Two different types of therapists represent the field of physiotherapy.
- Physiotherapists
- Physical Rehabilitation Technicians (P.R.T.)
Practitioners at both these levels are eligible for membership with l'Ordre Professionnel de la Physiothérapie du Québec (OPPQ) and must submit to the order’s rules and codes of ethics.
Physical Rehabilitation Technicians (P.R.T.s), intervene following an assessment by a physiotherapist, or following a medical diagnosis not limited to symptoms, which is to say that a medical professional has provided the patient with treatment guidelines in addition to a diagnosis of injury/condition.
In such cases, The P.R.T. will assess clients’ physical capabilities using tests, measurements and observations in order to determine a treatment plan according to the levels of responsibility dictated by the OPPQ. Treatment objectives and procedures are then established depending on the client’s condition and/or injuries, in collaboration with other care providers including the physiotherapist. The P.R.T. will also be in a position to apply treatment and ensure follow-up, within the limits permitted at his or her level of professional responsibility.
The P.R.T. will apply techniques including electrotherapy, mobilization , muscular strengthening, massage, heat/cold, and other therapeutic procedures.