Megan Elizabeth Gooder

Megan Elizabeth Gooder provides skilled physiotherapist care for a variety of health concerns, including but not limited to:

Common Musculoskeletal

• Low Back Pain (Acute or Chronic): Pain, discomfort, or stiffness in the lumbar spine region, whether it's a sudden onset or a long-lasting issue affecting your daily life.
• Knee Pain (e.g., Patellofemoral Syndrome, Meniscal Issues - conservative, Ligament Sprains): Common knee complaints that can affect your ability to walk, climb stairs, squat, run, or participate in sports, addressed through a tailored physiotherapy program.
• 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.

Concussion

• Concussion / Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) & Post-Concussion Syndrome: A brain injury caused by a direct or indirect blow to the head, resulting in a range of symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea, visual disturbances, cognitive difficulties (e.g., 'brain fog', memory issues), fatigue, and emotional changes. Post-Concussion Syndrome refers to symptoms persisting beyond the typical recovery window.

Vestibular Balance

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV): Brief, often intense, episodes of dizziness or a spinning sensation (vertigo) triggered by specific changes in head position (e.g., rolling over in bed, looking up, bending down), caused by displaced inner ear crystals (otoconia).
• General Balance Deficits and Increased Fall Risk: Practical strategies, exercises, and environmental modification advice to improve your balance, prevent falls, and maintain your independence and activity levels.
• Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD / 3PD): A chronic functional dizziness disorder characterized by persistent sensations of dizziness, unsteadiness, or non-spinning vertigo (often lasting for 3 months or more), typically exacerbated by upright posture, active or passive motion, or exposure to complex or moving visual environments (e.g., busy supermarkets, scrolling on a screen). Often follows an acute vestibular event, medical illness, or period of psychological distress.

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. Megan Gooder can assess your needs.

• Stretching & Flexibility Programs: Specific stretches designed by your therapist to target tight muscle groups relevant to your condition, helping to improve your flexibility and reduce your risk of injury.
• 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.
• General Reconditioning & Fitness Programs: A progressive approach to rebuilding your physical condition, allowing for a safe return to daily activities, work demands, and hobbies you enjoy.
• Strength & Conditioning for Rehabilitation and Performance: Developing muscular strength and endurance to aid in injury recovery, support affected joints, improve biomechanics, and enhance athletic performance or demanding physical tasks.
• Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) for Dizziness, Vertigo & Balance Disorders: Customized exercise-based programs (e.g., gaze stabilization, habituation, balance retraining exercises) prescribed by a trained Vestibular Physiotherapist to reduce vestibular symptoms, improve functional balance, decrease fall risk, and enhance confidence in movement.
• 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.

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

• Dealing with the ongoing challenges of my child walking on their toes most of the time? Megan Gooder works collaboratively with patients to reach the goal of less reliance on pain medication, trusting more in their body's ability to heal and function. This might involve specific rehabilitation techniques, hands-on care, and a home program, all aimed at helping you confidently resume important activities, such as working at their desk all day without developing back or neck stiffness.
• Discover how physiotherapy with Megan Gooder can help you move beyond my baby/child having trouble with their motor skills, like delayed rolling, sitting or walking. The focus is on enhanced ability to participate in social and community events, enabling a joyful return to the activities you love, such as using garden tools effectively and without pain.
• Living with clicking, popping, or pain in my jaw (TMJ issues) when I eat or talk doesn't have to be your norm. Megan Gooder applies expert physiotherapy knowledge to work towards greater ease in performing overhead activities or reaching, so you can get back to the simple pleasure of going on birdwatching outings in various terrains.
• Many individuals seek help from Megan Gooder, their physiotherapist, when frequent headaches that seem to start from tension in my neck or shoulders starts impacting daily life. Through a personalized physiotherapy plan, they often achieve being able to play actively with their children or grandchildren again, empowering them to joyfully return to activities like getting on and off the floor with ease.

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

Megan Gooder practices at Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre, situated in the Downtown Barrie, East Bayfield neighborhood of Barrie. The clinic is conveniently located near Highway 400 Access and is accessible via Barrie Transit. Our clinic is accessible. Free patient parking is typically available on-site or nearby.

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 advised to check your private insurance for private clinic coverage.

How long do physiotherapy appointments typically last?

Your first physiotherapy appointment, which includes a detailed assessment and the development of your initial treatment plan, usually takes about 60 minutes. Follow-up appointments are typically scheduled for 30 to 45 minutes. The exact duration of each session will depend on the nature of your treatment and what your Physiotherapist has planned for that specific visit to best help you progress.

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.

What are Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre's operating hours?

Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre is typically open Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and some practitioners offer Saturday appointments from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM. However, hours can vary by practitioner and day, so please call the clinic or check their website for the most current hours and specific practitioner availability.

What should I do if my condition seems to worsen after a physiotherapy session?

It's not uncommon to experience some temporary soreness or a mild increase in symptoms after certain physiotherapy treatments, especially in the initial stages or if you're starting new exercises. This usually subsides within 24-48 hours. However, if you experience a significant or sharp increase in pain, new or worsening neurological symptoms (like numbness, tingling, or weakness), or if your soreness lasts longer than expected, it's important to contact Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre or your physician directly. They can provide advice, adjust your treatment plan if necessary, or determine if you need to be reassessed.

Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre
201 Georgian Dr.
Barrie, ON, L4M 6M2

Phone: (705) 728-9802

Megan Elizabeth Gooder 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: XXX64

Verify registration with The College of Physiotherapists of Ontario: https://portal.collegept.org/en-US/public-register/display-member-contact/?id=e1c3a5b6-85cb-e911-a812-000d3af42f4a

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