Several years ago, I remember a story that a good friend of mine (Susan) shared with me. Originally from North Carolina, she and her family moved to Botswana to live and work for over 10 years. They loved the simplicity and slower pace of life there. They raised 2 children, made many friends, and did meaningful work. However, after over a decade in tranquil Botswana, this family eventually had to move to Calgary due to a job transfer. When they arrived, they were not prepared for the culture shock of returning to North America.
One day, while shopping at Superstore, Susan recalled breaking down and crying right in the middle of the breakfast cereal aisle as she felt completely overwhelmed by the sheer choice of cereal on the shelves. She wasn’t in Botswana anymore. Even she was surprised at the culture shock she was experiencing despite having grown up in North Carolina.
The Challenge of Choice in Health Care
Whether it’s breakfast cereal or running shoes, clothes, or cars, North Americans have the “privilege” of having an enormous amount of choice for services and products. Here at Elevation Physiotherapy, our team recognizes that Edmontonians have a choice when it comes to selecting a service provider for their health care needs. Should you see a chiropractor, physiotherapist, massage therapist, osteopath, acupuncturist, family doctor, or pharmacist for your low back pain? Even if you decide to see a physiotherapist, which one should you choose?
When you Google “Physiotherapy Clinic in Edmonton,” it can feel like staring at an entire aisle of breakfast cereal, completely overwhelmed by the sheer variety of providers. Are they different? Are they all the same? Which clinic should you entrust with your health? Once you have narrowed down the clinic, which physiotherapist should you see? To help you navigate the plethora of choices, this blog hopefully provides a useful guide to help you choose the best physiotherapist for you here in Edmonton.
Three Tips for Choosing the Right Physiotherapy Clinic in Edmonton
Tip 1: Word of Mouth
By far, this is probably the best way to choose a physiotherapist. If you have a family doctor, their first response to your request might be to “go anywhere you like” or “they are all the same.” However, most likely, your family doctor or the specialist referring you for physiotherapy will have a good working relationship with specific physiotherapists. Physicians who are dedicated to their patients’ outcomes will often have a list of clinics or physiotherapists they know are excellent at what they do and who will collaborate well with them.
Then why don’t physicians just name these providers? It is because they have a professional obligation to provide their patients with choice and cannot encourage preferred providers. However, when pressed for their recommendations, most physicians will gladly refer you to the most appropriate providers.
The Elevation Physiotherapy Difference
At our clinic, we have over 135 physicians, specialists, and dentists in the city of Edmonton who refer their patients regularly for our services. We have a long and successful history of collaboration with many of these physicians. Most of our physiotherapists have even worked alongside these physicians in the same clinic in the past, providing collaborative care. We know these physicians well, and they have entrusted their patients to us. Our collaboration with so many specialists in this city is one of our greatest strengths. Our patients benefit from a shared decision-making model that involves some of the best physicians here in Edmonton.
Tip 2: Multiple Services
Choose a clinic or practitioner with expertise, experience, and specialized training in the service you need. When a physiotherapist graduates from an accredited university, they enter the profession as a generalist with very little experience. As a new graduate, they have yet to take the necessary postgraduate courses to treat TMJ problems, concussion injuries, or vestibular issues (dizziness), for example. When you see a clinic that offers multiple and varied services like concussion/dizziness therapy, dry needling, advanced manual therapy, and therapeutic exercise, you can have confidence that such a clinic will have physiotherapists with years of experience, education, and advanced training in these specialty services.
The Elevation Physiotherapy Difference
At our clinic, not only do we offer these varied services, but our clinicians also have advanced training in some of these specialties. For example, Albert Chan has his Fellowship in Manual and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, which is an advanced postgraduate degree in Manual Therapy. He is also an Advanced Vestibular Physiotherapist, having graduated from the prestigious program at the University of Pittsburgh.
Not every physiotherapist has training or expertise in jaw conditions (TMJ). Both Georgi Trifonov and Albert Chan have expertise in treating TMJ conditions. Albert Chan and Danielle Bles both have certifications in diagnostic imaging through the University of Alberta. These are just some examples of the experience, expertise, and advanced training that our physiotherapists have invested in to manage a wide range of conditions.
Tip 3: One-on-One Care
Choose a clinic whose physiotherapists spend one-on-one time and provide direct care to you. Avoid clinics that delegate your care to physiotherapy assistants or kinesiologists. Additionally, stay away from clinics that rely solely on machines like TENS units or simply place hot packs on you as the only form of treatment. Choose clinics that empower you with knowledge, skills, and a personalized home program.
The Elevation Physiotherapy Difference
At our clinic, we do not delegate your care to others. We spend time teaching you about your injury or condition, explaining what the current research evidence recommends regarding best practice guidelines for your specific situation. We emphasize the importance of your active participation in your own care and equip you with the tools to manage your condition in the gym, at work, and at home. Not only do we apply treatments to you while in the clinic, but we also provide vital exercises and recommendations to help you move better, recover more effectively, and get stronger.
Your Path to Personalized Care
Just like Susan, when faced with a plethora of choices for goods and services, choosing the right physiotherapist can be overwhelming. I hope this blog has highlighted the strengths of our clinic. If you have any questions about whether Elevation Physiotherapy is the right fit for you, please give us a call. Our staff would be more than happy to answer your questions. If you decide to choose us, it would be our privilege to be part of your healthcare team. We invite you to Rise Above. Elevation Awaits.