I’M IN PAIN! WHO SHOULD I SEE?
By
Pat Stanziano, MPT, Hons BSc Kin
Registered Physiotherapist
Certified McKenzie MDT Provider (MICanada)
Diploma Sport Physiotherapy (Canada)
Registered Int’l Sport Physical Therapist (IFSPT)
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (NSCA)
Think about the last time you were in pain. Someone may have recommended you see a chiropractor, while somebody else suggested a physiotherapist.
“Who should I see?” you ask yourself.
At Leaps and Bounds: Performance Rehabilitation, our Oakville ON-based clinic has both physiotherapy and chiropractic care, while also throwing into the mix, athletic therapy.
But what’s the difference?
Let’s take a look at some definitions.
What is physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy is a primary care, autonomous, client-focused health profession dedicated to improving quality of life by:
- Promoting optimal mobility, physical activity and overall health and wellness;
- Preventing disease, injury, and disability;
- Managing acute and chronic conditions, activity limitations, and participation restrictions;
- Improving and maintaining optimal functional independence and physical performance;
- Rehabilitating injury and the effects of disease or disability with therapeutic exercise programs and other interventions; and
- Educating and planning maintenance and support programs to prevent re-occurrence, re-injury or functional decline.
Physiotherapy is anchored in movement sciences and aims to enhance or restore the function of multiple body systems. The profession is committed to health, lifestyle and quality of life. This holistic approach incorporates a broad range of physical and physiological therapeutic interventions and aids.
What is Chiropractic Care?
The practice of chiropractic is the assessment of conditions related to the spine, nervous system, and joints and the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, primarily by adjustment, of:
- Dysfunctions or disorders arising from the structures or functions of the spine and the effects of those dysfunctions or disorders on the nervous system.
- Dysfunctions or disorders arising from the structures or functions of the joints.
Chiropractors practice within the scope of practice to examine, diagnose and provide care to patients with a variety of health concerns related to the spine and joints and the effect on the nervous system. Chiropractors focus on patient-centred care, use manual therapies, and often work in collaboration with other regulated health professionals.
Does that help?
Probably not. So let’s try this instead:
The word “physiotherapy” comes from the greek words Phusis + Therapeia, meaning “natural healing”; while “chiropractic” comes from the Greek words Kheir + Praktikos, meaning “do by hand”. It is from these definitions that we can understand the traditional practices of physiotherapy and chiropractic care.
Traditionally, physiotherapy focused on restoring the natural movement of the body by improving range of motion and strengthening muscle imbalances through exercise. While chiropractic care, on the other hand, focused on manual therapy techniques called “adjustments” directed to the spinal column in order to induce healing effects on the portion of the spinal cord directly influencing the area where the complaint of pain or dysfunction was located.
Now over the years, the two professions began to overlap in the sense that physiotherapists started mobilizing and manipulating the spine and other joints, while chiropractors began prescribing exercises in order to help their patients maintain the effects of their treatment.
In An Ideal World
If all physiotherapists and chiropractors are following best practice recommendations, you likely shouldn’t be able to distinguish between them. Each is a healthcare profession concerned with human function and movement, and maximizing physical potential. They identify and maximize the quality of life and movement potential within the domains of promotion, prevention, and rehabilitation. They use the physical approaches of manual and exercise therapy to promote, maintain, and restore physical, psychological, and social well-being, taking into account variations in health status. They are rooted in science and committed to extending, applying, evaluating, and reviewing the evidence that underpins and informs their practice and delivery. The exercise of clinical judgment and informed interpretation is at their core.
Where Does Athletic Therapy Fit In?
Most of us know athletic therapists (ATs) best for their quick-thinking on-field emergency care of amateur and professional athletes. The first to respond when someone gets hurt, ATs are also experts at injury assessment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal conditions in the clinical setting (whereas physiotherapy practice can extend outside the MSK realm into neurological and cardiorespiratory care, for example). It’s that same mix of on-site care and active rehabilitation skills that makes ATs very effective in treating the musculoskeletal injuries of all Canadians, whether on the field or in the clinic.
Athletic therapists adhere to the Sports Medicine Model of care which is predicated on prevention, early intervention, accurate diagnosis, researched-based rehabilitation, and functional activity simulation restoring athletes and non-athletes alike to a healthy and active lifestyle.
At the End of the Day, Who Should I see?
If you’re a member of our Oakville ON or surrounding communities and you are looking at our clinic for services, you likely have a musculoskeletal condition causing pain. If you’re unsure whether you should see a physiotherapist or a chiropractor or an athletic therapist, you really can’t go wrong picking the first available practitioner. You’ll just have to check with your insurance provider as each policy is built differently.
To get started with one of our fantastic practitioners, contact Leaps and Bounds Performance Rehab today. Our team is happy to help you get started on a treatment plan that works for you.