Do I see and Exercise Physiologist or a Physiotherapist??

People will present with one of two types of problems; ACUTE or CHRONIC conditions and/or illnesses.

ACUTE is  a pain or injury that begins suddenly.  You may or may not be sure of what caused this acute condition 
​but it causes you pain and affects your functional ability.

CHRONIC is any condition or illness that has lasted for 6 months or longer.  It is an ongoing issue that affects your  daily ability to function normally and of a normal healthy state.

Treats mostly CHRONIC health conditions, injuries and/or illnesses.

EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY

You would be designed a specifically tailored exercise program you can do in your own home to help treat and manage your condition.
There is also a strong focus on behavioural change and self-management to get you back to a healthy functioning state along with education on your condition.

Some common conditions Exercise Physiologists treat are High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol levels, COPD, Diabetes, Obesity, Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis, Coronary Artery Disease, Asthma, chronic pain and many more.

PHYSIOTHERAPY

Treats mostly ACUTE conditions and injuries.

Primarily treat patients using physical techniques such as manipulation, massage and dry needling. 
There is also a strong focus on exercise to increase mobility, range of motion through joints and strength of injured body parts. 

Some common conditions Physiotherapists treat are sports injuries, joint and muscular pain, sprains (ligament damage), strains (tendon damage) such as rolled ankles, knee, elbow, wrist and shoulder injuries, pulled muscles, scoliosis, spinal conditions and many more!

If you are ever confused about which Health Professional you need to see, ask yourself these questions:

EXAMPLE 1: I’ve just lifted a heavy object and felt a pain in my lower back! Who do I see? 

At Better Health we recommend you see a PHYSIOTHERAPIST. You have recently injured yourself therefore you
are suffering an ACUTE injury that requires diagnosis and manual treatment. Once the pain has subsided and full
mobility has been achieved you may then require some EXERCISE REHABILITATION to help strengthen the muscles of your lower back. 

EXAMPLE 2: I have High Blood Pressure and need to lose some weight. I also suffer from osteoarthritis in  my left knee which only hurts when I exercise! Who do I see?

At Better Health we recommend you see an EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGIST. You are suffering from a CHRONIC         condition (osteoarthritis) which exercise rehabilitation can help to improve the mobility and strength of the affected  knee. An Exercise Physiologist is also trained to educate you on what types of exercise are best for blood pressure  and weight loss.