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Patient Information
Treatment options, specialty MSK physio and how to get the best results.
A physician or surgical referral is welcome, but is not required to book an appointment.
Treatment Options
Clinic Appointments
Treat Your Own Shoulder
Virtual Appointments
North Shore and Vancouver locations are available for regular physiotherapy consultations.
Obtain an accurate diagnosis, a focused treatment plan and effective rehabilitation.
Virtual Appointments
Treat Your Own Shoulder
Virtual Appointments
Virtual sessions are available on a limited schedule.
A treatment and recommendation report can also be sent directly to your therapist, doctor or specialist.
Treat Your Own Shoulder
Treat Your Own Shoulder
Treat Your Own Shoulder
Step-by-step patient guides to lead you through an effective recovery built on our extensive clinical experience.
A virtual diagnostic session prior to purchasing a guide is recommended.
General Information
Specialty MSK Physio
Clinic vs Virtual Appointments
Clinic vs Virtual Appointments
MSK physiotherapists are experts in human movement and injury, with a focus on improving body function, fitness and sports performance.
Clinic vs Virtual Appointments
Clinic vs Virtual Appointments
Clinic vs Virtual Appointments
Traditional hands-on physiotherapy services vs virtual services from your location. Find information on differences in this section.
Cameron Bennett, MSK PT
Clinic vs Virtual Appointments
Cameron Bennett, MSK PT
Cameron is an Australian trained MSK physio offering comprehensive services in shoulder, neck and arm pain. Read more here...
Injury, Recovery & Performance
Physiotherapy 101 (FAQs)
How Quickly Can I Recover ?
How Quickly Can I Recover ?
Get the most out of your physiotherapy sessions, find the right help you need and some tips on accessing care in British Columbia.
How Quickly Can I Recover ?
How Quickly Can I Recover ?
How Quickly Can I Recover ?
Recovery time from injury can depend on severity of injury, pre-injury fitness and if your condition needs other specialist support. More information here >
Injury to High Performance
How Quickly Can I Recover ?
Injury to High Performance
A full recovery involves avoiding repeat injuries, improving your movement skills, and selecting the right exercise choices for health and fitness gains.
Specialty MSK Physio
Cameron Bennett offers specialty care for patients seeking professional solutions for their shoulder, neck and upper back complaints. He treats approximately 500 individual shoulder disorders per year, with continued improvements in diagnostics, treatment protocols and better patient outcomes.
Specialty MSK Physio includes clinical diagnostics, specific injury protocols, rehabilitation & fitness programs and pre surgical / post surgical care.
Diagnostic Services
- Over 50 shoulder disorders treated - avoid unhelpful or trial & error treatments.
- Comprehensive clinical examinations for injury and pain
- Assessment of abnormal shoulder motion or posture
- Clinical interpretation and ranking of imaging findings
- Diagnostic accuracy for faster recovery
- Productive treatment time
Specific Treatment Protocols
- Shoulder, elbow and upper spine injuries
- Specific treatment progressions for early recovery
- Key manual therapy and exercise progressions
- Refined treatment skills for successful outcomes
Medical & Procedural Support
- Advice and referral for sports medicine
- Injection options, recommendations and post injection rehabilitation
- Medical recommendations and timely communication
Surgical Referral and Post Surgical Recovery
- Specialist recommendations and planning
- Surgical options, recovery time and pre / post surgical rehabilitation
Rehabilitation & Full Recovery
- Early recovery and injury avoidance through to high performance conditioning for sport and exercise
- Technique and skill development for strength training
- Professional guidance for strength and conditioning choices, program design and injury prevention
MSK Physiotherapy
Traditional areas of physiotherapy practice are divided into three divisions - musculoskeletal (MSK), neurological and cardiothoracic. Other recognized divisions include pediatric care, gerontology, spinal cord injury, women's health, men's health, and oncology.
Services can be accessed in hospitals, community care centers, private practice, and work locations.
Approximately 50% of physiotherapists work in private MSK practice. MSK knowledge has rapidly advanced over the past 30 years to such a level that specialty practice can offer better solutions for many disorders and complaints.
The physiotherapy profession has encouraged specialty development, however no specific designations exist for regional MSK care, requiring individual physiotherapists to identify their area of interest or specialty.
Specialty MSK Physios spend a considerable portion of their time increasing the depth and breadth of their knowledge, understanding inter-professional methods and advanced practice to solve more complex problems.
Clinic Information
Locations
- Two locations are currently available and interchangeable for your convenience - Vancouver and North Shore (West Vancouver).
- Please call the preferred clinic for your first appointment.
Appointments & Cancellations
- A credit card hold is required to secure your first appointment time. This is necessary to maximize open appointment times for current patients and to reduce waiting lists for all patients.
- Cancellations and rescheduling requires 48 hours notice.
- Due to the nature of specialty MSK physio, half appointment fees are charged for less than 48 hours notice and full appointment fees are charged for less than 24 hours notice.
Attending your appointment
- Please check in with the front desk on arrival.
- Please arrive for your first appointment 10 minutes early to complete a short injury questionnaire.
- Please wear appropriate attire to expose the shoulder girdle as necessary (we recommend a tank top or sports bra for women).
Duration
- Appointment times are normally 45 minutes, but may vary depending on the circumstances of your condition.
- Waiting periods will always be kept to a minimum, but may occur during peak periods of the day. Every effort is made to bring you into the treatment area / room as close to time as possible. Please allow some additional time to allow for occasional delays. Greater than a 10 minute wait beyond your set appointment time is rare.
- Please note that due to a busy clinic environment, on time attendance is requested, and we will always strive to be punctual within the limits of varied patient needs.
Supervised & Unsupervised Treatment
- Treatment time involves a mixture of independent and supervised practice, one-one manual therapy and a final review before the end of your session to ensure you understand any home based treatment.
Virtual Care Information
Bookings
- Bookings are managed through a virtual schedule that can manage time differences for non-local appointments (link below).
- First time patients are required to complete an online questionnaire to complete the booking process.
- Online appointment blocks may be limited during particular times of the year - please email (via the contact page) if no appointment times are currently available.
- Payment is required at the time of booking and rescheduling is permitted no less than 48 hours before your appointment.
Your Appointment
- We use Zoom for video appointments - your appointment confirmation and Zoom link will be provided automatically at the time of booking.
- A treatment outline and any additional information will be sent to you during or on the day of your appointment.
Insurance Receipts
- Receipts will be made available after the appointment for any insurance or tax purpose.
Need a Report?
- In the event that you require a written report, clinical recommendations or explanation to your doctor, surgeon or other professional, a separate fee is payable (select Report Fee).
- Reports will be available within 48 hours of your appointment time and can be sent to your designated healthcare practitioner(s), via fax or email.
Treat Your Own Shoulder
Patient Shoulder Guides (In Progress)
Features:
- Regularly updated with current practice information based on hundreds of cases, complete with troubleshooting options.
- Work at your own pace with recommendations for weekly upgrades and improvement in your condition.
- No travel required - delivered direct to your device and available for print.
- A great low cost option for less than a single physiotherapy appointment.
Important Information:
- Patient Guides are designed for patients that already have an accurate diagnosis for their shoulder complaint.
- A variety of guides are available for patients with specific disorders (frozen shoulder, rotator cuff tears, shoulder dislocations) and exercise guides for injury prevention (rotator cuff training, recovering tendinopathy problems, scapular winging).
- Please note: If you have a traumatic shoulder injury or are post surgical, we highly recommend you seek professional support via a virtual or in clinic appointment with Cameron before selecting your guide.
Physiotherapy Companion Guides (In Progress)
- Our Physiotherapy Guides are designed to provide your physiotherapist a sub-specialty working guide that complements the patient guide. These professional guides offer background, current science, examination techniques, differentials, clinical rationale and progressions for a specific condition.
Physiotherapy 101 - FAQs
I've had lots of treatment without improvement - can you help?
Specialty MSK care offers advanced examination, diagnostic workups, clinical imaging reviews and awareness of most problems in that region. There are over 50 different shoulder conditions and a correct diagnosis is the key of solving most complaints. Many complaints do not improve due to misdiagnosis and / or non-specific treatments.
In short, there's a very good chance we can help.
What type of treatments are involved?
A broad choice of treatments are available in specialty MSK practice, however specific therapeutic exercise, joint and muscle release techniques, and improved movement skills are all used. Many pain complaints can be solved using combinations of these therapies.
Will I need to have surgery or can it be fixed in physiotherapy?
Most patients attending physiotherapy do not require surgery. Should an injury require surgical review, specialist recommendations and referral are available.
My doctor has ordered imaging - do I need to wait before attending physiotherapy?
It is recommended you attend physiotherapy as soon as possible for an accurate clinical diagnosis and to direct any necessary imaging needs. Some disorders are difficult to image or require special views. When it comes to imaging, knowing what to order and when is important.
Full clinical examinations can detect signs of injury that can be confirmed with imaging. Treatment to reduce pain, improve movement and restore function should be started as early as possible. Clinical responses to treatment are also an important way of confirming some shoulder disorders.
Clinical expertise and knowledge is required when interpreting the results of imaging studies. Imaging findings can be misinterpreted, missed or dismissed without sufficient knowledge for each particular condition.
Can I attend for a second opinion?
Yes. Many patients are seen for 2nd opinion to ensure they have the correct diagnosis or treatment plan. You can also request ongoing treatment to ensure the ideal treatment is provided for your recovery.
Can you provide recommendations for other specialists?
Should you present with a disorder or injury that requires additional care, medical specialist and surgical recommendations are available.
This might include referral to sports medicine, neurology, orthopedic surgery, rheumatology, physiatry or interventional radiology.
What should I wear to my physiotherapy appointment?
Comfortable clothing is important during your session, with examination and treatment requiring exposure of the specific region(s) of the body. We recommend tank tops or sports bras for female clients.
What are the differences between general and specialty MSK physiotherapy?
There are several differences in the depth of training and choice of therapy when comparing general and specialty services. Click below for more information.
What are the costs of specialty MSK physiotherapy?
The fee schedule for specialty MSK practice is higher than general physiotherapy services, reflecting the advanced practice and training of these practitioners.
The total treatment cost in specialty care is often less due to a reduced number of treatment sessions compared to general therapy. Many patients report multiple therapists and higher overall costs when working with non-specialists for complex problems.
What is the referral process for imaging or injections?
Direct referral is not broadly available in BC for medical and surgical specialties. All referrals for imaging and injections are typically via your family physician or specialist physician.
Cameron can assist with imaging, injection and surgical requests. Physio treatment in conjunction with injection therapy is very effective for many disorders. Post injection effects should be monitored in physiotherapy and treatment progressed / adjusted as necessary for full recovery.
What is your availability for virtual appointments?
Virtual appointments are available on request - please see the online appointment calendar below.
I would like to treat my own shoulder - how do I know what guide to purchase?
An initial consultation is highly recommended to ensure you have the correct diagnosis and purchase the correct clinical guide.
How Quickly Can I Recover ?
Injury Recovery Time
'How long will this take?' is often a question asked by patients. Pain is often a signal of several systems in the body having a problem. Regaining fitness in these systems can take some time. Skeletal pain is normally linked to injury, specific disorder or changes to your body position or movement.
As a rough guide, minor or simple skeletal complaints can often be settled in 2-4 sessions, allowing time for exploration of the problem, an accurate diagnosis and then applying the correct strategies. Some examples might be pain complaints due to spinal stiffness, acute inflammation, mild instability or general weakness.
For many complaints, patients will spend a little more time (3-6 sessions) working to solve a problem that often includes improving specific body fitness, learning new skills and working on solving a pain or injury. Some examples include recovery from shoulder dislocation, shoulder separation, stubborn neck pain, scapula disorders, tendinitis & bursitis complaints.
Post surgical concerns or non-responsive pain problems can take 8-10 sessions of physiotherapy time to recover or more. Treatment focus is directed towards large improvements in physical health, identifying and avoiding further injury and helping you navigate the stages of recovery. Some examples include adhesive capsulitis, post surgical cuff tears and dislocations, joint replacements, calcific tendinopathy or post accident neck and shoulder pain.
How often should I attend physiotherapy?
Most patients should aim to attend every week at the start of their recovery. Weekly progressions are highly recommended to allow for sufficient treatment time, treatment progressions and careful monitoring of your progress. As you improve, more time between appointments is allowed and reviews are taken at intervals to ensure you are happy with your treatment.
When booking your initial appointment, we recommend booking a followup appointment time at the same time to ensure your next appointment time is held. Patient wait lists can exist several weeks ahead and can delay your therapy during busy times of the year.
Stages of Recovery
From Injury to High Performance
Injuries lead to pain, reduced mobility and difficulty at work, exercise or sport. It may even require time off work, cause sleep loss and medication use.
Early recovery involves selecting a correct treatment plan based on your diagnosis and defining what recovery looks like for you. For some, it's less pain and medication, for others a return to work, exercise or sport. If your an athlete, its also a chance to learn, improve and reinforce a particular part of your physique.
Mid Points of Recovery
This will often be within the first 2-4 sessions of physiotherapy. You should be improving with reduced pain, better sleep and reduced medication. Physical changes may also have begun, laying the foundation for higher strength and stability, increased flexibility and improved movement.
Improvements will depend on the severity and complexity of your injury; typically longer if you are post surgical or if you have multiple problems to solve.
It is important to stay focussed on the process, keep pushing to maintain your improvements and work towards full recovery.
Full Recovery
As your condition improves to a high degree, smaller issues are easier to identify. Treatment will focus on solving smaller issues and reducing your risk of re-injury through improvements in strength, flexibility and coordination.
High Performance Movement
Better movement skills reduce your risk of re-injury. Physiotherapy guidance can improve your ergonomics, sport and exercise skills, using drills to train new habits and explaining the reasons for these recommended changes.
Fitness Training
Physiotherapists are the experts in providing oversight for your exercise or strength program. There are many choices now including regular weight training, functional gym training, sports cross training, gymnastics, Pilates, Crossfit, HITT and more. Multiple techniques and adjustments exist for almost every exercise and understanding technique can reduce your risk of injury significantly.
Choosing your Appointment Type
CLINIC - Vancouver & North Shore
Key features:
- Hands-on assessment & therapy
- Full clinical equipment
- Manual therapy / manipulation
- Supervised & Independent practice
This appointment is ideal for:
- Patients who prefer hands-on assessment, guidance and treatment
- Require full in-clinic services
- Patients who are comfortable working independently at times
- Who have some time flexibility during attendance
- Patients needing manual therapy services
In Clinic appointments cover all aspects of physiotherapy services:
- Full physical examination and special testing as required
- Manual therapy, manipulation, trigger point release
- Full use of physiotherapy devices and equipment
- Combination of supervised and independent practice time
- Assistance with referrals for medical & medical specialist support
- Assistance with referrals for surgical support
- Communication with all generalists and specialists in British Columbia
VIRTUAL Appointments
Key features:
- Access where ever you are
- Scheduled sessions with no wait times
- One-One Physiotherapy time
- Emailed notes & links after your consultation
This appointment is ideal for:
- Non-local patients looking for specialist shoulder examination and advice
- Patients looking for 2nd opinion and streamlined methods for recovery
- Patients unable to spend significant time for in-clinic services
Online appointments cover most aspects of physiotherapy services:
- Remote Diagnostic Evaluation (RDE)
- Reviewing films & reports
- Understand the problem and remedies available to you
- Treatment recommendations
- Recommended exercises and self treatment techniques
- Regular guidance and review through the rehabilitation process
- 2nd opinion for rehabilitation, medical and surgical options
- Injection options for your problem
- Evaluate surgical and medical options