Reshawn Anthony Devendra – Physiotherapist | Willowdale, ON

Reshawn Anthony Devendra is a dedicated Physiotherapist (Geriatric Physiotherapy Focus / Seniors' Health). Practicing at Willowdale Physiotherapy Clinic in Willowdale, ON, Reshawn Devendra is committed to high-quality, patient-centered care aligning with College of Physiotherapists of Ontario standards. Reshawn Devendra focuses on the unique health needs of older adults, aiming to improve and maintain mobility, strength, balance, manage age-related conditions like arthritis or osteoporosis, reduce fall risk, and enhance overall quality of life and independence. Reshawn Devendra serves a diverse range of patients.

Reshawn Anthony Devendra completed their degree in Physiotherapy from University of Alberta (Graduating Class of 1998). With clinical experience, Reshawn Devendra is committed to ongoing professional development and evidence-based physiotherapy practices. Reshawn Devendra has a particular interest or further training in areas such as Geriatric Physiotherapy / Seniors' Health.

Reshawn Devendra employs a collaborative approach, working with patients to achieve their movement and functional goals. Reshawn Devendra demonstrates a strong commitment to evidence-based practice and continuous professional learning to provide the best care. Reshawn Devendra promotes preventative care and long-term wellness for the Willowdale community through proactive physiotherapy. Reshawn Devendra offers consultations in English, Tamil.

Reshawn Anthony Devendra provides skilled physiotherapist care for a variety of health concerns, including but not limited to:

Arthritis

• Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA): An inflammatory arthritis that can affect some people with psoriasis (a skin condition), causing joint pain, stiffness, swelling, and sometimes affecting tendons (enthesitis) and ligaments. Can affect small or large joints, often asymmetrically, and sometimes the spine.
• 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): Helping you regain mobility, reduce discomfort, and improve function in affected joints after a gout episode, as part of your overall gout management plan.

Neurological

• Parkinson's Disease Management & Movement Therapy: Movement therapy designed by a Neuro Physiotherapist to address common Parkinson's symptoms like bradykinesia (slowness of movement), rigidity (stiffness), postural instability (balance problems), freezing of gait, and tremors.
• Muscular Dystrophy / Myopathy - Supportive Physiotherapy Care: Physiotherapy aimed at maintaining optimal function, managing contractures (joint stiffness), optimizing mobility (including prescription of mobility aids), adapting activities, and managing respiratory function (if applicable) for individuals with progressive muscle weakness due to muscular dystrophy or other myopathies.
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) / Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Rehabilitation: Focusing on restoring movement, balance, and independence after a traumatic or acquired brain injury through evidence-based physiotherapy approaches.
• Facial Palsy / Bell's Palsy Rehabilitation: Physiotherapy for weakness or paralysis of facial muscles, often affecting one side of the face (e.g., Bell's Palsy, Ramsay Hunt syndrome, post-surgical facial nerve injury).

Geriatric

• Mobility Issues & Gait Disturbances in Seniors: Addressing specific mobility challenges to enhance safety, reduce fall risk, and improve participation in life activities for older adults.
• Age-Related Deconditioning / Frailty / Sarcopenia Management: Physiotherapy programs designed to address physical decline in older adults, focusing on rebuilding strength (resistance exercise), improving endurance (aerobic exercise), enhancing balance, and maintaining or improving functional independence.

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. Reshawn Devendra 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.
• 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.
• Strength & Conditioning for Rehabilitation and Performance: Targeted exercises using resistance (such as bodyweight, resistance bands, free weights, or gym equipment) to build muscle strength, power, and endurance, tailored to your specific rehabilitation needs or performance goals.
• Personalized Therapeutic Exercise Prescription: A carefully selected set of exercises specific to your condition and abilities, aimed at restoring function, reducing pain, improving movement, and preventing future issues.
• 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.
• Core Stability & Strengthening Training: Developing control, strength, and endurance in your core musculature for improved functional performance, pain reduction, and prevention of re-injury.

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

• Many patients have found lasting relief from trouble with everyday tasks because of pain or weakness in my hands or grip and achieved feeling more resilient and less vulnerable to minor strains or injuries under the skilled care of Reshawn Devendra. This renewed physical ability often allows them to re-engage with beloved activities such as pushing a stroller or shopping cart without difficulty with a new lease on life.
• For those whose difficulty moving one side of my body or walking easily after a stroke has made playing a few sets of tennis without shoulder pain seem like a distant memory, Reshawn Devendra's physiotherapy care offers a clear path toward a renewed sense of vitality and enthusiasm for daily activities. Effective, evidence-based treatments can be instrumental in helping you get back to playing a few sets of tennis without shoulder pain with greater comfort and renewed confidence.
• Through personalized physiotherapy at Reshawn Devendra's clinic, common concerns like recovering from a burn and needing help with scar mobility and movement are thoroughly assessed and addressed with the objective of resuming gardening, hobbies, or household tasks without strain or discomfort. This often involves a combination of in-clinic treatment, education, and self-management strategies, helping people to once again enjoy activities like tackling home renovation and DIY projects with confidence.
• Patients struggling with frequent headaches that seem to start from tension in my neck or shoulders can find dedicated and compassionate support from Reshawn Devendra. The therapeutic focus is squarely on achieving getting back their independence with daily activities and personal care, using a range of physiotherapy services to facilitate a return to meaningful daily activities such as participating in light recreational activities like bowling or mini-golf.

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

Reshawn Devendra practices at Willowdale Physiotherapy Clinic, a physiotherapy clinic in the central Willowdale neighborhood of Willowdale. 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.

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 Willowdale Physiotherapy Clinic 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 doctor's referral for reimbursement of physiotherapy services. We strongly advise you to check the specific requirements of your individual insurance policy before your first appointment.

Is physiotherapy treatment supposed to be painful?

Physiotherapy should not be an ordeal of pain. While you might feel some discomfort or a stretching sensation as you work to regain movement or strength, especially in the initial stages of treatment for an acute injury or chronic stiffness, it's rarely 'painful' in a distressing or harmful way. Your Physiotherapist will guide you through each step, modify treatments to suit your comfort and tolerance, and ensure that the overall experience is positive. The ultimate aim is to make you feel better, not worse.

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.

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. We strongly advise checking your private insurance for private clinic coverage.

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 Willowdale Physiotherapy Clinic or your physician directly. They can provide advice, adjust your treatment plan if necessary, or determine if you need to be reassessed.

What is manual therapy in physiotherapy?

In physiotherapy, manual therapy encompasses a range of 'hands-on' interventions. Your Physiotherapist may use these techniques to help reduce your pain, increase joint movement, relax tight muscles, or improve the mobility of your nerves. Common approaches include joint glides, sustained pressures, specific soft tissue massage, and, when indicated, joint manipulations. It's a key part of helping your body move better.

Willowdale Physiotherapy Clinic
225 - 6228 Yonge St.
Willowdale, ON, M2M 3X4

Phone: (416) 226-2402

Reshawn Anthony Devendra 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: XXX08

Verify registration with The College of Physiotherapists of Ontario: https://portal.collegept.org/en-US/public-register/display-member-contact/?id=4bd6bfe0-8c02-e811-8134-480fcff4f671

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