Pamela Jane Place – Physiotherapist | Ottawa, ON

Pamela Jane Place is a dedicated Physiotherapist. Practicing at The School of Dance in Ottawa, ON, Pam Place is committed to high-quality, patient-centered care aligning with College of Physiotherapists of Ontario standards. Pam Place's focus is addressing a wide range of muscle, joint, bone, tendon, and ligament conditions. This includes everything from acute injuries like sprains and strains, to chronic pain management, arthritis care, and comprehensive post-operative rehabilitation. Pam Place serves patients of all ages, from infants to seniors.

Pamela Jane Place completed their degree in Physiotherapy from University of Ottawa (Graduating Class of 2000). With extensive clinical experience, Pam Place is committed to ongoing professional development and evidence-based physiotherapy practices. Pam Place has a particular interest and further training in areas such as Orthopedic and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy.

Pam Place employs a patient-centered approach, actively involving individuals in their treatment planning and goal setting. Pam Place promotes preventative care and long-term wellness for the Ottawa community through proactive physiotherapy. Pam Place offers consultations in English, French.

Pamela Jane Place provides skilled physiotherapist care for a variety of health concerns, including but not limited to:

Joint Pain

• Tendinopathy/Tendonitis (e.g., Achilles, Patellar, Rotator Cuff, Tennis/Golfer's Elbow): Pain, tenderness, swelling, and dysfunction in a tendon (the strong cords that attach muscles to bones) due to overuse, repetitive strain, injury, or degeneration. Common sites include the Achilles, patellar tendon (knee), rotator cuff (shoulder), or elbow (tennis/golfer's elbow).
• Osteoarthritis (Knee, Hip, Spine, Hands, Other Joints): A chronic condition causing joint discomfort, stiffness (especially in the morning or after inactivity), and impacting your ability to perform daily activities, walk, or engage in hobbies.

Arthritis

• Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA): Individualized exercise programs and pain management strategies tailored for psoriatic arthritis to help reduce symptoms and improve your quality of life.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) & Other Inflammatory Arthropathies: Helping you live well with rheumatoid arthritis or other inflammatory arthropathies through targeted physiotherapy interventions designed to manage symptoms, preserve function, and promote overall well-being.
• Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS): Physiotherapy for ankylosing spondylitis focuses on maintaining spinal mobility and flexibility (especially extension), improving posture, strengthening core and back muscles, managing pain, and providing education on self-management and regular exercise.
• Gout (Management of Musculoskeletal Impairments): Physiotherapy to address residual joint stiffness, pain, swelling, and functional loss after an acute gout attack has subsided, or to help manage musculoskeletal impairments and tophi-related issues associated with chronic gout, always in conjunction with appropriate medical management for urate control.

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. Pam Place can assess your needs.

• Therapeutic Heat Application: The use of moist heat packs, paraffin wax, or other heat sources by your Physiotherapist to relax muscles, increase local blood flow, reduce stiffness, alleviate chronic pain, and improve tissue extensibility.
• Interferential Current (IFC) / TENS Therapy: The use of specific electrical stimulation devices (IFC or TENS) by your Physiotherapist to provide pain relief, reduce muscle spasm, decrease swelling, or promote muscle activation and re-education.
• Cryotherapy Application (Cold Therapy): The application of cold packs, ice massage, or other cold modalities by your Physiotherapist to reduce swelling, inflammation, muscle spasm, and acute pain, particularly after an injury.
• Low-Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) / Photobiomodulation: A non-invasive light therapy used in physiotherapy to treat various musculoskeletal conditions, promote faster healing, reduce pain, and modulate inflammation without generating heat.
• Patient Education & Self-Management Strategies: Educating you about your diagnosis, expected recovery timeline (prognosis), and the reasons behind your treatment plan to encourage active participation in your healing.
• Comprehensive Musculoskeletal Assessment: Detailed physical assessment of your joints, muscles, nerves, and movement patterns to identify the root cause of your symptoms and guide your treatment.

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

• Struggling with the frustration of an old ankle sprain that never seems to fully heal and still feels weak? Pam Place develops individualized physiotherapy programs specifically aimed at achieving successfully integrating safe movement strategies into their daily routines. This is key to helping you get back to doing being able to carry their baby or toddler without straining their back or arms with confidence and significantly reduced discomfort.
• Many patients have found lasting relief from wrist pain and tingling, possibly from carpal tunnel syndrome, especially at night and achieved increased flexibility throughout their body, particularly in their back and major joints under the skilled care of Pam Place. This renewed physical ability often allows them to re-engage with beloved activities such as attending and enjoying their children's or grandchildren's sporting events with a new lease on life.
• When my baby/child having trouble with their motor skills, like delayed rolling, sitting or walking is limiting your lifestyle and preventing you from doing tackling home renovation and DIY projects with confidence, physiotherapy with Pam Place can help you work towards getting back to enjoying life's simple pleasures without physical limitations. The aim is to restore optimal function so you can comfortably and safely return to the things you love.
• Rediscover your ability to setting up and taking down equipment for hobbies or sports without the constant burden of dealing with pelvic pain or bladder/bowel control issues (for both men and women). Pam Place focuses on evidence-based treatment plans that lead to feeling empowered to take control of their physical health journey, integrating various therapeutic techniques for optimal and lasting results.

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

Pam Place's practice at The School of Dance is situated in the Rockcliffe Park, New Edinburgh, Lindenlea neighborhood of Ottawa. The clinic is conveniently located near the Confederation Building and is accessible via OC Transpo (O-Train LRT, Bus). Please inquire regarding specific accessibility needs for our clinic. Ample parking is generally accessible close to the clinic entrance.

Approximately how many physiotherapy sessions will I need?

The number of physiotherapy sessions required varies greatly from person to person. It depends on several factors, including the nature and severity of your condition, how long you've had the issue (acute vs. chronic), your individual treatment goals, your body's unique response to therapy, and how consistently you are able to follow your prescribed home exercise program and self-management advice. Your Physiotherapist will discuss a proposed treatment frequency and estimated duration after your initial assessment and will continually re-evaluate your progress with you.

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.

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

In Ontario, you can typically see a Physiotherapist directly without a physician's referral. This is known as direct access. However, some private/extended health insurance plans may require a referral for reimbursement of physiotherapy services. It is strongly recommended that you check the specific requirements of your individual insurance policy before your first appointment.

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 that you check your private insurance for coverage of services in a private clinic.

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

To make your first appointment as smooth and productive as possible, please consider bringing: your health card, any doctor's referral letter (if applicable), results or reports of any imaging tests (X-rays, ultrasounds, MRIs) related to your current condition, a list of any medications you are currently taking, and your extended health benefits information (insurance card/policy number) for direct billing if available at our clinic. Wearing comfortable clothes is also a good idea.

Can physiotherapy help prevent injuries or recurring pain?

Yes, absolutely! Physiotherapy plays a significant role in injury prevention and managing recurring pain. Your Physiotherapist can identify underlying risk factors such as muscle imbalances, poor movement patterns, postural issues, or biomechanical inefficiencies. By addressing these through targeted exercises, education on proper body mechanics, ergonomic advice, and activity modification, physiotherapy can help reduce your risk of initial injury, prevent re-injury, and manage chronic conditions more effectively, keeping you active and healthy.

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 The School of Dance 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.

Does The School of Dance offer direct billing to private insurance companies?

Please contact the clinic directly to inquire about direct billing options with your specific insurance provider.

The School of Dance
200 Crichton St.
Ottawa, ON, K1M 1W2

Phone: (613) 238-7838

Pamela Jane Place 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: XXX97

Verify registration with The College of Physiotherapists of Ontario: https://portal.collegept.org/en-US/public-register/display-member-contact/?id=ede866b1-8c02-e811-813c-480fcff44541

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