It's National Physiotherapy Month!

To kick start this great month ahead of us, we want to share a list of 10 facts about physiotherapy that you may not know!

1. Physiotherapy and Physical Therapy are the same thing. The term Physiotherapy is commonly used here in Canada, whereas our neighbours south of the border more commonly use the term “physical therapy.”

2. You don’t need a doctor’s referral to see a physiotherapist. In Canada, you have direct access to physiotherapy services without needing a physician’s referral. However, some insurance companies may still require a prescription to cover expenses.

3. Physiotherapy has been around for decades! Physicians like Hippocrates and Galen were viewed as some of the first practitioners of physical therapy, dating all the way back to 460 BC. Physiotherapy was first established in Canada just after World War I to treat returning soldiers from injuries sustained in combat.

​4. Physiotherapy isn’t the science of machines. Physiotherapy is the study and treatment of movement and strength, so it should be obvious that machines don’t need to be involved!

5. You don’t need to be injured to see a physiotherapist. You don’t need to be involved in a motor vehicle accident or have a sports injury to go see a physiotherapist. Physiotherapy can treat aches and pains and also help with maintenance of good health.

6. Physiotherapists can treat vertigo. Often unknown to many, physiotherapists can effectively treat and eliminate vertigo such as felt with a condition known as BPPV.

7. It’s the drug free option! Patients can be on medications while getting treatments, but physiotherapy uses no drugs and focuses solely on movement and exercise-based treatments.

8. Physiotherapy can help with jaw pain. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is one of the smallest joints in the body. Although commonly thought of as a dentist’s area of expertise, physiotherapists can treat pain, stiffness, or clicking of the jaw.

9. Physiotherapists carry advanced degrees. Apart from having a 4-year undergraduate degree, they must attain a post-graduate degree that requires an additional 2 years of schooling. No wonder they like giving out homework!

10. Physiotherapists have a great in-depth knowledge of the entire musculoskeletal system. The human body has 840 muscles, about 206 to 270 bones, and over 220 nerves! 

Keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram throughout the month for more facts, myths, and more!