Hello Fort McMurray and surrounding area, and welcome to our very first blog post!
First off, we would like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves…
I’m Kristin. I’m a busy wife and mom of two little ones, my son, almost 5, and daughter, almost 3. I’ve been practicing physical therapy and living in Fort McMurray since 2010, and it has definitely become my home…I looove this community! I can also say that I love my job. It is so rewarding to be able to meet new people every day and help them to reduce their pain and improve their function!
I’m Sara. I grew up in Fort McMurray, and was very excited to come back home to practice physical therapy after finishing university in 2015. I really enjoy working with people, as it makes every day new and exciting. I am passionate about helping people to reduce their pain and get back to feeling like themselves again. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is helping people get back to doing the activities that they love.
We are the team of Registered Physical Therapist that started Kinetic Mobile Physiotherapy. Now, we’d like to address some of the common questions that we’ve been getting regarding mobile physiotherapy. First off, the most popular:
“Do you have a van or something?”
No. Although a van is a GREAT idea for a lot of mobile businesses, when it comes to mobile physiotherapy, it just isn’t very practical. Physiotherapists incorporate a variety of techniques into their treatments: education, manual therapy (“hands-on” treatment), acupuncture and other treatment modalities, and everybody’s favourite: EXERCISE. As we do typically incorporate an exercise component into all of our treatments, a van simply would not provide enough space. Also, when we go into your home, we are able to see what you do on a daily basis, and give you practical ideas on how to improve the way that you do things that cause you pain, as well as give you advice on performing your home exercises in YOUR unique space
“So where do you do your treatments then?”
We offer our mobile physiotherapy treatments in the form of a home visit. We bring a portable treatment table and all of our supplies to your home, where we set up in an open space such as your living room. We are able to provide basically all of the same treatments that you would receive in a clinic setting, within the comfort of your home.
“Is this just for seniors?”
No! Our mobile visits are for anyone who finds it difficult to attend regular appointments in a clinic setting, including, but not limited to: seniors, busy parents, new moms, shift workers, those with limited mobility, pre or post-surgical clients, those with neurological conditions, the list goes on!
“What can I expect at my first visit?”
At your first visit, we will be at your home for approximately one hour. This visit will consist of an assessment of your injury/condition, as well as an initial treatment. We will begin by taking your medical history, and then performing a physical assessment to determine what is causing your pain. We will then discuss our findings with you, and go over treatment techniques that may be most effective. Once the treatment plan has been discussed and agreed upon with you, treatment will begin.
“What should I wear?”
It is best to dress in comfortable clothing, and depending on the body part being treated, you may want to wear shorts and/or a tank top. We do provide treatment gowns if needed as well.
“I’m not sure if my house will work for this type of treatment?”
Anywhere will work! All we ask is that you have a space big enough to set up a treatment table, and that it is in an open room (ie: living room) and not behind closed doors (ie: bedroom). And don’t worry about your home being sparkly clean – we won’t judge!
“I’ve heard that you have a screening questionnaire for new clients, what does that involve?”
We have a short screening questionnaire that we email to new home visit patients, and its purpose is to protect both your safety and ours, as well as go over some of our policies before we enter your home. This will take you no more than 2 minutes to complete, and it covers things such as: appropriate treatment spaces, parking, lighting, pet policies, smoking policies, etc. If we have any follow-up questions or concerns after reading your questionnaire, we’ll give you a call.
“Do you have a massage therapist?”
We do not currently have a mobile massage therapist, but are certainly exploring that option for the future. In the mean time, we can make a few recommendations on where to find GREAT massage therapists in town!
“Do you direct bill my insurance company?”
Yes! We are able to direct bill most major insurance companies for your treatment. We also accept debit & credit for those without physiotherapy coverage.
“So, why mobile?”
We started Kinetic Mobile Physiotherapy as we had a lot of clients telling us how difficult it was for them to get into a clinic for appointments. There were many different barriers people brought up, including lack of child care, limited access to transportation, work schedules, limited mobility, etc. The mobile option is something that can make it easier to access treatment, since we come to you and are offering flexible hours. Another benefit to mobile treatments is that once treatment is done, you don’t have to worry about driving back home or dealing with the weather conditions, you can just sit back and relax!
We hope this helps to clarify what a mobile physiotherapy treatment entails! For more information, please visit Kinetic Mobile Physiotherapy.