Start your physio journey with a call: a practical guide!

Written by:

Ariel Desjardins Charbonneau

Scientifically reviewed by:

Alexis Gougeon

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Starting your physiotherapy journey is simple! Just call us or send us an email!

Our coordinators will ask you the right questions to guide you to the physiotherapist best suited to your condition and needs. You can also read the article: How to choose your physiotherapist? to ensure you consult the best person for your needs.

1- We will ask you to briefly explain the situation that brings you to consult and ask you questions about your goals and needs.

2- We will look at the schedule with you to assign you an evaluation slot for the first physiotherapy session that fits your availability.

3- We will give you explanations regarding the documents to fill out before the meeting, what to bring with you, where to park, how to get there, payment methods, claims to your insurance and any other questions or concerns.

Do I not need to see my doctor to do physiotherapy? What about a prescription?

It is not necessary to see your doctor before starting physiotherapy! Anyone can consult a physiotherapist directly.

Physiotherapists have been working in 'direct access' for several years to avoid duplication of work (being assessed twice by two professionals for the same problem) and to help increase the efficiency of the healthcare system by reducing the time it takes to manage patients. With their 5 years of study (bachelor's and master's degrees) focused solely on the musculoskeletal system, it is clear that physiotherapists are the experts in assessing pain in muscles, bones, joints, nerves and more!

If a medical opinion is ever required, your physiotherapist will inform you of this from the first meeting and will be able to communicate to the doctor exactly which tests, information or specific concerns he or she would like to verify. In the same way, he or she could also communicate with other health professionals you consult, with your agreement, to ensure that your treatment plan is optimized.

That being said, some insurance companies that cover physiotherapy expenses still require a doctor's prescription before reimbursing the costs. If this is the case with your insurance company, then you will need an appointment with a doctor and obtain a prescription if you wish to be reimbursed by your insurer. Check with your insurer to find out if this applies to you.

10 Quick Tips for Understanding Your Pain

The ones that have made the biggest difference in my patients' lives. 1 a day, 2 minutes.

Customer satisfaction is our top priority

At Physioactif, excellence guides everything we do, but our patients are the best ones to tell you about it. Take a look at their verified reviews to get a real sense of their experience.

4.7/5

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4.9/5

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5/5

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My experience at Physioactif Vaudreuil was absolutely perfect. The follow-up care was excellent, and I received a very warm welcome at the front desk. I was in a lot of pain, and they were able to see me quickly, which I really appreciated. My physical therapist, Philippe Paradis, was more caring than I’ve ever seen. He’s very professional and attentive to his patients. He was probably destined to become a physical therapist with a last name like that ;). If I ever have any pain again, I’ll definitely go back.

During my pregnancy, I suffered from severe pelvic pain. I called the clinic to schedule an appointment as soon as possible and was able to see a physical therapist that very same day. Ariel Desjardins-Charbonneau welcomed me warmly and reassured me about my condition. He guided me very well and gave me exercises that helped relieve my pain. I really appreciated his attentiveness, professionalism, and honesty. I recommend him to everyone!

Laurie Côté-Roy

I’ve been suffering from chronic lower back pain for the past 5 to 6 years. After trying numerous physical therapists, osteopaths, and chiropractors, I had almost lost all hope of recovery. I was fortunate to be referred to Ariel by a friend. He listened very carefully and analyzed my history. He offered a diagnosis completely different from that of all the other physical therapists I had seen, and thanks to that, my symptoms have improved significantly. His deep understanding and experience in pain management are evident. I highly recommend him!

The team at Physioactif Ahuntsic goes the extra mile to ensure you get the support you need. After a jaw dislocation (TMJ disc displacement with reduction), Ariel Desjardins-Charbonneau quickly saw me on an emergency basis. He listened as I described my pain, carefully assessed my needs, and proposed a personalized, evidence-based approach to my recovery. Along the way, he adjusted my recovery plan, paying close attention and closely monitoring my progress. He experimented with different treatments and exercises, measuring the results each time, always striving for the best outcomes. He is NOT the kind of physical therapist who simply takes a page from a textbook and blindly applies those techniques to his patients. You can tell he is passionate about his work and truly wants to help people improve their quality of life. One of his strengths is that he is both extremely professional and very friendly. He is able to build a strong relationship of trust, which is essential when treating a TMJ disc displacement. In general, receiving treatment for TMJ injuries can feel uncomfortable, even embarrassing, as it requires special maneuvers that may seem invasive to people who have never undergone treatment before. He helped me overcome my initial discomfort by building trust and putting me at ease under his care. After nearly two months of physical therapy and regular exercises, I’m almost 100% recovered! Thank you, Ariel and Physioactif Ahuntsic!

A warm and efficient welcome. In just a few weeks, David relieved me of the chronic wrist pain I’d been suffering from for months. David is an empathetic, attentive, and warm therapist who really listens and takes a practical approach. Highly recommended! Thank you, David!

Véronique Pagé

A really great team. Warm welcome. Quick appointment scheduling. I received helpful advice after breaking my wrist. If I ever have any future issues—which I certainly hope not—I’ll return to Ahunstic Physiotherapy without hesitation.

Marie Bellefeuille

I saw Myriam for a problem with severe numbness in my hand that was keeping me awake at night. After our first appointment, she identified which nerve was pinched and put together a three-month treatment plan for me. Through our appointments and the exercises I was assigned to do at home, she successfully resolved my issue. Myriam is an extremely effective and attentive physical therapist; on top of that, she’s super friendly and even followed up on my progress. I highly recommend her services and will definitely go back. Thank you so much!

Physioactif in Laval! What a team! They always provide a very professional welcome. A huge THANK YOU to Claudine Farah (physical therapist) who, over the years, has always been able to resolve my issues in no time. Her attentiveness and professionalism toward clients are incredible. Her diagnoses are always spot-on. I highly recommend Claudine without hesitation.

I highly recommend this clinic, and a special THANK YOU to Sabrina, who helped and cared for my 8-year-old son through his rehabilitation and walking recovery following an injury. Thanks to her and her support, he was able to resume his favorite sport, walking, and running after just a few sessions. The support she provided both during and outside of sessions—including the at-home exercises—was the key to success and helped my son regain his self-confidence. Another big thank you, Sabrina

I’d like to share my experience at the Physioactif clinic, and more specifically with Lorianne, a dedicated physical therapist. I was in a car accident in August 2023, and I was diagnosed with a head injury and a whiplash injury following the accident. I was treated by Lorianne until May 2024. She helped me manage my neck pain, among other things, as well as all issues related to traumatic brain injury (TBI), such as concentration, proprioception, visual and auditory acuity, balance, headaches, and more. I had a wonderful experience and felt well supported throughout my recovery from this accident. Lorianne spent countless hours encouraging me, supporting me, and always finding new techniques and methods to optimize my recovery. I highly recommend this physical therapist to anyone—you’re in good hands.

Cassandra Renaud-Gaboriault

Discover our physical therapy clinics

We have locations in several areas to better serve you.

Blainville

190 Bas-de-Sainte-Thérèse Road, Suite 110,

Blainville, Quebec

J7B 1A7

‍

Located in Blainville, near Rosemère, the Physioactif clinic is easily accessible to residents of the area and the surrounding communities

blainville@physioactif.com

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Laval

3224 Jean-Béraud Ave., Suite 220, Laval,

QC H7T 2S4

‍

Located in Chomedey, in the heart of Laval, the Physioactif clinic is easily accessible to people in the area

laval@physioactif.com

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Montreal

8801 Lajeunesse Street,

Montreal,

QC H2M 1R8

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Located in Ahuntsic, near Villeray, the Physioactif clinic is easily accessible to residents of both neighborhoods

ahuntsic@physioactif.com

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Saint-Eustache

180 25th Avenue, Suite

201 Saint-Eustache

QC J7P 2V2

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Located in Saint-Eustache, the Physioactif clinic is easily accessible to residents of the area and the surrounding communities

st-eustache@physioactif.com

Make an appointment

Learn more about the clinic

Vaudreuil

21 Cité-des-Jeunes Boulevard, Suite 240,

Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec

J7V 0N3

‍

Located in Vaudreuil-Dorion, the Physioactif clinic is easily accessible to people in the area

vaudreuil@physioactif.com

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Learn more about the clinic

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Written by:

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Instructions

If you plan to use this component with Finsweet's Table of Contents To set these attributes, follow these steps:

Remove the current class from the content27_link item, as Webflow's native current state will be applied automatically.
To add interactions that automatically expand and collapse sections in the table of contents, select the ` content27_h-trigger ` element, add a trigger element, and select " Mouse click (tap)"
For the first click, select the custom animation " Content 27 Table of Contents [Expand]," and for the second click, select the custom animation " Content 27 Table of Contents [Collapse]."
In the Trigger Settings, deselect all checkboxes except for "Desktop and above." This disables the interaction on tablets and smaller devices to prevent bugs when scrolling.

Written by:

Scientifically reviewed by:

Download the article as a PDF

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Table of Contents