WHAT IS ONE ON ONE PHYSIOTHERAPY?
We are a One-on-One clinic. That means at West Hants Physiotherapy, you see the physiotherapist for the duration of your appointment, every appointment. Our therapists spend as much time as is necessary to provide you with the care you need. You will never feel rushed and will leave knowing you have been heard, understood and all your questions have been answered.
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About
About
West Hants Physiotherapy is a One on One physiotherapy clinic. Your physiotherapist treats only one patient at a time - a slower paced experience than most traditional clinics where you have as much time as you need to address your problem with your therapist by your side for the duration of each appointment. We are located at 80 Water Street inside the Windsor Mall in beautiful
Windsor Nova Scotia.
We help you restore function and mobility through exercises, stretches, manual therapy, modalities, massage, taping and education using the latest evidence based treatments.
Our physiotherapists are members of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association and are registered with the Nova Scotia College of Physiotherapists, the licensing body for the province.
Steve McGirr
Physiotherapist
He truly enjoys getting patients back to maximal health and function again and
Steve enjoys treating everyone from the student athletes to our older population, wanting to maintain independence and improve their quality of life.
Steve has four beautiful children, Kirstyn, Sabrina, Sarah and Jack and resides in Beaver Bank with his wife Heather.
also enjoys getting to know his patients beyond their injury.
After graduating from Dalhousie University in 1998, Steve, an officer in the military, spent many years treating serving members in Petawawa, Trenton, Stadacona and Shearwater before retiring with 26 years of service from the Canadian Forces in 2010. He now serves the people of Hants county and surrounding areas from the West Hants Physiotherapy practise.
Heather McGirr - Owner & Physiotherapist
Heather is the owner of West Hants Physiotherapy since the beginning in 2014 and enjoys both patient care and running the business behind the scenes.
Heather received a degree in Biology from nearby Acadia University in 1995 and went on to obtain her Physiotherapy degree in 1998 from Dalhousie University
As a practicing #physiotherapist for 25 years, working in many areas such as hospitals, Long Term Care, private practice, military bases and #homecare, as well as teaching in the city, she decided to branch out on her own and started Health at Home Physiotherapy Ltd, a community based service dedicated to those who find it difficult to leave the home to access treatment. Since this time, Heather has gone on to open West Hants Physiotherapy.
Of importance to her is that clinic must be a One-on-One clinic. This means each patient has the undivided attention of the physiotherapist for the duration of their treatment and no tasks are delegated to support staff.
Sarah Caldwell, Physiotherapist
Born and raised in the Annapolis Valley Sarah received her Bachelor of Science (Honours) majoring in Psychology in 2013 and Bachelor of Kinesiology (Honours) in 2019 from Memorial University of Newfoundland before returning to Nova Scotia to complete her Master of Science in Physiotherapy from Dalhousie University in 2021.
As a new graduate, Sarah's treatment approach is enthusiastic and has a strong emphasis on manual therapy techniques as well as proactive stretching and strengthening.
Sarah has a strong interest in research centered in the field of applied exercise physiology and has publications in both the Journal of Sports and Science Medicine and the European Journal of Applied Physiology.
Outside of work Sarah enjoys family life with her dog Booker and various sport activities from mountain biking to ultimate Frisbee.
Liz Pullin Occupational Therapist
Liz is a graduate of the Dalhousie School of Occupational Therapy and has come to the profession with years of experience in healthcare, as a Registered Massage Therapist.
Originally from NL, Liz moved to the Valley in 2005, working in Wolfville. In 2013, she returned to academics, and completed her Bachelor Honours in Kinesiology, from Acadia University, in 2019. During which time, she conducted a research study and supporting thesis. Liz’s research interests, related to aging populations in NS, and also contributed to Massage Therapy research in the province.
In the fall of 2019, Liz was accepted into the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program, at Dalhousie, and is now an Occupational Therapist Reg NS. In addition, she has completed the Age Safe Canada, Senior Home Safety Specialist (SHSS) certification, and certification in the Montreal Cognitive Assessment or MoCA.
Liz works with various individuals, in just as many individual situations. Her primary areas of support which she offers are, but not limited to; mental health, general individual life management support, cognitive assessments, home accessibility & modification assessments, and mobility & accessibility equipment needs assessments.
Sandy Houston Orthopedic Bracing Specialist
Owner of BraceYourself-Orthopedic Products and Services.
Sandy graduated from Dalhousie University in 1980 with a Bachelor of Physical Education (minor
Biology) and 1988 Master of Science in Exercise Physiology. His thesis studied the effects of swimming on blood lipids, particularly high density lipoproteins (HDL’s). During his early Dal days he was a member on the swim team for 4 years. Sandy has been “bracing” for 22 years, helping individuals stay mobile with less pain. The bulk of his work is managing the arthritic and unstable knee. Saying that, he provides bracing products for the neck down to the big toe!!!
He enjoys camping, hiking, biking, golf, swimming, gardening and the occasional drink of rum.
What We Do
Physiotherapy
Our Physiotherapists work with you to help improve your quality of life by:
-Optimizing your mobility
-Preventing disease, injury and disability
-Treating acute and chronic conditions and activity limitations
-Helping you improve or maintain your independence
-Rehabilitating injury and the effects of disease
-Address your symptoms and their underlying causes that prevent you from living your best life
Massage Therapy
Massage Therapy primarily consists of hands-on manipulation of the soft tissues of the body, specifically the muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments and joints for the purpose of optimizing health.
Massage therapy treatment has a therapeutic effect on the body to improve health and well being by acting on the muscular, nervous and circulatory systems. Physical function can be maintained or improved, and physical dysfunction and pain and the effects of stress can be relieved or prevented through the use of massage therapy.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy is a type of healthcare that helps to solve the problems that interfere with a person's ability to do the things that are important to them. Things like self care (dressing, eating, moving around the house), being productive- going to work or school, participating in the community and addressing equipment needs for the home and work to optimize abilities.
Services
Pain, injury and limited mobility mean that you enjoy your life less. Our mission is to provide outstanding physiotherapy to residents of Windsor and surrounding communities. We help you move forward toward better health!
Manual therapy
Skillful specific movements to improve the mobility of joints and soft tissue. These techniques may be used to help reduce pain, increase movement of a joint, reduce edema, increase relaxation and improve overall musculoskeletal function.
Therapeutic exercise
A very large range of physical movements which focus on restoring or increasing strength, flexibility, endurance, stability and balance. The purpose of therapeutic exercise is to help the injured patient regain or improve their physical functioning
Therapeutic modalities
Electrical, thermal or mechanical energy used to cause specific physiological changes. These agents are used to relieve pain, decrease swelling, improve circulation and decrease muscle spasm.
Taping and bracing
Options that can help accelerate healing, protect while healing and reduce the risk of re-injury. Taping/bracing help to allow normal movement.
Ergonomic Assessments
Evaluation of a workplace, its furnishings, and tasks relative to the capabilities of the worker.
The professional evaluation is used to identify and report any risk factors that the worker may encounter while employed. By identifying those risks for injury and physical stress, the physiotherapist provides recommendations for modified design and practice.
Vestibular Rehab
Problems with vertigo, dizziness, visual disturbance, and/or balance.
Other problems can also arise that are secondary to vestibular disorders, such as nausea and/or vomiting, reduced ability to focus or concentrate, and fatigue.
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Post Op Rehab
Have you recently had orthopaedic surgery? Post-surgical rehabilitation (post-op physiotherapy) can make a significant difference during your recovery. Therapeutic techniques are used to regain mobility, build strength, and restore function. Pain and swelling is a common problem post-surgery. Post op physiotherapy can help reduce these symptoms and provide you with strategies to employ at home.
Ongoing Education
Patients who are educated will have a better understanding of their condition or injury. This results in the patient being better equipped to take an active part in the treatment process and improve treatment outcomes.
Some of the conditions we treat at
West Hants Physiotherapy:
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Arthritis
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Deconditioning
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Degenerative Disc Disease
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Disc Herniation
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Neurological conditions (Parkinson's, MS, Stroke)
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Range of motion (ROM) loss
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Weakness
Worker's Compensation Board of NS
WCB
The Worker's Compensation Board of Nova Scotia is the province’s provider of workplace injury insurance. They
provide insurance to 19,500 employers in Nova Scotia and insure 335,000 workers. West Hants physiotherapists are highly experienced on the workers' compensation system, including return to work and the claims process.
West Hants offers direct access to early assessment of sprains and strains at work to provide injured workers more timely access to the healthcare services they need. It enables workers to go directly to our clinic for an assessment allowing the return-to-work process for sprain and strain injuries to begin right away.
We assess your injury and your capacity for returning to work in a safe and timely manner. Your physiotherapist will share the results of your assessment with your family doctor. Once the injury has been assessed, the health care service provider will determine if treatment is necessary.
We will tell you about your injury, diagnosis and treatment plan. We will also help you understand what to expect during treatment. If what you can safely do matches the demands of your work, you can return to your regular job right away. If you are unable to return to your regular job right away, your physiotherapist, working together with you, your employer, your doctor and the WCB case worker, will determine your return-to-work plan, including treatment and what transitional duties, if any, can be provided.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
MVA
Have you been involved in a car accident? West Hants Physiotherapy gives you direct, timely access to the services you need to feel and function better again.
A motor vehicle accident can cause discomfort and disrupt your life, limiting your usual activities. Common complaints after an accident include:
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Neck pain
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Back pain
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Jaw pain
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Dizziness and headaches
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Whiplash
Call to book an appointment and we will guide you through the entire process from the initial paperwork to communicating with your insurance company and of course your treatment.
Contact
Questions?
80 Water Street
WINDSOR MALL
PO Box 68
Windsor Nova Scotia
B0N 2T0
902-798-2888 p
