Areas of Practice
Physiotherapists may work in one or any combination of the following specialized areas:
Burns:
To reduce deformity and scarring during the grafting and healing process, using exercise, hydrotherapy, and other modalities.
Consultation:
To act as a consultant to schools, governments, charities, industry, and other organizations within the public and private sectors.
Geriatrics:
To help the elderly achieve independence by teaching them how to help themselves and use equipment to give them more mobility.
Home Care:
To help patients manage at home, especially after being discharged from a hospital or rehabilitation centre.
Neurology:
To help patients achieve normal movement following an injury to the nervous system such as a stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease or head injury. Treatment includes special exercises, hydrotherapy, gait training, pain relief, muscle strengthening exercises, and joint mobility exercises.
Orthopaedics:
To treat and prevent joint sprains, muscle strains, neck and back complaints, and to restore function following fractures and surgery. Orthopaedics is also concerned with correcting and preventing postural dysfunction and muscular imbalance, and arthritis. Treatment may involve special exercises, mobilization, manipulation, stress management and relaxation techniques.
Paediatrics:
To treat children’s congenital defects such as cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis or mental challenges. Also to assess and treat children following injury or disease. Physiotherapists consult and teach parents and caregivers skills and methods to treat children.
Research:
To develop and evaluate new and current physiotherapy techniques.
Respirology:
To treat children and adults suffering from asthma, bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, emphysema, pneumonia, and other lung conditions. Respirology is also important for patients on general surgical wards, in intensive care units, and in coronary care units.
Sports Physiotherapy:
To treat and prevent sports injuries by providing physiotherapy coverage at international, national, provincial and some local sports events. Sports physiotherapy is also involved in community education by counselling and publishing manuals aimed at prevention and care of sports related injuries.
Other:
- to teach pre-natal and post-natal programs
- to rehabilitate heart attack patients
- to provide post-surgical care and prosthetic training for amputees
- to assess and improve motor coordination of patients with impaired sight or hearing
- to help the disabled in pursuits of sports such as skiing, etc.
- to plan, organize, and direct treatment and physical activity programs for psychiatric patients
More information about physiotherapy in Canada.