Online Pediatric Physiotherapy Services in Ontario
When I was asked to write a blog on what physiotherapy looks like on-line and how do we actually make this happen, I jumped at the chance, because this actually works! Physiotherapy is a health care profession which assists people to gain/ achieve skills (for example gross motor skills using the large muscles of the body for example walking, running, jumping, reaching etc.), maintain and maximize their strength, function, movement, and overall well-being and address difficulties related to function and achieving functional goals.
A big part of physiotherapy treatment is exercise. We use exercises and other modalities as well as we provide education regarding the prevention of injury, and promotion of health and fitness. Physiotherapy helps to improve physical function, independence, keep you moving, keep you active, thereby assisting in keeping you healthy and improving quality of life. On-line physiotherapy sessions are done using secure videoconferencing, in the comfort of your home. You can see the physiotherapist on-line and they can see you.
One big advantage is that the physiotherapist can see how you function in the home in your own environment, and be able to see in real time, what the difficulties are, that you are encountering, so that this can be addressed in real time. Any logistical and functional challenges can be addressed more efficiently by the physiotherapist being able to see what the problem is, rather than you just describing what the problem is, in an office type setting, because via videoconferencing, the physiotherapist can actually see what you mean, not only listen to what the challenges are, which gives a much better understanding about what the challenges are, and assists us to address them more efficiently.
Our focus is on getting your child moving every day and keeping them moving. We all recognize that play and exercise are an important part of your child’s daily life. Exercises are easily demonstrated by the physiotherapist and done together with the physiotherapist. The is no substitute for practice and ongoing practice is needed to gain and improve skills. Even through you may not have conventional exercise equipment in the home, we use common household items, which are always available and we try to think outside the box, when doing exercises in the home.
The physiotherapy team at Anderson Therapy Services has made several videos, all with a focus on physical activity, which are fun and will keep your child moving.
It is important to try and engage your child as much as possible, so that they do not lose the improvements that they have gained so far in therapy, and so that there is no regression. We need to keep your child active, and it is essential to keep moving to maintain good physical health, every day, even while physical distancing. So, our message here at Anderson Therapy Services is: Get up and move. Just a little exercise a day, goes a long way.
