Virtual Physiotherapy Services - Edmonton - Andrew Koppejan, Physiotherapist

Virtual Physiotherapy

During this time of physical distancing and restrictions on the physical delivery of physiotherapy services, one begins to explore the potential and value of virtual physiotherapy, otherwise known as tele-rehab or tele-health physiotherapy.

What is Virtual Physiotherapy?

Telehealth physiotherapy or virtual care is physiotherapy delivered remotely through video call technologies.

You may be thinking that physiotherapy isn't possible without an in-person consultation. But, there is quite a lot a physiotherapist can do with a detailed understanding of your problem and keen observation skills.

While there are limitations with virtual physiotherapy, you can still use the power of observing body movements to understand problem areas. As well, there are modifications to a physical exam that can help uncover the underlying problems.

Learn more below about the unique approach I take to help bring added value to virtual physiotherapy care.

I was sceptical about doing a virtual physio session, but figured it would be worth a try.

I thought it would likely be better than trying to live with the pain in my shoulder until I could see him in person. After the session I was left feeling very impressed by how well Andrew was able to identify the issue and then guide me through some exercises to move me forward in resolving my shoulder issue.

By the end of the session, Andrew had identified what was going on, the pain in my shoulder was significantly reduced and my range of motion was increased. I also left with some exercises I can do between our next session, with some instructional videos.

This is about the third different issue I have gone seen Andrew for and I’ve always been impressed with how fast he’s been able to get me back up and going again.

Thank you Andrew for the help today and I look forward to our next virtual meeting. I’m impressed by the progress made by our first session.

What to expect with a virtual physiotherapy assessment

There’s so much that we can cover in a virtual physiotherapy evaluation. Even though I can’t do any hands-on testing or treatment, there’s a lot that can be addressed to help you get back to moving and living pain free.

Here’s a summary of what is included:

An in-depth conversation of your pain/injury history
An evaluation of your movements from various angles, including functional movement evaluation
A review of your pain drivers and contributors
Instruction on key exercises and self-treatment strategies to help with muscle and joint stiffness
Instruction on specific exercises and movements to help reduce nervous system sensitivity
Demonstration of motor patterning exercises to help retrain painful joint movements
Pain management strategies you can incorporate at home

Following your evaluation, you receive a short personal video message where I review your diagnosis along with a summary of key exercises and education take-aways.

Creating a 360 Degree View of Your Function

There’s so much that can contribute to our pain experience. It can be muscle weakness, movement limitations or other factors that are often hidden from view.

And it’s often those not-so-apparent issues that could be contributing to ongoing pain. This could include your beliefs about pain and your injury, your sleep health, your approach to increasing physical activity or your ability to adapt to resiliency.

My virtual physiotherapy sessions focus on looking not only at your movement issues, but also these somewhat hidden issues. And I have created a system that allows me to get to these issues quickly so we can focus on your whole picture.