Nicole Jean Smith

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

Common Musculoskeletal

• Musculoskeletal Injuries (General - Tendinitis, Bursitis, Capsulitis, Sprains, Strains): Acute or chronic pain originating from various musculoskeletal sources, such as a pulled muscle (strain), inflamed tendon, or irritated bursa.
• Hip Pain (e.g., Bursitis, Muscle Strains, Labral Issues - conservative): Pain affecting the hip joint and surrounding musculature, which can limit activities like walking, standing for long periods, rising from a chair, or lying on the affected side.
• Shoulder Pain (e.g., Rotator Cuff Tendinopathy, Impingement, Frozen Shoulder/Adhesive Capsulitis): Difficulty with activities like reaching for objects, dressing, personal care, or carrying items due to underlying shoulder issues, which physiotherapy can help diagnose and treat.
• 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.

Chronic Pain

• Persistent Post-Surgical Pain (Chronic): Physiotherapy for managing pain that lingers long after surgical recovery, employing strategies such as graded motor imagery, desensitization techniques, specific exercises, manual therapy (if appropriate), and pain education to address complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) or other chronic post-operative pain states.
• Fibromyalgia: Helping you cope with and manage the multifaceted symptoms of fibromyalgia through tailored exercise, education, and self-care strategies, focusing on improving daily function and overall well-being.
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) - Activity Management: A carefully tailored physiotherapy approach for CFS/ME that respects energy limitations, emphasizes pacing, and aims to improve stability in daily function rather than pushing for increased activity levels that could worsen the condition.
• Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) - Supportive Care: Gentle, carefully progressed, and specialized physiotherapy to help manage the challenging symptoms of CRPS and improve functional abilities.

Pelvic Health

• Pelvic Organ Prolapse (Conservative Management): Strengthening and improving the function of your pelvic floor muscles to provide better support for your pelvic organs and manage prolapse symptoms effectively.
• Urinary Incontinence (Stress, Urge, Mixed - Men & Women): Involuntary loss of urine, which can occur with physical exertion like coughing or jumping (stress incontinence), a strong, sudden urge to urinate (urge incontinence), or a combination of both. Affects both men and women and is often treatable with physiotherapy.

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. Nicole Smith can assess your needs.

• Muscle Energy Techniques (MET): Active patient participation through guided, gentle muscle contractions to restore normal joint play, reduce muscle guarding, and improve tissue length.
• Fibromyalgia & Widespread Pain Management: A holistic and supportive physiotherapy approach to managing the diffuse pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and other symptoms commonly associated with fibromyalgia.
• Manual Therapy (Joint Mobilization & Manipulation): Manual treatments specifically designed to improve joint mechanics, alleviate discomfort, reduce stiffness, and enhance your range of motion in the spine or limbs.
• Neural Mobilization Techniques (Nerve Gliding): Targeted therapy to alleviate symptoms such as shooting pain, pins and needles, or weakness arising from neural tension or entrapment.
• Chronic & Persistent Pain Management Programs: Multifaceted and individualized physiotherapy approaches including pain science education (understanding your pain), graded exercise therapy, pacing strategies, coping mechanisms, manual therapy (where appropriate), and relaxation techniques to help you manage persistent pain and improve your quality of life.
• Soft Tissue Mobilization & Release Techniques: Targeted manual methods performed by your Physiotherapist to release tight or overactive muscles, address fascial restrictions, and alleviate pain arising from soft tissue dysfunction.

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

• Struggling with the frustration of recovering from surgery to my hand or wrist? Nicole Smith develops individualized physiotherapy programs specifically aimed at achieving being able to travel more comfortably and with less planning around physical limitations. This is key to helping you get back to doing managing the physical demands of their job without constant pain with confidence and significantly reduced discomfort.
• With Nicole Smith's help, managing clicking, popping, or pain in my jaw (TMJ issues) when I eat or talk 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 simply being able to get through a workday without constant pain interruptions.
• Patients often come to Nicole Smith feeling defeated by shoulder pain that makes simple things like lifting my arm or reaching overhead difficult. With a supportive and targeted physiotherapy approach, achieving a deeper understanding of their condition and how to manage it proactively for long-term well-being and resuming simply enjoying leisurely daily walks around their neighborhood for fresh air becomes a realistic and attainable goal.
• At Nicole Smith's physiotherapy practice, individuals with feeling unsteady on my feet or experiencing dizziness and balance problems are guided towards the ability to sit for longer periods (e.g., at a desk, in a car) without significant discomfort. The focus is on enabling you to once again participate fully and comfortably in activities you enjoy, such as engaging in volunteer work that might have physical demands.

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

Nicole Smith practices at Blueberry Therapy, a physiotherapy clinic in the central Dundas neighborhood of Dundas. The clinic is conveniently located near nearby parks and community recreation facilities and is accessible via local public transit routes. Our clinic is accessible. Street parking and nearby paid lots offer convenient options for visitors.

Is there parking available at or near Blueberry Therapy?

Metered street parking is generally available on King Street and surrounding streets. There is also a paid public parkade located one block east of our clinic. Always check for time limits or restrictions.

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.

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 Blueberry Therapy 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 Ontario can typically see a Physiotherapist directly without a physician's referral (this is known as direct access). However, some private/extended health insurance plans *do* require a referral for reimbursement of physiotherapy services. Check your individual insurance policy before your first appointment.

Is physiotherapy treatment supposed to be painful?

While some physiotherapy techniques might feel uncomfortable or cause a temporary increase in soreness (similar to muscle soreness after a new workout), especially when working on stiff joints or tight muscles, it should not be excessively or intolerably painful. Your Physiotherapist will discuss what sensations you might expect with different treatments and will always aim to adjust the intensity and techniques to ensure you are as comfortable as possible while still achieving therapeutic benefits. Constant communication about your comfort level is very important.

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. Check your private insurance for private clinic coverage.

Will I be given exercises to do at home?

Yes, a personalized home exercise program is a crucial and integral component of most physiotherapy treatment plans. Your Physiotherapist will prescribe specific exercises tailored to your condition, abilities, and goals. These exercises are designed to complement your in-clinic treatment, help you manage your symptoms effectively between sessions, accelerate your recovery, and empower you with tools for long-term self-management. Your active participation in your home program is key for optimal results.

How long do physiotherapy appointments typically last?

Your initial physiotherapy visit will be around an hour long. Subsequent follow-up sessions are generally between 30 and 45 minutes, though this can be adjusted based on your individual requirements. Your Physiotherapist will advise on the appropriate appointment length for your specific care.

Blueberry Therapy
14 Cross Street
Dundas, ON, L9H 2R4

Phone: (289) 238-8383

Nicole Jean 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: XXX93

Verify registration with The College of Physiotherapists of Ontario: https://portal.collegept.org/en-US/public-register/display-member-contact/?id=cad14ab5-b618-ec11-b6e7-000d3a09e6b7

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