The People of Primary Care
Movement and rehabilitation with a Physiotherapist
Welcome to our new series, The People of Primary Care: the human stories behind the healthcare you receive at your doctor’s office or healthcare hub.
Please introduce yourself.
My name is Justin Parker and I’m a Physiotherapist.
What is a Physiotherapist?
As a physiotherapist, I work with patients to help them understand their pain and dysfunctions, provide a diagnosis for conditions involving muscles, joints and bones, and provide them with thorough, individualized and group-based treatment plans. Treatments often include exercise rehabilitation, education and guidance on their condition and how to self-manage it, and manual treatments to improve pain. I also promote living a healthy and active lifestyle through physical activity goal setting and introducing patients to community resources/services to stay active!
What brought you to this profession?
A passion for learning about the human anatomy and physiology and a love for personal engagement in sport and exercise were the driving factors that led me to pursue a career in physiotherapy.
What brings you joy in your role?
Daily interactions with people from all walks of life is the thing that brings me the most joy in my work. I love learning about people’s lives, families, jobs, cultures and personal interests and helping them to feel fulfilled in each of these domains of their lives.
How does working in an interprofessional primary care team support the work you do?
Working in an interprofessional team allows patients to have increased access to healthcare providers with a variety of knowledge and skills to promote a holistic approach to optimizing their health and wellness. As a healthcare provider in a primary care team, it is invaluable to be able to interact with other professions to enhance my knowledge.
What’s something patients might be surprised to learn about physiotherapy?
A common misconception about physiotherapy is that we are limited to treating pain from injuries involving muscles and bones. But there are so many other conditions that physiotherapists can help with, including concussions, dizziness, chronic issues like diabetes and high blood pressure, chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia, and pelvic issues such as incontinence and prolapse.
Where can we find you if you are not in the office?
Outside of work, you can find me playing with my daughter Lainey or on the golf course!
I am also an avid collector of vinyl records of many genres, and I like to play as a “home DJ”, mixing tracks together on my DJ software as a creative outlet.