Centre Dufferin’s Co-op corner

Student: Rebecca Valade

Placement: Rise Physio

This week Rebecca Valade from Centre Dufferin District High School shares a little bit about their co-op experience and how Rise Physiotherapy is contributing to the community's future.

Since December 2017, starting off as a smaller clinic, Rise was brought together to create new opportunities in Shelburne for locals to get the help they need. Rise Physio, over the years, expanded and became a multidisciplinary clinic by June 2020. As it became a bigger company, more services were provided in this clinic.

Rise Physio offers manual therapy and assessments, acupuncture, dry needling, post-op rehab, pelvic floor physio and sports rehab. Since the beginning, Kathy Thompson has created this clinic to further provide her skills to benefit the community. Expanding the business, Kathy has brought in great physiotherapists and massage therapists to enhance the business for the better. 

As a physiotherapist's assistant with Rise Physio, I have learned how to fully assess a patient and learn what a physiotherapist is looking for when a client comes in with pain. I have learned how to cup patients and what cupping is used for, as well as applying heat on patients and learning how different muscles and bones can affect other parts of the body. 

As I continue this placement, I hope to keep having learning opportunities in how to treat a variety of issues, as well as documenting files and learning how to run the clinic. In the clinic, I have used many tools, such as cupping sets, acupuncture, heating pads and exercise equipment. As I use equipment, I have been told directions for how to use them properly. 

Throughout my time here, I have learned about various other career paths I could follow. I can go into related careers like athletic trainer, rehabilitation counsellor, cardiovascular rehabilitation specialist, as well as being a chiropractor. These are just a few jobs that are related to physiotherapy that I could go into for many of the same needs. 

Rise Physio contributes to the community by supporting races and being involved in the stands for when the race is over if people need manual therapy. 

Rise has given back to Shelburne by helping out the high school and allowing students to have co-op placements that allow them to learn and seek information for their future.