On-the-Go Athletic Therapy

Unfortunately yesterday, certified athletic therapists across Ontario got bad news. Although we are allied healthcare professionals, athletic therapists do not have a regulatory college in Ontario and thus are not regulated healthcare professionals (we are self-regulated) and are not considered essential during this time. Because of our unregulated status, athletic therapists are not allowed to practice during the current lockdown in Ontario. Because of this, On-the-Go Athle...tic Therapy has to stay home, and cannot offer in-person sessions at this time. Virtual appointments are available, and are a great option during this time. I am sorry, I wish we had better news. I love being an athletic therapist. I love On-the-Go. I love working with my patients. I miss my patients, and I worry about their health and well-being, as there is no definite timeline as to when we can resume sessions. But we will get through this. Yesterday was tough, getting this news. I am still trying to process it. Thank you for all of your support over this crazy time. There is a petition that you can sign to help certified athletic therapists get back to work and helping our patients move and feel better (link in bio). We see more than just athletes. We see grandparents, parents, manual laborers, essential frontline workers, office workers, children, individuals with disabilities, and more. The work that we do helps keep people healthy and from needing to access our strained hospital system. Yesterday I was sad and angry. Today I want to find the silver lining in this. I’m going to use this time to keep working on On-the-Go, training my athletes, being there for my patients virtually, do some continuing education learning, and relax (I’ve become a knitting machine these past few months). On-the-Go Athletic Therapy will be back when athletic therapists are allowed to return to work. Until then, stay safe and stay healthy -Justine

Certified Athletic Therapists in Ontario are potentially unable to work during Ontario's stay-at-home/lockdown orders. We are allied healthcare professionals that help our patients stay healthy and active. We are more than just "sports trainers", and athletic therapy is for everyone, whether you are an athlete or not. Help us get back to work, so that we can continue working with our patients during this difficult time, and prevent further strain on our healthcare system. Please sign & share to help support athletic therapists and our patients! We are hoping for an update tomorrow as to whether or not we are able to continue offering in-person appointments during the current Ontario stay-at-home orders. http://chng.it/rdT5jrqTDN

No gym? No problem! Even though Ontario is in full lockdown, there are still a lot of options for you to make sure you are still staying active safely at home. You may need to get creative and use items around the house, as not all of us have access to traditional gym equipment such as dumbbells and barbells. You also don’t have to worry about spending a lot of money, as a lot of these options are relatively inexpensive or you may already have them at home! Here are some ex...amples of what I have been using over the past few months: My dumbbells are a pair of water bottles (light weight), wipes (medium weight), and when I am feeling really ambitious, a big bottle of hand sanitizer or laundry detergent (heavy weight). Resistances bands are also a great option, both mini-bands and long resistance bands. And they often come in multi-packs, so you can increase or decrease the resistance as needed to make your exercise harder or easier. Yoga blocks are great to use both for strength training and mobility, and obviously for yoga (highly recommend this piece of equipment). They also function as my chair for my at-home work station! A yoga mat is also helpful for those exercises you are completing on the ground. If you don’t have one, a blanket or towel also works, just be mindful of the surface it is on and make sure you are not slipping. Don’t underestimate how challenging body-weight exercises can be either! When you play around with tempo, reps, holds, or even body position, you can really challenge yourself. Make sure however you are exercising these days, you are doing it safely and with proper technique. Consult a healthcare professional if you are experiencing pain or any adverse symptoms while exercising. What are some ways you’ve adapted your workouts and exercise programs now that we are working out from home?

Although I am sure we are all glad to see 2020 go, it was the year that gave me time to sit back, reflect, and really focus on making On-the-Go Athletic Therapy a priority. Thank you for all of the love and support, helpful hints, words of wisdom, inspiration, and even kicks-in-the-butt over the past year to make OTG possible. Even though it is a solo venture, I could not do it without your support. Exciting things to come in 2021 for OTG Wishing you and your loved ones a happy new year and hopefully restful and uneventful rest of the holiday season.

Wishing you and your loved ones a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Thank you for all of your love and support this crazy year!