Frequently Asked Questions
Why did you move to Level 10?
My departure from Bloom Family Wellness was to add value to my client's experience. Level 10 in my opinion is the premier private training facility in Western Canada. You will be able to use the facility as part of your visit and parking is never a problem! I have mentored therapists and trainers there for years and Anthony has been trying to get me to move since I left baseball to better serve his athletes, my clients and our community.
It was a difficult decision to move and I will miss seeing my work family at Bloom Family Wellness a place I called home for 10 of my 24 years in practice! I still highly recommend them.
Are you a physio?
No I am Certified Athletic Therapist CAT(C) / Athletic Trainer ATC.
Physio therapy is a great general rehabilitation degree but not necessarily specific to orthopaedics. Physio therapy has a broad scope of practice and right out of school they will be generalists. There are many in the area who do specialized training and can do everything from post-partum to stroke care. My practice is much more focused. We are fortunate that there are many very good physio therapists in the area because of the demands of our athletic population. The main benefit is insurance coverage.
Athletic Therapists are specialists. We only do sports medicine and orthopaedic rehabilitation. The business model also tends to be different. I strive to keep your number of visits to a minimum, spend much more time, with one on one client care. With this in mind, we should be able to get you to safely return to play faster and minimize days lost to injury.
How will this be different from other treatments I've had?
I am sure that your therapist did the best they could with the tools they had. I am not here to check the work of others as there are many great therapists in the area. What I can promise is my undivided attention to your problem for a little more than an hour per visit. This should give adequate time to discuss your injury, history, goals, do a thorough exam of the injury and bio mechanical assessment. We will discuss a treatment plan and remedial exercises. One great advantage of being at Level 10 Fitness is that we can go into the gym and actually do the exercises. This how we rehab players in the major leagues. This happens literally every day for professional athletes. This should not be a unique experience.
Am I covered by MSP ?
No Athletic Training or Athletic Therapy are considered premium service. MSP pays for basic medical care in Canada.
Will my insurance cover me?
It totally depends on your coverage. Most insurers have a provision to cover Athletic Therapy / Athletic Training but most plan administrators do not pick it as a covered discipline. Again, it is a premium service and although it tends to work out to be more cost effective in terms of less time lost and dollars spent. All major league sports teams employ ATC's or Certified Athletic Trainers as the core of their Sports Medicine Team because of their specific education and goal to safely limit 'Man days lost to injury' and to mitigate injury time to preserve the performance of the team. This same strategy has yet to reach mainstream rehabilitation. Although you may end up paying out of pocket, you should return to play better and faster. Saving a few dollars but losing a season to injury does not make any sense!
Please check your policy and you can refer to the CATA insurance page:
What should I bring or wear?
Wear shorts and workout clothing. Tights limit exposed skin making assessment and treatment very difficult. You should also bring your everyday shoes and runners or sports shoes that you wear. Cyclists should bring cleated bike shoes for assessment and alignment if necessary.
Why should I shave the injured area?
Because I don't want to shave dudes! If the body part being treated is excessively hairy, some modalities may cause increased chafing, ingrown hairs, burns or irritated skin due to poor electrode contact. Paying me for 'man-scaping' is not a good use of your treatment time!
How will my visit to level 10 work?
Due to COVID 19 my clients will use my private entrance to the clinic. It is the second door to the left from Level 10’s main entrance and is clearly marked. Visits are still booked as 75 minute blocks but 15 minutes are to checkout and sanitize the room for the next client. The appointment will start and end on time and since Level 10 is closed except for supervised personal training, use of the gym must occur during your treatment time so it can be supervised and adequately sanitized afterwards. Please be respectful of the other gym patrons and observe proper gym etiquette. Clean up after your self and maintain social distancing.
What kind of clients do you treat?
I treat clients of all shapes and sizes. From regular folks to elite athletes. The majority of my physician referrals are for shoulders and elbows of throwing athletes, hip and back pain, and rehabilitation pre and post surgery.
Do I need a Physicians referral?
No, but if you have a referral or if you have any imaging reports, images or operative notes, bring them along.