South Edmonton Location
Virtual physiotherapy in Edmonton
Virtual physiotherapy by secure video for anyone in Alberta: history, guided movement checks, exercise prescription and progression without the trip to our southeast Edmonton clinic. Suited to follow-ups and keeping a program moving; ligament testing, needling and shockwave still need you in the room.
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What is virtual physiotherapy?
Virtual physiotherapy is a physiotherapy appointment delivered by secure video: history, guided movement testing, exercise prescription and progression. It suits follow-up appointments, progressing a program, and people who cannot easily get to the clinic. Because physiotherapists are licensed provincially, it is available to anyone in Alberta.
What it does well
A good deal of what changes outcomes is education, load management and a program that keeps moving. None of that needs hands.
- Progressing an existing program — checking technique, changing load, answering what comes up
- Follow-ups between in-person appointments, without the travel
- Advice and reassurance in the first days after an injury, before you can get in
- Ongoing care when you have moved, travel for work, or live outside Edmonton
- Workstation and home setup review, where seeing the actual room is the point
When you need to be in the room
Some assessments genuinely need hands on the joint: testing ligament stability, feeling how a joint moves under pressure, or distinguishing between structures that sit millimetres apart. Hands-on treatment, needling and shockwave obviously cannot be delivered remotely either.
There are also presentations where an in-person assessment is simply safer — a first appointment after significant trauma, anything with neurological signs, or a problem that has not behaved as expected. In those cases a virtual appointment is used to triage and get you booked in, not as a substitute.
What you need
- A device with a camera, and enough space to move and be seen head to toe
- Somewhere you are comfortable being observed moving — clothing you can move in
- A chair, a wall and a step or stair, which covers most testing positions
- Any equipment you already use at home, within reach
- A quiet spot and about the same time you would spend in clinic
Questions people ask
Is it as useful as being seen in person?
For a good deal of musculoskeletal care, remotely delivered physiotherapy has produced comparable outcomes in trials, particularly for exercise-led problems. For assessments that need hands on the joint, it is not a substitute, and your physiotherapist should tell you when that is the case.
Does insurance cover it?
Most extended health plans now cover virtual physiotherapy, and it is generally claimable under motor vehicle and WCB claims as well. Plans differ, so check yours before the first appointment.
Can my first appointment be virtual?
Often yes. If the assessment turns up something that needs examining in person, the therapist will say so and you can book in.
Do I need to be in Edmonton?
No. Anywhere in Alberta works, because licensure is provincial. If you are outside Alberta, a physiotherapist here generally cannot treat you.
What do I need for a virtual appointment?
A phone, tablet or laptop with a camera, a stable connection, and enough floor space to move. A link is sent before the appointment. Wear clothing that lets the physiotherapist see the area, and have any previous reports to hand.
Can you assess me properly without touching me?
For many problems, yes. History and watching you move give most of the information, and testing can be guided on screen. Where hands-on assessment is genuinely needed, you will be told and offered an in-person visit at the Edmonton clinic.
Is virtual physiotherapy covered by my plan?
Most extended health plans in Alberta cover virtual physiotherapy the same as in-person. Check your plan wording or ask the front desk at (825) 525-2852 to confirm before the appointment.
Book a virtual appointment
Call (825) 525-2852 or book online and choose a virtual appointment. Vertex Physiotherapy is at 6958 76 Ave NW #205, Edmonton, AB T6B 2R2 if you would rather be seen in person.