At press, BC is in the midst of a shutdown for non-essential services. So while you can line-up with dozens of people to buy a 26-oz bottle of whiskey you can’t visit a specialist to repair an injury that has a direct impact on your health and wellness.
The closures have left many people confused about what can be considered essential. If you are among the hundreds of thousands of Canadians suffering from chronic pain you can certainly attest to that. But social distancing mandates have limited your ability to see a physiotherapist in person. Should you wait out the mandatory closures before progressing with your treatment? Absolutely not. Every day that put off physiotherapy is one where you must live with debilitating pain and suffering. In addition, you increase the risk of injury aggravation when it’s left unattended. So what is Greater Vancouver to do for the time being?
Physiotherapy at home.
There’s a caveat, however. DIY physiotherapy isn’t a good idea. When you attempt to go at it alone you run the risk of self-misdiagnosis. In turn, you may worsen your current injury or create new ones through the application of improper techniques. Read our recent article on the bad things that can happen when people try to do physio at home without professional assistance. What now?
Physiotherapy at home, but online with the help of a professional local physiotherapist.
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Absolute PhysioCare is abiding by the call for social distancing and has evolved beyond the clinic environment to offer Greater Vancouver and the entire province with virtual physiotherapy services. You can view the details for how it works here. The purposes of this article however, is to convey the core benefits of physiotherapy online at home, until you are able to return to the clinic environment.
Four Practical Benefits of Physiotherapy at Home for Greater Vancouver and BC Residents
You Can Start Treatment Today Without the Wait
As mentioned above, by taking advantage of online physiotherapy you don’t have to wait until they lift the mandatory closures for “non-essential” services in BC. From your very first session you will have received a proper diagnosis and taken the first step to recovery. Attaining better health and wellness (and a stronger immune system) is more important than ever before, so don’t put off your recovery for another day.
It’s a Great Way to Test the Waters
There are many injured parties who have put off physiotherapy for years, opting to live with chronic pain because for some reason they (you?) were not comfortable with the clinic environment. Alternatively, you may have doubted the effectiveness of physiotherapy and did not want to “test the waters” with a number of in-person visits. At-home physiotherapy is a great way to break down the barriers, and see if physiotherapy is not only effective, but suited to your personality and lifestyle. For first-timers, experiencing the first few sessions of physiotherapy from home offers a more comfortable setting. It allows you to grow accustomed with the process, makes it easier to pose questions and express concerns, and provides the opportunity to get to know your therapist. That’s why we recommend that Greater Vancouver residents find a local area physiotherapist even though sessions will be online and by phone. This way, you can transition to an even more effective in-person setting when closures have been lifted AND when your comfort level allows. It’s the perfect segue into making physio a part of your life.
ICBC / WSBC Benefits Still Apply
We recently announced that ICBC’s new care based model would open up unprecedented access to physiotherapy for those injured in a motor vehicle accident as of April 2020. This may seem like a moot point, but it’s not. As it is with in-person treatment, there is no cost for eligible ICBC (and WSBC) clients. In addition, you may also qualify for extended health plan coverage and direct billing through these coverage providers. Call 604.558.2273 or email in**@ab****************.com to inquire about eligibility.
Avoid Going the Dangerous Route – Prescription Painkillers
For years, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been warning the planet about an epidemic that has been leading to the respiratory depression and death of millions – prescription painkillers and opioids. Recent data from WHO shows that nearly half a million people per year die from opioid abuse. Addiction to prescription opioids is in-part born from iatrogenic dependence that follows the treatment of chronic pain. When people feel that they have no other recourse to treat chronic pain they turn to prescription drugs. From there, the epidemic can sweep a nation as fast as any virus, but with no vaccine on the horizon.
So what happens when mandatory closures take away physiotherapy from people in our great city and province? Many get a prescription to mitigate the pain and head on over to the local pharmacy for a bottle of pills. They then repeat this process, over and over again. Do not fall victim to this vicious cycle. Get help from a far healthier, effective, and sustainable alternative to prescription meds by opting for physiotherapy at home.
Don’t put off injury recovery and rehabilitation any longer. Learn more about Absolute PhysioCare’s online and by-phone physiotherapy services.