Frequently Asked Questions

Although some soft tissue techniques for physiotherapy and massage therapy overlap, it is best to think of physiotherapy as more specific and biomechanical, whereas massage is more general and has a greater focus on soft tissue. For example, if you have a tight back, the physiotherapist may go in right away and start with soft tissue trigger point work on the area specifically affected, and may include joint mobilizations, exercises, modalities, and try to figure out the cause of the problem, where as the massage therapist will work on the surrounding tissues in a more methodological and structured way – warm up tissues first, then go deeper to get to the problem, etc. Massage therapy can also be used for general relaxation and to loosen up tight muscles. Physiotherapy treatment at Physiohealth Studios is generally very hands on and includes manual therapy so there is definitely overlap between the two therapies. Both are complimentary and many treatment plans use both.

There is a lot of overlap between physiotherapy and chiropractic, the only difference being that chiropractic can also include joint manipulations (adjustments) if needed. Most people think of physiotherapy as more for muscles and soft tissue, and chiropractic as more for bones and joints. However, both physiotherapists and chiropractors can treat either. It generally doesn’t matter who you book with initially, as all of our therapists will refer you to the most appropriate team member if required. Alternatively, book a free consultation with any one of our therapists and they will direct you to the most appropriate practitioner.

Regular clothing is fine most of the time, however clothing should allow access to the area of concern. For example, if you have a knee problem, it is best to wear shorts or pants that can roll up.

We do not require a doctor’s note to begin treatment, however your insurance company might need one. Best to check your insurance policy for requirements.

Treatments are not covered by OHIP.

An invoice will be provided to submit to your extended health insurance plan. All of our therapists are registered.

We are unable to directly bill WSIB or ODSP.  Patients will need to make arrangements to get reimbursed.

Yes. Please bring your insurance information with you so that we can submit a treatment plan. Your therapist will guide you through the claims process.

If your insurance policy allows both direct billing AND assignment of benefits (meaning they will send payment to the clinic) then we can directly bill for you.  Many insurance companies allow this, but it is still dependent on your policy.  Please inquire with your insurance company to confirm.  Most insurance companies will also require you to be signed up for online claims and direct deposit to be eligible for direct billing services.

A valid credit card is required to secure your account for direct billing, for a couple main reasons:  Firstly, we may not always be able to process your claim on the spot while you wait.  We may put it through later in the day, or a couple days later even. Secondly, you are still responsible for the full payment of services should your insurance company deny the claim or only pay a portion of it.  The balance will automatically be put through your credit card.  For example, a 20% co-pay amount will be charged to your card if your insurance only covers 80%.  If you have a second insurance plan, you can submit this to collect the difference (unfortunately we are not able to process coordination of benefits on your behalf).  We cannot automatically bill debit cards so a credit card is required.

24 hours notice is required for a cancellation.  Cancellations with less than 24 hours notice and no shows/missed appointments are subject to the full appointment fee.

Saturdays – 48 hours notice required for cancellation