Building a Sports Physio Legacy

In the field of Physiotherapy, much of our specialization comes after we graduate university (ie: after the masters degree). The kind of specialization each physio has is something that is well known amongst physios, but not as much by the general public. Occasionally, clinics will state what types of patients they see, instead of what areas of expertise the physios are trained in, so be mindful of this. So, when looking for a physio, feel free to inquire about their particular specialization based on their training.

Sports Physiotherapy Canada, has three levels of certification, the two more significant ones being the Certificate and finally the Diploma. To call oneself a "Sports Physio" you must have completed your SPC Diploma. I completed my SPC Diploma 3 years ago along with my colleague, Kevin Stoll. At the time there were less than 25 SPC Diploma holders in the province (actually a large number when compared to other provinces). In preparation for Vancouver 2010, our BC Sports Physio Council is doing what it can to facilitate other physios to become Sports Physios. By the time 2010 rolls around there will be an even greater percentage of specialized Sports Physios in our province than in any other. Given the activity level of our population, This will definitely raise the standard of care to an even higher level.

I'm definitely biased, but this is one small way that our preparation for 2010 will leave something positive behind for the rest of the population.

P.S. I support the Olympics because they are great for health & sports, but I just wish there were a way to reduce the astronomical expenditure... maybe we could... um... I'll save that for next time

Bigger than Sports

It's impressive for us to see athletes whose entire lives have been devoted to a particular sport. In the case of Thomas Grandi, he has been skiing since he was 3, and continues on the World Cup tour at 34. He has had 2 gold medals so far, numerous podiums and top-ten finishes. I was fortunate enough to work with him for a few seasons, and aside from admiring his motivation and work-ethic, he impressed upon me some more important things. Through his sport, he competes individually, but through his person he is concerned about all those around him. He strives to create a better training environment for his fellow (younger) athletes, but also to maintain a better natural environment for all of us. In the world of elite sports, all to often we see greed and materialism at it's worst (ferrari anyone?). Thomas has decided instead to donate half of all his World Cup winnings to the David Suzuki foundation. Additionally, he and his wife, Sara Renner, have decided to go carbon neutral.

The Canadian Ski Team has bee off to a great start this year (the best ever?) so some non-result related news seems to get lost in the shuffle. Thomas Grandi's decision to make a real difference, much more significant than a few hundreths of a second, is something we should all take notice of.

Go to Body Worlds 3

If you haven't seen Body Worlds 3 exhibition at Science World yet, you only have until Jan. 14th, 2007 to do it. Now, it's not for everyone of course, but if you have any interest in the human body it's definitely worth considering. For us physiotherapists, we have worked with cadavers in the anatomy labs through our university education, but the way these bodies are presented offer something different. They are very well positioned and prepared to show the relationships and dynamics of various structures within the body.

It's a safe bet that any sports physiotherapist in the lower mainland has visited this exhibit at least once. But even if you are not involved in the medical field, if you are an athlete, dancer, artist or just share the same fascination with the human body, I highly recommend it. If you've ever had an injury and want a better understanding of it, research what it was and then take a trip to Science World.

And Lastly, please understand that these are real human bodies, so if you don't feel comfortable with this, don't go. If you're unsure, search for some images of the exhibition online first to see what you think.

Harry

Welcome!

Welcome to Vancouver Sports Physio.

So, for this preliminary post, I would like to thank a former patient of mine, NQ Chang for her excellent work in getting our website re-programmed and setting up my internet presence through various avenues such as this blog.

I'm just working out Flickr, so within a few days I should be able to make this blog a little richer with regrds to graphical content (and I'm not talking about pictures of surgery, don't worry)

Harry