Tiffany Tiu is a student, researcher and Paincast podcast developer.
“I am an enthusiastic physiotherapy student at the University of Toronto (UofT). Apart from enjoying my studies, I am passionate about evidence-based practice and pain advocacy. I co-chair the Pain Science Division (PSD) Student committee and conduct research at the Biomechanics of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Lab at UofT. I spearheaded the development of Paincast, the official podcast of the Pain Science Division at the CPA, on Spotify! Pain and Physiotherapy are so intricately connected, so there is no more reason than that to follow Paincast. We will continue to produce insightful and engaging episodes with amazing guests, so make sure you stay tuned. I will also be contributing to the May 2023 issue of Physiotherapy Practice Magazine discussing pain management.
Being the only student physiotherapist researcher at the Biomechanics of Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Lab, I advocate for physiotherapist inclusion in orthopeadic research. Currently, I am finishing up a study on the Star Excursion Balance Test, and will be starting another project. An episode by the RehabINK Podcast is featuring the lab in May so stay tuned to the podcast to listen.”
André Riopel is a physiotherapist, competitive cyclist, and inventor of the ViscusTM.
André Riopel, BSc PT invented and perfected a momentum propelled therapeutic pedalling device called Viscus TM. Combining two of his passions – cycling and physiotherapy – Riopel’s device, and its development was featured in Northern Ontario Business.
André says “the concept for this machine came 40 years ago based on the work of Dr. Salter, the inventor of Continuous Passive Motion (CPM), and its effect on articular cartilage”. As a competitive cyclist, former bike shop owner and orthopaedic physiotherapist he says “in the cycling world, we call them “fixies” which are bicycles used for track racing and unlike standard bicycles, can’t coast”. A “fixie” bike is a lot smoother and comfortable to use because momentum helps your legs around the dead points of the pedalling motion. Furthermore, circular motion (as opposed to linear), eliminates joint forces caused acceleration/deceleration forces present in linear exercise like the CPM machine. This is ideal for arthritic joints as circular motion is far more comfortable than the back and forth of the CPMs.
“When people think of “exercise”, they think about muscular contraction and don’t appreciate all the value of just moving with minimal muscular contraction. The often-overlooked benefits of relatively passive exercise include neurological input, venous return and articular nutrition. The objective in the Viscus design was to create a user-friendly, simple machine that utilized the momentum of a high velocity flywheel to produce a smooth, relatively effortless circular motion that could be performed for long durations. Clinical applications included osteoarthritis, peripheral edema, hemiparesis, spasticity etc. The machine needed to be durable and non- motorized with a stable foot platform and easy access from a wheelchair or couch.”
Charlotte Anderson is a practicing Physiotherapist, researcher and CEO of Alpha Health Services, a multi-site clinic in Toronto. On June 5, 2023 she was a guest on Zoomer TV with a panel of health experts, answering questions from the live audience. Charlotte explained the benefits of physiotherapy, how physiotherapists can help prevent injury, keep adults active, prevent falls and recover from pain or injury.
Charlotte was also recently elected to OPA’s Board of Directors, and is an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream in the University of Toronto Physical Therapy Department. She has worked as an embedded Research Fellow conducting research for Ontario Health, specifically on the implementation of clinical care pathways for Ontario Health Teams.
Check out Charlotte on Zoomer TV:
Segment 1 – (Charlotte at 1:50 onwards) Is there a connection between glaucoma and pancreatic cancer?
Segment 2 – (Charlotte at 4:40) Answering questions on stem cells, cholesterol and how arthritis is linked to food
Segment 3 – (Charlotte from beginning and from 4:15) What are the best methods for fall prevention as we age?
Segment 4 –(Charlotte from 2:20) Could DNA testing help treat diseases as we age?
Segment 6 – (Charlotte from 2:20) Advice on staying healthy as you age
Congratulations to Sharon Switzer-McIntyre on receiving the University of Toronto President’s Teaching Award, the university’s highest honour for teaching (University of Toronto, 2023).
This Award is in recognition of Sharon Switzer-McIntyre’s ongoing contributions to educational leadership and innovation and her sustained excellence in teaching. During her 25 years in the department of Physical Therapy at the University of Toronto,Sharon Switzer-McIntyre has been deeply involved in innovative curricular design, development and delivery, learner assessment, mentorship, administration and leadership activities. Her students consistently praise her engaging style and interactive teaching approach.
She has also been directly responsible for leading a team of faculty in the development and implementation of the Ontario Internationally Educated Physiotherapy Bridging (OIEPB) Program, which has successfully prepared internationally educated physiotherapists for practice in Canada.
Sharon has been a Physiotherapist leader for many years and an active supporting member of the Association, volunteering for projects and groups nationally and provincially. She is also a previous Chair of the Canadian Council of Physiotherapy Programs.
“Sharon is truly an exceptional educator and mentor who is passionate about teaching and improving the lives of all students. She is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in everything that she does. I can think of no one more deserving of this award,” says Susan Jaglal, Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy.
Trent Health in Motion’s Seniors in Motion program recently won a Community Spirit Award from the Older Adult Centres Association of Ontario.This news was covered in the Peterborough Examiner. To date, there have been over 200 participants go through the program, and the team at Trent Health in Motion is working to secure more funding so that the program can continue to be offered to participants free of charge.
“This program was an innovative idea that was physiotherapist developed and led. We have been working with research partners to evaluate the effectiveness of the program and found positive health impacts across a range of areas. As we have accepted new clients into the program, additional news outlets have invited us to share more about the program. Check us out on the morning show on Global News.” – Michael Williams
For National Physiotherapy Month 2024, Ontario Physiotherapy Association members shared the impact of physiotherapists’ scope of practice on their communities.
Pamela Houghton, Physiotherapist:
“I am a retired physiotherapist as of 2022. I was registered with the College in Ontario (CPO) for 29 years. I worked as a full professor teaching and doing research that supported the important role of physical therapists in wound care in Canada.
For many years physiotherapists in Ontario have been able to “work below the dermis” which includes many of the skills needed to provide wound care. Skin health and wound care is an emerging field of practice aimed at improving the outcomes of people who are at risk of, or those who are living with chronic wounds. This includes a huge number of Canadians since chronic wounds are a common complication of many health conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neurological conditions such as MS, SCI, stroke. Problems with skin integrity and delayed healing also affect a significant proportion of elderly people with limited mobility and people with critical illnesses such as acute trauma, complex surgery, and cancer.
Throughout my career I provided evidence based physical therapy treatments that are known to speed healing of many types of chronic wounds including rehabilitation programs that “take the pressure off” the skin and leg exercises that improve peripheral circulation. Additionally, many of the therapeutic modalities used in physiotherapy are known to promote faster and stronger wound closure including electrical stimulation therapy (E-Stim), ultrasound, and light therapies. I have had the opportunity to help many people living with spinal cord injuries (SCI) who have developed terrible sitting acquired pressure injuries. Pressure injuries (PrIs) or skin breakdown is known to be the second most common complication after SCI and the one that has the greatest impact on quality of life.
The implementation of self-management programs has allowed 100s of people with SCI and PrIs to treat their own wounds with E-Stim, to close long standing open PrIs, and to ultimately regain their mobility and independence. Not many PTs in Canada appreciate that wound care is part of their scope of practice. However, so many of our current practices can help this growing population of people affected by chronic non healing skin wounds.”
National Physiotherapy Month 2024, Ontario Physiotherapy Association members share the impact of physiotherapists’ scope of practice on their communities.
Jennifer Howey, PT:
“Movement is life and life is movement.” As physiotherapists, we are movement specialists, with the ability to diagnose and treat movement disorders and injury. Our scope of practice goes beyond the treatment room. It includes public education, injury prevention and promoting healthy activity throughout the spectrum of life. In today’s sedentary world, it is more important than ever to encourage movement with every generation.
At InsideOut Physiotherapy and Wellness Group, we found that Nordic Pole Walking (NPW) – walking with Nordic walking sticks- is fun, inexpensive, and people of any age or exercise ability can benefit. It can get us moving and keep us moving! NPW has been shown to help people rehabilitate post surgery, those with chronic conditions, diabetes, osteoporosis, Parkinson’s Disease and many more.
As a clinic, we have developed a significant NPW program with a great deal of community outreach. InsideOut has had a 6-year collaboration with the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association and University of Hong Kong Physiotherapy program. Two InsideOut physiotherapists went to Hong Kong and trained 25 physiotherapists to be instructors and started to support research within the University on NPW and its benefits with patients with Parkinson’s Disease. In Hong Kong, physiotherapists now get funding for NPW programs within their rehabilitation and community settings. We are currently advocating to get similar approval in Ontario.
As a physiotherapist, one of my proudest moments was when we had a group of clients enter as Nordic Pole walkers in the Scotiabank 5km walk. These clients would not have thought they were capable of doing an event like this! One of the participants had come to us using a scooter for full-time ambulation seven months earlier. She was completely deconditioned, having suffered years of low back pain and multiple chronic problems. We worked with her, using our physiotherapy treatment and home program that included NPW. Seven months later she was one of the participants completing in this 5 km walk, using the poles. She was so proud of her accomplishment she signed up for two more that year.
It is the impact we can have on the lives of others that motivate me as a physiotherapist and clinic owner. Happy National Physiotherapy Month!”
With the call for a provincial election and a date set for February 27, 2025, OPA recognizes the importance of the next four weeks in engaging candidates and prospective MPPs on the issues that matter. Watch Courtney Bean, OPA President, speak about the upcoming provincial election.
Polling data reinforces that health care and the state of our health system remains a priority for Ontarians. We know that this is a critical time to communicate the priorities of the physiotherapy profession with candidates so that we can continue to make progress and positive change. Ontarians face extraordinary barriers to needed care. This election we believe important issues must be tackled and responded to so that Ontarians have equitable, timely access to the essential services provided by physiotherapists, physiotherapy residents, and physiotherapist assistants.
Here are our four priorities that will contribute to building an effective Health Care system in Ontario:
1. INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PHYSIOTHERAPISTS IN ONTARIO
Growing the number of physiotherapists in Ontario is critical to meet the increasing demands on our system for rehabilitation care in private practice, primary care, hospital care, long-term care and home and community care
2. ADD PHYSIOTHERAPISTS TO MORE INTERPROFESSIONAL CARE TEAMS
Expanding the investment in primary health care organizations by adding physiotherapists is necessary to ensure that all Ontarians have access to primary health care with integrated physiotherapy services. All Ontarians should have the essential healthcare they need, including care by physiotherapists to promote well-being and injury prevention, recover from surgery or injury, and live optimally with chronic conditions in their homes and communities
3. FINALIZE IMPLEMENTATION OF SCOPE OF PRACTICE
It has taken too long! We call on candidates to increase health system capacity and efficiency by finalizing the regulations needed for physiotherapists to practise to their full competencies, including ordering diagnostic imaging and laboratory tests. These include changes that were enabled by the Ontario Legislature in 2009 but have not been implemented by the Ministry of Health. Get it done.
4. RESOLVE PROGRAM AND COMPENSATION RELATED CHALLENGES
There is a need to implement policies and funding increases that support fair, equitable compensation and are comparable to increases in other disciplines of the healthcare workforce (e.g., nurses, mid-wives, physicians). Underfunding physiotherapy leads to service scarcity, long wait times, and poorer health outcomes for Ontarians in publicly funded and insurance-based programs. The inconsistent funding of physiotherapy services severely impacts recruitment and retention with many physiotherapists withdrawing services because of the lack financial viability to deliver.
It is essential that physiotherapists are accessible to Ontarians of all ages and abilities. To support the wellbeing and prosperity of the province, the sustainability of the physiotherapy profession is critical, and to reduce professional attrition, it is imperative that underfunded physiotherapy programs are improved administratively and fiscally, including (1) Community Physiotherapy Program (CPC) (2) Auto Insurance Programs including the Minor Injury Guideline (MIG) and Professional Services Guideline (PSG) and (3) Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) Programs of Care.
Join us in any way you can!
At OPA, we will continue to advocate for the priorities of our members and profession overall and have prepared a candidate brief that we hope will be of value in your discussions.
OPA, in collaboration with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (CPO), provided an update to our long-standing Scope of Practice submission to the Ministry of Health. It was important to incorporate the voice of the profession through the Scope Survey and the almost 1100 responses received.
The Ministry team has received the update with a few minor questions in follow up and we look forward to our next meeting early in 2025. OPA took the opportunity to update Dr. Karima Velji, Chief of Nursing & Professional Practice and Assistant Deputy Minister for the Province of Ontario, with this information as well.
OPA submitted comments to the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario on the most recently proposed standards:
Advertising and Marketing
Documentation (would replace Record Keeping)
Funding, Fees and Billing
OPA provided suggested ways to enhance clarity and comprehensiveness in each of the standards. There is also an opportunity in the Documentation Standard to include how the use of AI may impact record keeping, and any important considerations.
