to help you with your recovery. Here I have outlined a step by step process to help you in your search.

1) Finding the Best Physiotherapist – Step ONE: Read Online Reviews

Just like it’s rare you would visit a restaurant without looking at its online rating, this also should hold true with physio. Online reviews have become a quick and easy tool to help people find what they are looking for and ensure they are investing in quality. It is an easy way help narrow your search down to a few clinics quickly that are in a convenient location for you. Be sure to consider the number of reviews, what they say, as well as the overall star rating. Reading the reviews may also help direct you to a certain practitioner that will suit your injury or needs.

2) Finding the Best Physiotherapist – Step TWO: Educate Yourself

As a patient, you are not going to know what the letters that indicate the qualifications behind a physiotherapists name mean, but educating yourself on the types of treatment they offer before choosing a physiotherapist will lead to the best match. Here is a list physiotherapist qualifications and a brief description of what they mean.

FCAMPT (also known as CAMPT-Certified)

These physios are Fellows of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physiotherapy. Physiotherapists who have achieved or are in the process of completing the levels of this post graduate education system have devoted a lot of time expanding their skill set, developing evidence-based treatment tools and gaining advanced clinical reasoning abilities in order to handle complex injuries and manage difficult cases. To learn more about this designation please read our previous blog post on “FCAMPT – What does it mean & why you might benefit from seeing a Physiotherapist with this designation” or visit the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physiotherapy (FCAMPT) website.

Pelvic Health Physiotherapist

This is a physiotherapist trained to specifically assess and treat the pelvic floor musculature. This is ideal for pre-and post-natal care but also anyone who may have long term lower back or hip pain that is not resolving with other types of treatment. To learn more about this treatment approach please read our Pelvic Physiotherapy service page.

Gunn IMS

Intramuscular nerve stimulation utilizes a form of treatment known as “dry needling” where an acupuncture needle is precisely inserted into a target tissue to generate a twitch response. This form of treatment has been shown to have superior results in the treatment of chronic pain or pain/injuries arising from overactive and tight muscles. To learn more about this treatment approach please read our Gunn IMS service page.

Stellar physiotherapists invest in their post graduate education and are keen to expand their skill set in order to achieve the best results for their patients. Seek out physios that talk about post graduate coursework in their bios because this will tell you that you have found a curious-natured, dedicated physiotherapist who is sure to find the answers for your injury as well.

3) Finding the Best Physiotherapist – Step THREE: Check Out the Website

The website is a reflection of the quality and care physiotherapists have put into their business. A good website will have a bio of all the practitioners so you can check out the qualifications you just learned about and their treatment style and philosophy. Look for physiotherapists that offer one-on-one care so that you get to spend your entire session with the highly skilled physiotherapist that you have chosen. We recommend spending time on the website before you contact them. Be prepared with a description of your injury and some questions. The administration staff should be helpful with the questions and match you with the best physiotherapist to suit your needs. They can also connect you with the physiotherapist that you will be seeing in advance, if you need further clarity to your questions. Here is a link to our team page if you would like to read the practitioner and administrative staff bios at Rebalance Sports Medicine.

4) Finding the Best Physiotherapist – Step FOUR: Find the Best Physiotherapy clinic not just the best physiotherapist

You have narrowed down your search, educated yourself, checked out the website and are prepared to make a decision but consider this one last thing. You might want to choose the best physiotherapy clinic not just the best physiotherapist. A team environment can foster optimal care. Injuries can be complex and require the expertise or access to multiple specialties. Even if you only see one physiotherapist you want them to be able to draw from the knowledge and experience of other practitioners. Also, a good physiotherapist will know their limitations and will refer you on to another team member when they can’t provide you with every possible solution to achieve results. A multidisciplinary clinic will have practitioners like sports medicine doctors, chiropractors, massage therapists, naturopaths and corrective exercise specialists (such as Clinical Pilates and TRX instructors) so you have more options for your optimal treatment.

In summary, you want to look for the best physiotherapy clinic and not just the best physiotherapist. If you read the reviews, educated yourself, and checked out the website you will be making an informed decision and choosing the best physiotherapy to get you better faster and back to a pain free active lifestyle.

Here are some additional video resources that you may find useful in your search for the best physiotherapy experience.