Physiotherapy Can Help!

More than just sports injury rehab, physiotherapists know how the body works, how to keep it moving and how to get it moving again.

OTTAWA, April 30, 2014 /CNW/ - Physiotherapy is a constantly expanding profession. Since it first took root in Canada's health system after the First World War, physiotherapy has evolved in terms of the scope of conditions it can treat, the range of people being treated and the skill level of its practitioners. What began as a drug-free method to rehabilitate injured veterans is now a registered health care profession chosen by men, women and children for treatment of pain, injury and chronic illness.

May is National Physiotherapy Month in Canada. Members of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) will celebrate by engaging patients and the public in events and activities that will help to raise awareness of the profession and its many benefits for Canadians.

"Physiotherapy is a continuously growing profession — growing in terms of the number of practitioners and growing in the range of conditions we can treat," says Doug Treloar, President of CPA's Board of Directors and a practitioner in Manitoba. "It's exciting to have a month to recognize the contributions of our members to the health and mobility of Canadians."

Physiotherapists make important contributions to the health and well-being of Canadians every day. As primary care professionals, Canadian physiotherapists promote mobility, wellness and independence for all ages and use their extensive education and clinical experience to assess, diagnose and treat a broad range of conditions. Physiotherapists know how the body works, how to keep it moving and how to get it moving again.

But not everyone understands when to choose physiotherapy. Treloar says the message is getting through, but there is still a gap in understanding. "Patients are becoming much more informed as to how physiotherapy can contribute to enhancing their level of wellness. What perhaps is not completely understood by the general public is the breadth of our scope of practice," he says. Plus physiotherapists now must have a two-year Masters degree which includes extensive clinical experience. When Treloar went to school, only a four-year bachelor's degree was necessary.

Physiotherapists do more than help rehabilitate people after an accident or injury. They help manage cancer and chronic lung disease, care for musculoskeletal conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, help stroke patients recover, aid in treatment of developmental delays in children, and even help prevent chronic disease.

For example, 50,000 Canadians suffer a stroke each year, and 75 per cent of the survivors have some level of disability. Early admission to in-patient rehabilitation not only improves patient outcomes but also reduces long-term health-care costs — and that affects all Canadians.

This May, CPA is launching a new website to bring together the best information around the web on how physiotherapy can help patients live a healthy, active life. Members, patients and the public are invited to visit www.physiocanhelp.ca, to learn more or to find a physiotherapist and get help getting back to life.

About CPA
The Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) represents over 12,000 physiotherapists, physiotherapist assistants and physiotherapy students across Canada. CPA members are rehabilitation professionals dedicated to the health, mobility and fitness of Canadians. In partnership with provincial and territorial branches and practice divisions, CPA enables members to learn, share knowledge and enhance practice. CPA provides resources, education, ideas and advocacy to enable our professional community to better serve Canadians. www.physiotherapy.ca

SOURCE: Canadian Physiotherapy Association

For media inquiries, please contact: Jamie Noonan, Communications Manager, Canadian Physiotherapy Association, 955 Green Valley Crescent, Suite 270, Ottawa ON K2C 3V4, [email protected], 613-564-5454 x222