Commonly Asked Questions About Physiotherapy

Do I need a Doctor’s referral for physiotherapy?

No, physiotherapists are primary health care providers who are able to diagnose your condition. A referral is not required for your Physiotherapist to assess and treat you. However, many insurance companies still require a physician’s referral in order for your physiotherapy costs to be covered by your plan. Please check with your insurer to ask if they require a Doctor’s referral.

My referral has another clinic name on it. Can I go to Pro Motion Physiotherapy?

Yes. You have the right to choose where you would like to go for Physiotherapy.

Is physiotherapy appropriate for my injury or condition?

If you are not sure, please feel free to call us and ask to speak to one of our Physiotherapists. We would be happy to talk with you. We can often direct you to one of our Physiotherapists with expertise in the area for which you need treatment, such as but not limited to disc herniation, arthritis, osteoporosis, TMJ (jaw), dizziness or incontinence.

Why do I need an assessment by the Physiotherapist?

Physiotherapists are Primary Health Care Providers who are responsible for the care they provide to each patient. A full assessment is required to determine your clinical diagnosis, if treatment is indicated, and if so, what kind of treatment is recommended.

Is Physiotherapy covered by OHIP?

As our clinic is a private practice, our services are not covered under OHIP.  However, we are able to direct bill to many insurance plans. Contact us for more information.

How do you determine the cost of treatment?

Our fees are based on the amount of time you spend with the Physiotherapist.

What should I wear?

Dress comfortably. You can bring your own shorts or comfortable clothing. We do have shorts and gowns for people to use.

Do you bill insurance companies?

We are happy to offer this service to our patients. Most insurance companies allow us to bill them directly. Please contact us for more information on how we are do to so for you.

How many treatments will I need?

This will depend on your injury, your medical and physical condition, what you need to return to and your goals. Your Physiotherapist will be able to give you an idea of the number of visits and a likely time frame after your assessment.

In addition to the clinical information from your assessment, Pro Motion is also pleased to use research to give information on how long your recovery should take. We have a membership in FOTO (Focus on Therapeutic Outcomes) which is a data base of injuries, conditions and outcomes which provides further input on how many treatments and how long it will take you to recover.

At the time of your assessment, we will ask you to complete a survey about your pain and how it is affecting what you are able to do. Based on your age, medical history, etc., it provides further information for your Physiotherapist to take into consideration in terms of how many treatments and how long it is expected for you to recover.

I have been told to see a Physiotherapist who is McKenzie trained.  What does that mean?

Every Physiotherapist at Pro Motion Physiotherapy is trained in the McKenzie Method, and we are proud to also have 4 of our Physiotherapists who are Certified McKenzie Practitioners.

The McKenzie Method is an approach to the assessment and treatment of back and neck pain as well as extremity problems. This approach is also known as Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) and is used worldwide by practitioners and patients.

The assessment involves a thorough history taking and a series of repeated movement testing which provides a pattern of pain response. The most common pain response involves centralization of pain, although there are others that can be identified. The treatment approach involves a patient’s own movements to reduce pain and restore function. The movements and forces used are based on the patient’s pain response during the assessment. If a pain response pattern cannot be identified, the patient may not be suitable for mechanical therapy, and your practitioner may recommend alternate treatment or further medical investigation (return to your Doctor). The ultimate goal of mechanical treatment is to reduce/abolish pain, put the patient in control of their symptoms and learn how to prevent recurrences of symptoms.

More information on the McKenzie Method can be found at www.mckenziemdt.org. Please call us to find out more information.