What is telerehabilitation
Telerehabilitation is increasingly popular and is available for physiotherapy, occupational therapy, kinesiology, psychology, psychoeducation and psychotherapy treatments.
Through virtual consultation accessible from the comfort of your home, your therapist is able to remotely assess your condition and discuss an effective treatment plan with you. He or she can also provide advice and exercises to help reduce your symptoms.
It is often possible to combine in-clinic treatment with telerehabilitation, so talk to your health care professional.
Why consult at a distance?
Telerehabilitation offers many advantages. You can:
- Start your rehabilitation quickly based on the advice and exercises recommended by your therapist, without having to wait for the next available in-clinic appointment.
- Save time by avoiding travel, which also facilitates follow-ups.
- Access rehabilitation care if you cannot travel, if you live in a remote area, if the weather is bad, etc.
How does a physiotherapy telerehabilitation session work?
Before your first appointment, you will receive an email with all the information you need to connect.
As in a clinic, your therapist will first ask you questions in order to understand your health issue and your symptoms. Then, he or she will ask you to move in front of the camera in order to evaluate, for example, the amplitude and quality of your movements, your motor control, your muscular endurance, your posture, etc.
After this assessment, your therapist will explain the source of the problem and the cause of your symptoms, and then teach you techniques and exercises to help you reduce these symptoms. He or she will discuss a treatment plan with you, either remotely or in-clinic, depending on your physical condition and preferences.
What can't your therapist do remotely?
Some physical tests cannot be done remotely. However, the assessment mostly remains the same whether it is done in a clinic or remotely, since the camera allows your therapist to properly assess your movements.
Where face-to-face testing is required to complete your assessment, your therapist will recommend in-clinic follow-ups.
What do you need for your telerehabilitation session?
- A stable internet connection
- A device (computer or tablet) with a video camera and microphone. You can use your mobile phone, but the screen size is less suitable for this type of consultation.
Important! You must be able to move the device around, adjust the camera angle and put it down to free your hands so that your therapist can properly assess your movements.
- Space to move whether standing, sitting in a chair or lying down (on the floor, on a bed or in a chair, depending on your ability)
- Clothing that clears the area to be assessed (for example, shorts for a knee or a camisole for a shoulder)
Sit in a quiet environment and, if possible, limit distractions so that you are fully available for the duration of your session.
Make sure that the lighting will allow your therapist to see you clearly and avoid strong backlighting (when the light source is behind you) as much as possible.
Consider being accompanied if you need help to move around.
Is telerehabilitation safe?
We use digital collaboration platforms that ensure the security of user data.
Payment of fees, if applicable, is made through a secure payment platform or by phone, depending on your preference.
Make an appointment by dialing 1 855 743.9872.
