FAQ

As telephysio, telerehab and online physiotherapy is new for most people. We have provided some of the most frequently asked questions.

Please do not hesitate to email us if you have any other specific questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my injury suitable for online Physiotherapy?

Most injuries are suitable for online Physiotherapy consultation. If we feel that we can not serve you as well as an in-person Physio could, we will tell you and refund your appointment. As well, we will let you know where you can go to get help. With telerehab, we empower you by giving you the tools to treat your own injury in the comfort of your own home. We educate you with the do's and don't to manage your injury while the healing occurs. If you are unsure whether your injury is suitable for a consultation or not, send us an email.



Will my online Physiotherapist tell me that I need to see an in-person Physio?

Yes! Some injuries can benefit from hands on treatment and we will explain that to you if neccesary. We have a vast network of therapists that we refer to across Canada!



How can an online Physiotherapist diagnose me without touching me?

All Physiotherapy appointments start with a 'subjective assessment', in which the Physiotherapist will ask you a series of questions designed to discover what they need to know about your injury (without touching you). This will include how it happened, where it hurts, the kind of pain you are in, how it is aggravated and what you do to releive it. Next, the Physio will have you perform certain movements and test to rule in or rule out a possible cause. If we are ever unsure of your diagnosis or how to treat it, we will not hesitiate to refer you to an on site Physio.



How can you "treat me" without touching me?

Physiotherapy is active treatment. We give you the tools to make it better!

The body heals itself - we show you the ways to stop doing what aggravates the injury and start doing more of what releives it!



What if I have more questions after my appointment?

We always have time for your questions and concerns after the appointment. We will continue to work with you after the appointment through phone, email or text communication. We will request a follow-up appointment if further assessment or significant exercise program changes are needed.



Do I need any specific operating system or browser to attend my appointment?

At InReach Physio, we can personalize your consultation to the equipment (CPU, Mac, Tablet, Phone) and bandwidth that you have. We have multiple options and will work together until any technological issues are resolved. A webcam and computer with a microphone is best.



Will my appointment be covered under Extended Health Insurance?

Yes! The majority of extended health benefits plans such as SunLife, Pacific Blue Cross, Great West Life and Manulife, cover our services.If you have any specific questions about your coverage, feel free to call your provider to ask. We are unable to determine your extent of coverage.

InReach direct bills most extended health benefits providers. Fill your policy info out in our intake form and we will do the rest.



How do you prescribe exercises online?

This has become quite simple with technology advancements. We use a variety of app services that best suit your needs to build exercise programs with instructions, videos and images attached.

We will instruct you over teleconference and watch your technique the first time you do the exercises then you can cross reference with the program we provide you.



Does tele-rehabilitation work?

This is what the research says:

- Russell T. (2011) showed how tele-rehabilitation produced physical and functional results that were comparable or better than those achieved through face-to-face therapy along with a high level of patient satisfaction following knee replacement surgery. This success was found despite the participants having a very low level of computer skill. - Cottrell M.A. (2018) found that the diagnostic accuracy of a tele-rehab assessment is not inferior to face-to-face reliability studies when examining the lumbar spine, knee and shoulder. In addition, tele-rehab technology provides an adequate suite of tools to enable most aspects of the Physio assessment to be conducted.

Please let us know if you want full citations or more research.



What is the difference in telephysio, telerehab and virtual physio?

We appolgise that this may seem confusing. For the most part, they are all the same. The prefix “tele” literally means “at” or “from a distance”.

Telehealth is the umbrella term and "used to describe the use of electronic communication technologies to support clinical healthcare".

Telephysio and telerehab is specific to Physiotherapy. More recently, the terms online physio and virtual physio have become popular.