Heather Sheila Smith

Heather Sheila Smith provides skilled physiotherapist care for a variety of health concerns, including but not limited to:

Common Musculoskeletal

• Knee Pain (e.g., Patellofemoral Syndrome, Meniscal Issues - conservative, Ligament Sprains): Aching, sharp pain, a feeling of the knee 'giving way', or difficulty fully bending or straightening your knee.
• Wrist and Hand Pain (e.g., Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, De Quervain's Tenosynovitis, Strains): Disorders affecting hand and wrist function, making daily tasks such as gripping objects, typing, writing, or fine motor activities difficult and painful.
• Hip Pain (e.g., Bursitis, Muscle Strains, Labral Issues - conservative): Aching, sharp, or deep pain in the hip that may worsen with activity, specific movements, or even at rest.
• Muscle Strains and Tears: Injury to muscle tissue that limits your strength, range of motion, and ability to perform specific movements or activities, requiring careful rehabilitation.

Neurological

• Functional Neurological Disorders (FND) - Movement Retraining: Supporting individuals with FND to improve their physical function, reduce symptom burden, and enhance participation in daily life activities through specialized physiotherapy.
• Parkinson's Disease Management & Movement Therapy: Helping individuals with Parkinson's Disease maintain mobility, functional independence, and safety, and improve their quality of movement and life.
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) / Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Rehabilitation: Comprehensive neurorehabilitation provided by a Physiotherapist to support functional recovery, improve independence in daily activities, and facilitate community reintegration after a head injury.

Peripheral Nerve

• Peripheral Neuropathy (e.g., Diabetic, Chemotherapy-Induced, Idiopathic): Management of symptoms such as pain (neuropathic pain), numbness, tingling, burning, or weakness, typically in the hands or feet, resulting from damage to peripheral nerves (nerves outside the brain and spinal cord).
• Nerve Entrapments / Compressions (e.g., Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Sciatica, Meralgia Paresthetica): Addressing conditions affecting nerves outside the brain and spinal cord, aiming to relieve pressure on the nerve, reduce inflammation, restore normal nerve function, and alleviate symptoms.

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. Heather can assess your needs.

• Tele-Rehabilitation / Virtual Physiotherapy Consultations: Receiving personalized physiotherapy care online through secure and interactive video sessions with your qualified Physiotherapist, including real-time exercise correction and tailored advice.
• Home-Based Physiotherapy Visits (Mobile Physio): Bringing expert physiotherapy services to you when clinic visits are challenging, ensuring continuity of care and personalized attention in your familiar surroundings.
• Stretching & Flexibility Programs: Personalized programs incorporating various stretching techniques (e.g., static, dynamic, PNF) to alleviate stiffness, increase tissue extensibility, and promote better posture.
• Strength & Conditioning for Rehabilitation and Performance: Progressive resistance training programs designed by your Physiotherapist to improve muscle performance, support joint health, and enhance functional capacity for daily life or sport.
• 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.
• Balance Training & Falls Prevention Programs: Targeted exercises and strategies designed by your Physiotherapist to improve your stability, coordination, lower limb strength, and body awareness (proprioception), thereby reducing your risk of falls, particularly beneficial for older adults or individuals with balance impairments.

Note: This list highlights some key services. For a full list of therapies offered by Heather, 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 Mackenzie Health Foundation, physiotherapy is focused on helping individuals like you achieve significant improvements in health and daily activities. Heather frequently helps patients work towards goals such as:

• Dealing with the ongoing challenges of my baby/child having trouble with their motor skills, like delayed rolling, sitting or walking? Heather works collaboratively with patients to reach the goal of better managing flare-ups with personalized strategies and feeling more in control of their symptoms. This might involve specific rehabilitation techniques, hands-on care, and a home program, all aimed at helping you confidently resume important activities, such as cycling longer distances with their cycling club.
• With Heather's help, managing an old ankle sprain that never seems to fully heal and still feels weak to achieve feeling significantly stronger and more capable in their physical abilities becomes a clear journey, allowing patients to confidently re-engage with life and activities like shoveling snow or raking leaves without aggravating their back.
• Patients often come to Heather feeling defeated by sharp pain shooting down my leg, feeling a lot like sciatica. With a supportive and targeted physiotherapy approach, achieving sleeping more soundly through the night due to reduced pain and discomfort and resuming dancing the night away at social events and family celebrations becomes a realistic and attainable goal.
• Discover how physiotherapy with Heather can help you move beyond trouble with a constantly stiff and sore neck, making turning my head a pain. The focus is on being active again without the constant worry of pain or re-injury, enabling a joyful return to the activities you love, such as attending their favorite yoga and pilates classes without limitation.

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

Heather practices at Mackenzie Health Foundation, situated in a physiotherapy clinic in the central Maple neighborhood of Maple. The clinic is conveniently located near nearby parks and community recreation facilities and is accessible via local public transit routes. Our clinic is accessible. Ample parking is generally accessible close to the clinic entrance.

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. Always check your private/extended health insurance plans, as many offer significant physiotherapy coverage for services in private clinics.

What are Mackenzie Health Foundation's operating hours?

Our clinic is typically open Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM. However, hours can vary by practitioner and day, so please call our office or check our website for the most current hours and specific practitioner availability.

Is there anything specific I should bring to my first physiotherapy appointment?

For your first visit, please bring your provincial health card (e.g., Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card, if applicable for any publicly funded programs or simply for identification), any relevant medical information such as a doctor's referral note (if you have one), reports from recent imaging (like X-rays, MRI, or ultrasound scans), and a list of your current medications. Also, if you plan to use private health insurance, bring your insurance card or policy details. Finally, wear or bring comfortable clothing suitable for assessment and movement.

What is physiotherapy and how can it help me?

Physiotherapy is a healthcare profession dedicated to helping people of all ages improve their movement, function, and overall well-being. A registered Physiotherapist uses evidence-based techniques like targeted exercise, hands-on manual therapy, and personalized education to assess, diagnose, and treat a wide range of injuries, pain conditions, and physical impairments affecting your muscles, bones, joints, nerves, and even your cardiorespiratory system. It can help you reduce pain, increase mobility and strength, recover from surgery, prevent future injuries, and enhance your quality of life.

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. Check your insurance policy before your first appointment.

Mackenzie Health Foundation
955 Major MacKenzie Dr W
Maple, ON, L6A 4P9

Phone: (905) 883-2211

Heather Sheila Smith 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: XXX76

Verify registration with The College of Physiotherapists of Ontario: https://portal.collegept.org/en-US/public-register/display-member-contact/?id=66a233c5-1b4c-ee11-be6f-000d3a09c2ce

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