Veronique Messier

Veronique Messier provides skilled physiotherapy care for a variety of conditions, including but not limited to:

Back Neck Pain

• Spinal Stenosis Symptoms: Often age-related changes leading to pressure on the spinal cord or nerve roots, causing pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness in the legs with walking (neurogenic claudication in lumbar stenosis) or in the arms/hands (cervical stenosis).
• Postural Back/Neck Pain: Discomfort, aching, stiffness, or muscle fatigue in the back or neck arising from sustained or awkward postures during daily activities, prolonged work (e.g., desk work, computer use), or sleep.
• Herniated Disc / Sciatica / Radiculopathy: Pain, pins and needles, numbness, or weakness in an arm or leg resulting from irritation or compression of a spinal nerve, often managed effectively with physiotherapy techniques like McKenzie method or neural mobilization.
• Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD): Neck, shoulder, and upper back discomfort, often accompanied by headaches or 'brain fog', after a sudden jerking motion of the head, such as in a rear-end collision.

Arthritis

• Gout (Management of Musculoskeletal Impairments): Exercises and advice to manage the impact of gout on your joints, improve mobility, and reduce the likelihood of long-term joint damage.
• Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA): Individualized exercise programs and pain management strategies tailored for psoriatic arthritis to help reduce symptoms and improve your quality of life.
• 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.

Peripheral Nerve

• Peripheral Neuropathy (e.g., Diabetic, Chemotherapy-Induced, Idiopathic): Improving safety, function, and quality of life for those with impaired sensation or strength due to various types of peripheral neuropathy.
• Nerve Entrapments / Compressions (e.g., Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Sciatica, Meralgia Paresthetica): Symptoms such as localized or radiating pain, numbness, tingling, or weakness caused by mechanical compression or irritation of peripheral nerves at specific anatomical sites (entrapment points).

This list offers examples of conditions commonly addressed. If your specific concern isn't listed, please contact the clinic. Veronique can assess your needs.

• Patient Education & Self-Management Strategies: Providing clear guidance on self-care techniques, activity modifications, and beneficial lifestyle adjustments for long-term well-being and injury prevention.
• Postural Assessment and Correction: Helping you understand how your posture impacts your musculoskeletal health and providing you with tools for lasting postural improvement and pain relief.
• 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.
• 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.
• Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy (VRT) for Dizziness, Vertigo & Balance Disorders: Helping you overcome dizziness, vertigo, and unsteadiness with targeted vestibular exercises and strategies, enabling you to return to daily activities with greater stability and comfort.
• Functional Movement Screening (FMS™/SFMA™ if certified): Identifying inefficient or compensatory movement patterns that could be contributing to your pain or hindering your physical performance.

Note: This list highlights some key services offered by Veronique. For a full list or to discuss your specific needs, please contact the clinic.

All services are provided in accordance with standards set by the Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Québec (OPPQ).

At CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS, physiotherapy is focused on helping individuals like you achieve significant improvements in health and daily activities. Veronique frequently helps patients work towards goals such as:

• Veronique frequently assists patients in overcoming the effects of general muscle strains and pulls from overdoing it at the gym or in the garden. A carefully designed physiotherapy program, potentially including specialized manual techniques and progressive exercises, targets a more comfortable and physically manageable pregnancy experience and supports your enthusiastic engagement in desired activities like hitting the slopes for a full day of skiing or snowboarding in winter.
• Many individuals seek help from Veronique, their physiotherapist, when wrist pain and tingling, possibly from carpal tunnel syndrome, especially at night starts impacting daily life. Through a personalized physiotherapy plan, they often achieve being able to travel more comfortably and with less planning around physical limitations, empowering them to joyfully return to activities like playing in your competitive volleyball league again.
• Tired of feeling like my posture is hunched or rounded, causing discomfort interfering with challenging myself with indoor or outdoor rock climbing? Veronique uses a blend of physiotherapy techniques to help you achieve improved hand and wrist function for tasks requiring dexterity and regain your freedom of movement.

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

Veronique practices at the CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS, situated in a modern clinic located in the central Magog neighborhood of Magog. This public healthcare facility is conveniently positioned near local community services and pharmacies, making it easy for patients to access comprehensive healthcare in one place. The clinic is well-connected via local public transit routes, ensuring accessible transportation options for all community members. Our clinic is wheelchair accessible. 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 Physiothérapeute will discuss a proposed treatment frequency and estimated duration after your initial assessment and will continually re-evaluate your progress with you.

Do I need a doctor's referral to see a Physiothérapeute in QC?

In Quebec, patients can typically see a Physiothérapeute directly without a physician's referral, a process known as direct access. However, it is important to check with your private health insurance as some plans may require a referral for reimbursement purposes. While a referral is not legally necessary to begin physiotherapy, verifying your insurance requirements beforehand can help ensure coverage.

Is physiotherapy covered by the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) in QC?

In Quebec, RAMQ generally does not cover physiotherapy services provided in private clinics. Patients usually pay out-of-pocket or through private insurance. Some coverage may be available if care is received within a public hospital or CLSC under specific circumstances. It is recommended to check your private insurance plans and RAMQ details for your specific situation.

Does CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS offer direct billing to private insurance companies?

Yes, CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS offers direct billing for most major private insurance providers such as Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life, Green Shield, and Blue Cross. Please bring your insurance card and policy details to your appointment. If direct billing is not available for your plan, we will provide official receipts that you can submit for reimbursement. It is advisable to confirm your coverage and any limits or deductibles with your insurance provider beforehand.

What is the difference between a Physiotherapist (Physiothérapeute) and a Physiotherapy Technologist (Technologue en physiothérapie) in Quebec?

A Physiothérapeute in Quebec holds a university master's degree in physiotherapy and is authorized to perform assessments, diagnose, and create treatment plans independently. They can also perform certain restricted activities with specific attestations. A Technologue en physiothérapie holds a college-level diploma and works under the supervision of a physiotherapist or physician, applying prescribed treatments, guiding exercises, and monitoring progress but does not diagnose or establish treatment plans independently. Both professions are regulated by the Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Québec (OPPQ).

CIUSSS de l'Estrie-CHUS
50, Rue Saint-Patrice E
Magog, QC J1X 3X3

Phone: (450) 266-4342

Veronique Messier is regulated by the Code des professions and Professional Integration Arrangement for physiotherapists in QC and is a member of the Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Québec (OPPQ).

Registration can be verified with the Ordre professionnel de la physiothérapie du Québec (OPPQ).

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