Groupe PhysioExtra is a Québec-based company founded in 1997 with a network of rehabilitation clinics throughout Québec. The strength of our network allows us to offer both the best quality of care to our patients and a work environment focused on the well-being of our employees.
A network with a mission at heart
Founded in 1997, Groupe PhysioExtra is one of the largest networks of private rehabilitation clinics in Québec with locations in Montréal, Laval, Lower Laurentians, Laurentians, Lanaudière, Montérégie, Eastern Townships, Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec. Our mission is to support local communities in their wellness needs by offering, through the strength of a network, high quality and accessible services supported by innovative solutions for prevention and rehabilitation in physical and mental health.
All the services under one roof
The clinics within the Groupe PhysioExtra network offer a multitude of services under one roof, including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, kinesiology, osteopathy, massage therapy and acupuncture. Our experts work as a collaborative, interdisciplinary team to maximize the overall health of our patients and to get them back on their feet as quickly as possible. With a human and empathetic approach that combines unparalleled professional expertise with superior patient services, PhysioExtra is the ideal place to start or continue a rehabilitation treatment... and most importantly, to successfully finalize it!
A history built on people
PhysioExtra turned 25 in 2022! Conviction, perseverance and dedication were required to achieve our mission of health and wellness for the entire community. Who better than our founder to tell you our story...
Interview with the founder of PhysioExtra, Alain Racine
Tell us about the beginnings and why you decided to open the first physiotherapy clinic in the history of PhysioExtra.
In 1997, I was working in a clinic and I didn't like the way things were going. I was ready to hang up my skates... or my hands... I was asked if I wanted to temporarily replace a physiotherapist in a really good clinic and that made me want to do it again. I got the idea to continue to do temp work by starting a small business I called EXTRA Physio.
The clients I had treated in different clinics would find me, call me back and want to consult me directly, so I thought it was time to settle down in one place and work on giving back its letters of noblesse to physiotherapy — like showing the quality of care you could bring to a treatment, but also to the human relationship with the patient.
Where was this first clinic located?
Above the Jean-Coutu on Fleury Street, right next to a medical centre. I quickly had to call on another professional to help meet the demand, it was Luc Denis, the first to trust me. He is still there, 25 years later! We literally demolished this clinic with a sledgehammer and then rebuilt it ourselves. We saw our clients during the day and at night, sometimes quite late, and then we went to paint and install what would become our first real head office.
In 2000, physiotherapist Pascal Gagnon (the current CEO of PhysioExtra) joined us. He was known as the Sparrow King because he was a badminton pro, he competed and travelled all over Canada, so he needed a flexible schedule. It makes me proud that our first physiotherapist was able to grow professionally with us to become the CEO of the largest rehabilitation company in Québec.
Did you want to open several locations from the start?
I never had the ambition of having more than 35 clinics or 500 employees one day. The company grew according to what came along. I have always believed and said that in business, if you don't move forward, you move backward. Over time, we opened new locations and also welcomed existing clinics into the group. The network has grown thanks to the trust of our clients (we have over 15,000 now!) and the strength of our employees, whom we call our TEAM X. I am very proud of how far we have come.
Even today, when I meet people in the Ahuntsic neighbourhood, they tell me "we go to your place and we are taken care of, we feel important and above all, we feel that the therapists really want the best for us." In the end, that's what touches me the most.
Alain Racine,
Founder of PhysioExtra
