Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is a rehabilitation profession with a presence in all health care delivery streams in Ontario: hospitals, long-term care facilities, home care, community-based clinics, schools, private practice clinics and primary care networks. It is regulated in Ontario under the Regulated Health Professions Act (RHPA).

In Ontario, physiotherapists are registered to practice by the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario. There are approximately 7,000 registered physiotherapists in the province.

While physicians are referred to as MDs and nurses as RNs, physiotherapists or physical therapists are often referred to as PTs. The professional titles in Ontario for this leading rehabilitation health care professional are physiotherapist or physical therapist.

Physiotherapy is a drug-free health care practice. Physiotherapists work in partnership with individuals of all ages to break down the barriers to physical function whether that means working with patients pre and post surgery, helping people come back from illness and chronic disease, injury, industrial and motor vehicle accidents and age related conditions. Physiotherapists also play an important role in health promotion and disease prevention. Physiotherapy is the treatment of preference for many who suffer from pain whether in the back or neck, or joint pain such as hips, knees, ankles, wrists, elbows or shoulders.

Physiotherapy has proven to be effective in the treatment and management of arthritis, diabetes, stroke and traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and a range of respiratory conditions offering those afflicted with tools and techniques to acquire and maintain an optimum level of function and pain free living.


Taken from the Ontario Physiotherapy Association, http://www.opa.on.ca