“I don’t really like my physiotherapist, but it’s the clinic my doctor told me to go to, so I have to”
“My chiropractor says that as long as I’m going to see him, I can only see the massage therapist at his clinic”
I sincerely hope that both of these individuals misinterpreted what they were told. The bottom line is that no one has the right to make these decisions for you! There are a few regulations that are in place in Ontario that help to keep patients safe. In addition to those, I am going to outline a few general rules of thumb to help you choose a team that works best for you.
Referrals
Often a health care practitioner will refer a patient to another professional to provide treatment they cannot provide themselves. For instance a doctor may refer for Athletic Therapy or Massage Therapy to treat a sports injury, or an Athletic Therapist may refer to a physiatrist or osteopath to treat chronic pain conditions.
Practitioners are not allowed to make referrals based on financial gain. Let me reiterate that; there cannot be any kickbacks, bonuses, or underlying business interests that influence the practitioner’s decision on where they refer their patient. Referrals must be made in the best interest of the patient.
Take note: if it appears that your doctor or surgeon owns part of a rehab clinic, or if your therapist will only ‘let you’ see other therapists that work for at the same clinic, they may not only be thinking of your health.
Choice
There are many allied health care practitioners in Ontario, including the four big players for sports injuries: Athletic Therapists, Physiotherapists, Chiropractors and Registered Massage Therapists. Each of these practitioners offers different skills and techniques, so even if your doctor recommends one type, do your research and ensure that you are seeing the correct practitioner for your condition! “Sports Therapy” is not it’s own profession, but is often used to refer to any of these professionals that work primarily with athletes.
Comfort
When you’re injured, you’re vulnerable. It’s important that your practitioner makes you feel comfortable enough to be able to accept the treatment, and strive towards wellness. Here are some guidelines I like to follow when I’m seeking treatment for myself:
- The environment should feel safe. If you prefer closed doors and privacy, that should be available. If you don’t feel safe, your healing will suffer.
- You should be able to trust your therapist. If you feel as though there are things you can’t share that are relevant to your injury, then you may need to find a different practitioner.
- You should feel as though you can ask questions and say ‘no’ to anything your practitioner suggests. While they are a professional, they don’t know your limits or desires unless they listen to you.
- Your therapist should put your healing above their convenience. It’s their job to adjust their treatment technique to your injury.
- Your therapist should spend time with you, and speak to you face to face. You are not a walking talking injury, you are a person with pain, fear, goals etc.
- You should begin feeling improvement and change after 1-2 treatments! You might not get better in this time, but you should be moving in that direction!
- You should not have to agree to a long term course of treatment, and you should never feel guilty about leaving a therapist if things are not working out.
Making a Change
If you agree with these ideas, and it seems as though your practitioner isn’t working their hardest for you, then it might be time for a change!
As part of my Athletic Therapy education, I learned about other practitioners and what tools they use to treat patients. I offer consultations with patients where I can get to know them, and their injury, to see if my style of treatment would be a fit. More importantly, it allows the public to see if I would be a good fit for them.
If you are unsure if your current course of treatment is working, or you don’t know if Guelph Performance is the clinic for you, please book a complimentary consultation and we can work together towards creating your treatment plan. You can Book Online or give us a call and we’d be happy to help you out!
