Dana Margaret Snelling

Dana Margaret Snelling provides skilled physiotherapist care for a variety of health concerns, including but not limited to:

Common Musculoskeletal

• Wrist and Hand Pain (e.g., Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, De Quervain's Tenosynovitis, Strains): Pain, numbness, tingling, weakness, or stiffness in the wrist, hand, or fingers, often resulting from overuse, repetitive tasks, arthritis, or specific conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome or De Quervain's tenosynovitis.
• Low Back Pain (Acute or Chronic): Aching, sharp, or persistent pain located in the lower back, which may sometimes extend into the buttocks or legs, limiting your comfort.

Sports Injury

• Muscle Strains (e.g., Hamstring, Calf, Groin, Quadriceps, Rotator Cuff): Tearing of muscle fibers or the muscle-tendon unit due to overstretching, sudden forceful contraction, or eccentric loading during athletic activity or exertion, commonly known as a 'pulled muscle'.
• IT Band Syndrome (Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome): Pain, typically sharp or burning, located on the outside (lateral aspect) of the knee, or sometimes the hip. Common in runners, cyclists, and other endurance athletes, caused by irritation or inflammation of the iliotibial (IT) band as it rubs over bony prominences.
• Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (Runner's Knee / Anterior Knee Pain): Knee discomfort frequently experienced by runners, cyclists, and those involved in activities with repetitive knee bending, which physiotherapy can effectively manage through exercise and biomechanical correction.

This list offers examples of conditions commonly addressed. Diagnosis for physiotherapist is based on individual assessment, so if your specific concern isn't listed, please contact the clinic. Dana Snelling can assess your needs.

• General Reconditioning & Fitness Programs: Structured physical activities and exercises aimed at helping you safely regain strength, stamina, and confidence in your body's abilities, tailored to your current level.
• Sports Performance Enhancement & Injury Prevention: Physiotherapy interventions aimed at helping you reach your athletic potential by addressing physical limitations, improving power and agility, and implementing evidence-based injury prevention strategies.
• Gait Analysis & Running/Walking Re-training: Detailed biomechanical assessment of your walking or running patterns, often using video analysis, to identify inefficiencies, asymmetries, or faulty mechanics that may contribute to pain or injury.
• Personalized Therapeutic Exercise Prescription: Customized exercise plans designed to help you recover from injury, manage chronic conditions, improve physical performance, and achieve your functional goals safely and effectively.
• Strength & Conditioning for Rehabilitation and Performance: Customized strength training to address specific weaknesses identified in your assessment, helping to correct imbalances, improve movement efficiency, and achieve your physical objectives.
• Core Stability & Strengthening Training: Targeted exercises focused on strengthening the deep abdominal, back, pelvic floor, and diaphragm muscles to provide better support for your spine, improve posture, enhance balance, and increase movement efficiency.

Note: This list highlights some key services. For a full list of therapies offered by Dana Snelling, or to discuss your specific needs, please contact the clinic.

All services are provided in accordance with the scope of practice for Physiotherapists in ON and the standards set by The College of Physiotherapists of Ontario.

At Grand River Sports Medicine Centre, physiotherapy is focused on helping individuals like you achieve significant improvements in health and daily activities. Dana Snelling frequently helps patients work towards goals such as:

• Many find that needing to improve my breathing patterns or lung capacity significantly impacts their ability to taking energetic, long walks with their dog every day. Dana Snelling helps patients target better joint stability during movement and weight-bearing activities with physiotherapy, making a return to these activities possible.
• Many patients have found lasting relief from post-operative stiffness and weakness that's slowing down my recovery and achieved improved joint health and a slowing of degenerative processes through better biomechanics under the skilled care of Dana Snelling. This renewed physical ability often allows them to re-engage with beloved activities such as going on birdwatching outings in various terrains with a new lease on life.
• Dealing with the ongoing challenges of clicking, popping, or pain in my jaw (TMJ issues) when I eat or talk? Dana Snelling works collaboratively with patients to reach the goal of the ability to sit for longer periods (e.g., at a desk, in a car) without significant discomfort. This might involve specific rehabilitation techniques, hands-on care, and a home program, all aimed at helping you confidently resume important activities, such as carrying a backpack or shoulder bag comfortably.
• Through personalized physiotherapy at Dana Snelling's clinic, common concerns like difficulty moving one side of my body or walking easily after a stroke are thoroughly assessed and addressed with the objective of successfully avoiding or delaying the need for more invasive treatments or surgery. This often involves a combination of in-clinic treatment, education, and self-management strategies, helping people to once again enjoy activities like getting back to golfing 18 holes without their back acting up.

Your personalized physiotherapy plan, developed with Dana Snelling, will be designed to help you reach your specific functional and wellness objectives.

Dana Snelling's practice is located at Grand River Sports Medicine Centre, situated in the Hespeler, Silverheights neighbourhood of Cambridge. The clinic is conveniently located near Cambridge Centre Mall and is accessible via Grand River Transit (GRT). Our clinic is accessible. Street parking and nearby paid lots offer convenient options for visitors.

What should I expect during my first physiotherapy appointment?

Your initial physiotherapy appointment is a comprehensive assessment. Your Physiotherapist will start by discussing your medical history, the details of your current symptoms or injury, your concerns, and what you hope to achieve with physiotherapy (your functional goals). This is followed by a thorough physical examination, which may include evaluating your range of motion, strength, posture, balance, and specific movement patterns, as well as performing special tests relevant to your condition. Based on these findings, your therapist will provide a clinical impression or diagnosis, discuss a personalized treatment plan with you, and often begin some initial treatment or provide education and a home exercise program to get you started.

What is manual therapy in physiotherapy?

Manual therapy involves skilled, hands-on treatments performed by your Physiotherapist as part of your overall physiotherapy plan. These techniques are designed to assess and treat your joints, muscles, and nerves to decrease pain and improve your mobility and function. Examples include specific joint mobilizations to improve movement, soft tissue release techniques to address muscle tightness or scar tissue, and sometimes manipulations (adjustments) if indicated and appropriate for your condition and your therapist's qualifications.

Is physiotherapy covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) in ON?

OHIP generally does NOT cover physiotherapy services in private outpatient clinics for most of the population. Publicly funded physiotherapy is available in specific situations (e.g., post-hospitalization for certain conditions, for children/youth, seniors, or through Community Physiotherapy Clinics/Family Health Teams), but eligibility criteria are strict and there may be waitlists. It is strongly recommended to check your private insurance for coverage of private clinic physiotherapy services.

I have private health insurance. How does that work with physiotherapy payments?

Many private health insurance plans offer full or partial coverage for registered physiotherapy services. We recommend you contact your insurance provider directly before your first appointment to understand the specifics of your plan. Key things to check are: your annual maximum for physiotherapy, any per-visit limits or co-payments, whether a doctor's referral is required for reimbursement, and if your plan allows for direct billing by the clinic. If Grand River Sports Medicine Centre offers direct billing and your plan allows it, we can often bill your insurer directly for the covered portion. You would then be responsible for any co-payment or remaining balance not covered by your plan at the time of service. Please bring your insurance card and all necessary policy details to your first appointment. If direct billing is not possible, we will provide you with an official receipt that you can submit to your insurer.

Do I need a doctor's referral to see a Physiotherapist in ON?

Patients in ON can typically see a Physiotherapist directly without a physician's referral (direct access). However, some private/extended health insurance plans require a referral for reimbursement of physiotherapy services. Check your individual insurance policy before your first appointment.

Grand River Sports Medicine Centre
40 George St. North
Cambridge, ON, N1S 2M8

Phone: (519) 622-4529

Dana Margaret Snelling is regulated by the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991 and Physiotherapy Act, 1991 in ON and is a registered member of The College of Physiotherapists of Ontario.

Registration Number: XXX06

Verify registration with The College of Physiotherapists of Ontario: https://portal.collegept.org/en-US/public-register/display-member-contact/?id=4f6c312e-8e02-e811-8134-480fcff4f671

Always consult with your primary healthcare provider before starting any new treatment program.