Most people will be able to state what they think a physiotherapist does. Many, however, have never heard of exercise physiologists.
At BJC Health, we are very fortunate to work with a fantastic team of exercise physiologists.
My explanation of what an exercise physiologist usually follows this form: “an exercise physiologist will assess your whole body by assessing how it moves. From here, they will determine which particular areas you will need to focus on, be it mobility, stability and/or strength, and then with your help, tailor an exercise program towards your goal.”
You may now be thinking, how is this different to a physiotherapist?
At BJC Health, the physiotherapists work with the patient in the acute phase of management. My role is to get the patient out of pain, and performing their daily activities. This may range from going for a walk with the dog, playing with their kids, running a marathon or returning to sport.
Once they have reached this phase, the exercise physiologists are the experts at making sure you don’t return to physiotherapy with the same injury. Their aim is to get your body in better condition than before. We call this stage, the performance phase of rehabilitation.
If a patient returns to me with the same injury, I feel like I have not done my job and failed them at some stage through their rehabilitation.
Working as a team with the exercise physiologists is one thing that sets us apart from many clinics.
Have you had a good experience working with a physiotherapist and an exercise physiologist together?