Quinn Taylor Physiotherapy

Time for a new career chapter! I have closed my bookings and will step away from private care for the time being as I focus on a new job with the Shared Health Provincial Pain Management Program.
Thank you to all of the friends & family, colleagues, and, most of all, patients who’ve supported QTP. Thanks to .performance & for providing such incredible places to work.
To any past or prospective patients: if I can help with simple consultation or to direct you to another trusted provider, please don’t hesitate to reach out. -Quinn

Updated clinic website is live!

Lorne and I go WAY back, but I’m so excited that he’s enjoying training with the community at NXT LVL Performance!

Out of clinic! Back on Tuesday, February 7.

Always more to learn.
A few ideas about growing as a clinician/academic/person:
We’re never done learning. Being “done” suggests a close-minded perspective to new information. Clinicians can fall prey to this as we become more confident with their current treatment modes/models. It is easy to ignore information that challenges our beliefs, particularly if we begin to tie our reputations and sense of expertise to these ideas. An expert clinician will be willing to adapt to new information, even if it means contradicting their previously held beliefs. They know that the best they can do is act upon the best available information: which is always a moving target, but that’s the price of being a professional.
It’s true that staying up-to-date can seem an overwhelming challenge. For most clinicians, actionable publications such as clinical practice guidelines can be useful to stay current without scouring the databases for new studies every month. Additionally, CPGs take new research and integrate it with best clinical practices based on expert consensus. This allows us merge empirical findings with what tends to work in pragmatic, real-world clinical situations. CPGs are never perfect, but a clinician that ignores their guidance risks succumbing to the confirmation biases described above!
The fact that new information can challenge previously held paradigms reminds me that my skill set as a physiotherapist is not a series of tools or techniques. These come and go. Rather, it is a commitment to being open to all available information (from other clinicians, research, and from patients themselves) and to the guiding principles and responsibilities of my profession. My expertise is in being informed, ethical, & helpful to my patients. (That’s it!)
📷: .creative

Out of clinic: on diaper duty. Back on Monday, April 4!
Last Wednesday, Anna and I welcomed our baby daughter Zadie. Mom and baby are healthy and happy. Our dog Mishka will be meeting her today! I’m going to be out of the clinic this week, returning next Monday. Online bookings are available for that time.
Thanks to everyone for understanding my absence and offering your support!
📷: .creative .performance

We are resilient & adaptable.
Movements are not inherently right/wrong or safe/dangerous. But they may be relatively novel to an individual who does not do them regularly.
To maintain a broad capacity of physical function, we might best expose ourselves to a broad spectrum of positions, situations, physical demands.
There’s no one way to do this. Explore! Find what you like (and occasionally do the things you don’t like, too).
📷: .good.photos

One year into this adventure.
Still focusing my clinical approach on these three fundamentals: Engage. Educate. Empower.
- Engaging you as the lead role and hero in your pain or rehab journey.
- Sharing honest, up-to-date, evidence-based information that helps you understand what to expect along the way.
- Empowering you with simple guidance, assurance, and my genuine confidence that you can and will overcome your current obstacles.
That’s it. That’s all I’m doing. (No magic).
Thank you to Justin .performance & Taylor for the incredible communities they’ve made possible. Thank you to my wife Anna and our family for their support and trust. Thank you to everyone who has referred a friend or family member. And thank you to my patients, who energize me, challenge me, and inspire me. Thank you.
📷: .creative

Mishka & I want to wish everyone the best of health and happiness in 2022!
📷: .creative
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Can LESS be MORE? (2/2)
In Part 1, we outlined how short-term financial incentives might influence care decisions in privately-funded physiotherapy. Next, we’ll outline why this isn’t just an ethical issue (which, of course, it is), but that it leads to a negative long-term impact on the value of physiotherapy.
Here’s the problem: IF we prolong a patient’s care plan unnecessarily, we are de-valuing each unit of our service (our value per visit) and demonstrating reduced efficiency to facilitate a patient’s recovery. If we can help someone become autonomous in their recovery within 4-6 sessions over 4-6 weeks (or less), rather than 20-24 sessions over 8 weeks, we have demonstrated increased effectiveness (outcome achieved in 25% shorter time) and efficiency (outcome achieved with 75% fewer visits). If we held the value of the outcome the same ($1000 of funding as an example, which is approximately the value given by WCB for a non-complex workplace injury), then instead of $50/visit, the empowering physiotherapist’s services are worth more like $170-250/visit! Would our profession be in a better place if this was the value that our services represented (rather than participating in a race to the bottom by prolonging care to maximize our billings in the short term)?
So, my take is this: in the long term, a focus on QUALITY over quantity will raise the value of physiotherapy services and distinguish our profession from others in our market. HOWEVER, I think there is an even more immediate reason to prioritize quality over quantity: PATIENT SATISFACTION.
Providing the highest quality of care to our patients by prioritizing patient autonomy and reducing dependence on physiotherapy treatment only represents decreased billings in the SHORT TERM. In the LONG TERM, patient satisfaction will generate future visits, friend/family referrals, and a reputation for authentic, no-nonsense care. This is the business model that I subscribe to. I know that helping someone in 3-4 visits (or fewer) means a satisfied patient that will refer their friends and family when the need arrives. For me, this is how LESS can be MORE.
📸: .creative

Can LESS be MORE? (1/2)
Patient autonomy and independence are important elements of patient-centred care, which is a foundational component of what physiotherapist’s have determined to be best practice in our field. In other words, we have decided that helping patients to manage their condition independently is part of our job. In some cases, helping our patients achieve this goal might mean that they no longer need us! But wait… then how do we earn a living?
In a publicly-funded physiotherapy model, such as in hospital-based rehabilitation, the goal of successful patient discharge aligns with the need to reduce the burden on the health care system. By empowering patients to take control of their rehabilitation, we free up resources for other patients in need. This is a win-win situation.
However, not all physiotherapists work in a publicly-funded model. Most community physiotherapists work in a privately-funded model, in which patients (and their insurance providers) pay per visit. Superficially, this may seem to create a mismatch between the patient’s best interest (recovery and autonomy) and the physiotherapist’s best interest (more visits = more income). This is not openly discussed either publicly or within our profession: the inherent immediate incentive for physiotherapists to increase billings by providing more care.
Now, this is NOT to say that most or even many physiotherapists make care decisions based on what is best for their bottom line, but the reality is that this incentive exists. When MPI or WCB fund a patient’s rehabilitation plan, they authorize a certain total number of visits (20-24 treatments). We should not be surprised to find that a high percentage of these visits are used. In fact, it could be argued that the “conventional” physiotherapy model is built to maximize clinic income based on this funding model. (4 patients an hour?) MPI even pays an increased rate for up to 12 visits that include acupuncture… so, guess how many patients are recommended acupuncture? 🤷‍♂️.
See PART 2 for my take on why this is a FALSE DICHOTOMY between quality care and business success. (Hint: we need to take a longer term view!)

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Injuries, aches & pains: these are normal life experiences, and they can and do happen to all of us. So do we all NEED to see a physiotherapist? The simple and honest answer is NO.
Physiotherapists cannot and do not heal people—the body does that all on its own. So what do we do? We help people to understand what is going on, what they can do about it, and what to expect along the way. Occasionally, we can help with strategies to improve the experience of their symptoms during the recovery process. But that’s it. That’s what we do.
I don’t mean to minimize the value of physiotherapists (I’m one of them, of course). In fact, I believe that the expertise and service of my profession is INVALUABLE. Sometimes, injuries/pain can be incredibly complex and devastatingly challenging for people to manage. Physiotherapists can truly change people’s lives. I will continue to advocate for the role of physiotherapy in all levels of health promotion.
BUT, I don’t believe that everyone needs to consult a physiotherapist any time they experience pain or injury. Here’s why:
If you:
1. Understand why you are experiencing pain, or understand the mechanism and implications of your injury,
2. Know what to do about it, and,
3. Have the support, equipment/facilities, and self-efficacy to manage your symptoms or your recovery…
… then you probably don’t need to see a physiotherapist!
If, on the other hand, you need guidance, support, or reassurance, then a physiotherapist can be of utmost value in helping you live your best life.
So, go do your thing, and let us know if you need our help. We LOVE helping people, but it’s also OK if you can handle it yourself! (We won’t be offended.) 😉

(2/2) Exercise-related soreness: joints, the sweet spot, and do you need treatment?
WHAT ABOUT SORENESS IN MY JOINTS?
Resistance training, particularly involving dynamic, compound lifts like CrossFit & Olympic weightlifting, puts load on our joints. In the long run (and progressed appropriately), this is actually health-promoting for our joints! However, joint tissues (like cartilage) and connective tissues (like ligaments and tendons), while extremely strong and resilient, can take longer than contractile tissue (muscles) to heal. So, joint pain with training often comes on gradually and tends to persist (or worsen) if ignored. For novice trainees, rapid increases in muscular strength can sometimes outpace the positive adaptations of our joints, which develop more gradually. Usually, best practice is to listen to the body and reduce or modify training accordingly when joint pain arises.
SO WHERE IS THE SWEET SPOT?
Great question. This is likely different for everyone. At present, our best scientific understanding would suggest that optimal training soreness likely lies somewhere between no soreness and soreness that recovers just before your next bout of training. Basically, we want the best ratio between positive adaptations and recovery. So, if you NEVER have any soreness after training (zero CrossFitters ever), you may be able to increase the challenge of your training for better outcomes. On the flip-side, if you are ALWAYS sore and regularly train through soreness, this is likely unsustainable and may be limiting your gains.
BONUS: DO I NEED TREATMENT FOR MY SORENESS?
Nope! Soreness will subside with rest. Most direct treatments, such as foam rolling, percussion gun, stretching, needling, etc. have only temporary effects on muscle soreness. If that helps you feel better after a hard day or week of training, go right ahead (I’d prefer a hot tub if available, myself)! But most quality evidence does not show improvements in recovery time or training performance with these modalities. So use them if you like, but don’t stress if you’re short on time or have other things you’d rather do after your workout.
📷: .good.photos

Exercise-related soreness: what’s the deal?
After hard training, particularly with a novel stimulus (e.g. new movement or rep scheme), it is normal to experience exercise-related muscle (or even joint) soreness. But what is going on here? I believe there are some common misconceptions around training-related soreness. Clarifying what soreness means and what to do about it may help people ensure they can sustain their health-promoting exercise without undue setbacks.
WHAT IS POST-EXERCISE SORENESS?
In simplest terms, the soreness we feel after training represents tissue damage. Yikes? But wait, this is not a bad thing, necessarily. In fact, most novel or challenging exercises (like hard resistance training), which are extremely effective ways to trigger positive health adaptations like building muscle and strength, will cause some amount of tissue damage.
SO, SORENESS IS GOOD?
Sort of. To some degree, soreness is an unavoidable byproduct of productive training. And, thankfully, a well-nourished, rested, and healthy human body recovers from this type of tissue damage very quickly (usually within a couple days). However, it is important to note that tissue damage is not necessary for positive adaptations (strength, muscle growth) and can, in some cases, reduce one’s positive gains.
SO SORENESS CAN BE BAD?
Let’s step away from the good/bad labels. Soreness can be a sign of hard training, which has considerable health benefits. However, excessive or accumulating soreness may be counter-productive. Our bodies need to heal from hard training sessions. Repeated bouts of hard training without sufficient recovery may increase risk of injury, which often means time away from training, and therefore time away from developing strength or muscle. Additionally, tissue recovery demands resources, which may take away from those available for anabolic purposes (making muscle is expensive to your body’s resources)!
MORE INFO IN PART 2!
Credit to for inspiration and information to support this post. Check out their YouTube channel for excellent training and nutrition resources (particularly aimed towards the bodybuilding community).
📷: .good.photos

SLOW DOWN. STEP BACK. LOOK AGAIN.
As humans, we are natural sense-makers. Our senses (like sight, touch, smell, etc.) involve both the neural input to the brain and the cognitive sense-making of that input. So when we perceive something, through one of our senses, we are always perceiving SOMETHING, which is to say, we are always grasping meaning. When when engage further with that sensation (hold our gaze, explore the physical surface, examine from another angle), our understand of meaning evolves (deepens, or maybe even changes).
Think of the parable about the blindfolded men holding different parts of an elephant, each interpreting their own meaning… what a surprise will come when they each step back and remove the blindfold!
As clinicians, part of our skill set is to be able to rapidly interpret new pieces of information and how they relate to the patient’s condition. We expect certain findings before we even ask or test for them. When we find them, we already knew they would be there. When we find something unexpected, we either dismiss the finding as an anomaly… or else we will need to re-evaluate our impression. Sometimes, the former may be simpler than the latter. The latter may mean we need to change our treatment approach. It may mean we were “wrong”. Humans don’t like being wrong. 🤷‍♂️
But, being OPEN to being wrong is what makes us great clinicians. Being willing to take a step back, to look again, and to ask if our sense-making may have tricked us the first time… these are the foundations of scientific inquiry and quality care.
“The challenge is thus not how to understand meaning, but rather how to not understand too quickly.” (Dahlberg & Dahlberg, 2019)
📷: .good.photos

What is WORK?
A measurable quantity of output: force x distance? But there’s more to that word, isn’t there…?
An honest day’s work. Hard work. He’s very hard-working. Work/life balance. Work-aholic. Put in work. Grind. No days off. I’ll rest when I’m dead. Work work work work work. He see me do mi dirt, dirt, dirt, dirt, dirt.
Why is “work” the first word that comes to my mind when I look at this photo? I wasn’t working all that hard during this shoot (although 𝐽𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑦 | ʏʏᴄ ʙʀᴀɴᴅ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜᴇʀ] sure was)! And when I’m in the gym, it doesn’t feel like work. I’m not grinding. I’m not enduring. I’m not suffering or sacrificing. If anything, the gym is the exact opposite. It’s fun, it’s social, it’s a positive challenge. It’s for me. It’s anything but hard work.
What about my small business or my Master’s program? Sure, these require work and they challenge me daily. Sometimes I succeed, other times I know I could do much more. And that’s OK. I’m moving forward. A lesson I’m trying to teach myself: you’re doing enough. You’re enough.
Forget glorifying work. Sometimes we need to do it. In those cases, let’s get it done and feel good about it. But let’s also allow ourselves to pursue other goals: fun, creativity, connection, compassion, humility… relaxation, contentment.
Just some early morning thoughts about work. (Okay, but now I seriously do need to get to work… 🤷‍♂️)
📷: 𝐽𝑎𝑐𝑘𝑦 | ʏʏᴄ ʙʀᴀɴᴅ ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜᴇʀ]

Balancing evidence and the individual.
Physiotherapy is an evidence-informed practice. This means that we rely on the best-available research from clinical and laboratory trials and epidemiological studies to inform our practice. However, what much of this data tells us is the expected outcome of a given intervention on the “average” patient (the mean effect size). While this information is crucial in supporting the basic pillars of our practice (like education, reassurance, and physical activity), it does not always tell the whole story.
For example, a study of a given intervention may show a strong positive effect in some patients, a modest positive effect in others, and no effect (or even negative effect) in the remainder. If the mean (or average) effect is relatively small (or below what we would deem a meaningful clinical difference), then this would typically lead us to look for better solutions for this patient population. However, we do not treat the “average patient,” and clearly some patients had a strong positive effect from the treatment! So do we throw this treatment out, or consider digging deeper?
It may be that specific individual patient factors, such as a positive past experience with the treatment, a strong preference for the treatment, collateral treatment effects (such as developing cardiovascular fitness as a side-effect of a walking program for back pain, for example), or other predictive elements, may change the treatment value for that specific patient. The therapist must weigh these individual factors against alternate courses of treatment and choose, with the patient, the best plan of action. This is evidence-informed, patient-centred practice.
Incorporating the evidence and the individual is the goal (and the reason why we need to know our stuff AND get to know our patients)!
📷: .creative

A couple billing related questions to make prospective patients aware of in advance. If you are looking for a physiotherapist to guide you on a Workers Compensation Board or Manitoba Public Insurance claim, I can gladly guide you toward great practitioners in your area.

Preparation. Intention. Optimism.
How can we know that we will succeed in the face of an anticipated or even unexpected future challenge?
We can’t. We can’t KNOW. But we can be prepared by starting simple and regularly engaging with new challenges. We can act with intention, acknowledging the presence and inherent value of purposeful choice when inviting voluntary discomfort in the pursuit of learning and growth. We can remain optimistic in the face of setbacks and variables that are out of our control.
Chin up, eyes forward. These are simple physical cues that also happen to represent an approach to life that accepts, invites, and embraces the challenges ahead of us.
Sometimes I need these reminders.
📷: .creative

Just an FYI (no words of wisdom today). 😉
This is a common question: do I need a physician’s referral to see you? The answer is no. In Canada, private practice physiotherapists are direct access medical providers. This means that I do not require a referral.
Since I bill my patients directly, most patients chose to submit their receipt to a private insurer such as Blue Cross or Manulife. Most extended health insurance plans do not require a physician referral to access physiotherapy benefits. However, you may wish to double-check yours before booking.
In many cases, physical therapy can be helpful to people BEFORE their issue becomes severe enough to warrant a doctor’s visit. You may just need a little guidance and reassurance over a few sessions to avoid a worsening issue. This is a great reason to see a physiotherapist. If you have any questions, please let me know!
📷: .good.photos

When am I available?
My current schedule is:
- NXT LVL: Tue 4-7pm & Thu 7-10am
- Corydon: Tue 8-11am & Thu 4-7pm
These hours may change monthly. Best place to look for my current availability is through the booking link in my bio.
Additional times may be available if someone cannot make any of these times work. Please contact me if you need accommodation! I’ll do my best to make it work.
📷: .creative

Push. Pull. Lift. Carry. Run. Jump. Swim. Bike. Dance. Play. Light. Heavy. Fast. Slow. Rested. Fatigued. In the gym. Out of the gym. All ways. Most days.
There’s no right or wrong way to move your body. There’s no best way to exercise for your health. What works best is to find the way that makes you feel strong and able, while providing opportunities for growth or challenge when you want them. We are adaptable and resilient, as long as we keep moving most days.
📷: .good.photos

Putting our fears behind us.
Fears and worries are normal human experiences. They serve a productive purpose when they motivate us to act. However, sometimes our power to confront our fears can be challenged.
Pain or injury, coupled with disempowering messaging from health care providers, can leave motivated people feeling helpless. More tests, more investigations, more treatments… sometimes what is more effective is reassurance. Support. Encouragement. And a gentle nudge out the door.
📷: .creative .performance

Open. And ready to move.
6 months into this new journey and still just getting started. I am open for bookings. I am open to new ideas and opportunities. I am an open book.
Physiotherapy assessments available at two locations: 81 Plymouth St. & 757 Corydon Ave. Link in bio to book or contact for additional availability.
📷: .creativeperformance

BIG NEWS!
I am now available at a second, gym-based clinic location: CrossFit Corydon! Located in the heart of Little Italy, CFC is a thriving community-based gym. The space is clean, vibrant, and full of positive energy and camaraderie. It will make for an excellent location for patients who live in central and south Winnipeg.
I look forward to supporting the CFC community and welcoming non-gym members into their space for Physiotherapy consults. We have access to a private assessment room, as well as all gym equipment you may need for your assessment and rehab training.
Booking is available now through the link in bio. Please contact me if the available times do not meet your needs!

Expectation becomes reality.
An important but often overlooked phenomenon in my profession when dealing with pain: the specific choice of physical therapy treatment may be less important than the patient’s expectation of that treatment (Bialosky et al., 2010).
In other words, if I think I need treatment “x”, then treatment “x” is more likely to reduce my pain than if I think I need treatment “y”.
Pain is a complicated and individualized phenomenon that can be influenced by a wide range of both biological and psychosocial factors. Our understanding of our pain comes from our own experience and past injuries, as well as medical advice, media, friends/family, etc. If I feel that pain during exercise means I am causing myself further harm, then no exercise program in the world is going to help my pain.
This is why communication regarding the patient’s understanding of their symptoms and treatment expectations needs to be the first step. No physical examination or testing can tell me what you think about your pain. If we start with open, honest communication about what your pain means to you, then we can align our expectations and build a treatment plan that matches those expectations together.

Availability update:
I am going to be out of the gym/clinic between July 1-20. Appointments available until June 30! Book online through my website: www.quinntaylorpt.ca

Quinn Taylor Physiotherapy Home Engage. Educate. Empower. Patient-centred, gym-based physiotherapy for motivated individuals of any activity level. Services Injury & Pain Management Whether you are experiencing a new injury or a chronic one, an active physiotherapy and pain management program can help you navigate your way ba...

Unbroken.
This is another concept that informs my practice. Unbroken (adj): not broken, damaged, or fractured; not interrupted or disturbed; continuous.
In CrossFit jargon, we use “unbroken” to designate a set of an exercise that is done without stopping, resting, or letting go. Completing a tough set “unbroken” is as much a mental challenge as it is a physical one. Burning grip, muscles, and lungs scream to the brain to stop, rest. But we know we can always do one more. Learning to quiet that voice that tells us to stop is one of many ways we can grow through strenuous physical experiences. Completing a workout unbroken signifies more than just fitness: it’s a stamp of perseverance, composure, patience, and resilience. It’s a source of pride.
This word has a double meaning when applied to the world of pain and injury. Our medical system and media tends to pathologize pain, often attributing it to dubious findings like “dysfunction” or “imbalance” or imperfections on medical imaging. In many cases, this narrative is not only incorrect and uninformed, but it actively CAUSES harm by creating fear and dependence on medical practitioners like physiotherapists to find the problem and “fix” it. When no quick fix can be found, exasperation and frustration can lead to fear of movement, avoidance of potentially painful activities, and even withdrawal from active participation in meaningful social engagements. Our words can cause real harm. This is a real problem.
Unbroken, to me, is the antithesis of disempowering language. It stands for resilience, wholeness, adaptability, and strength. More than just resistant to the forces of the world, we humans can get stronger when faced with challenging obstacles. We are anti-fragile. Even in the face of devastating injury, with the right mindset (and sometimes a little help), we can choose to be Unbroken.
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Quinn Taylor Physiotherapy updated their business hours.

Engage. Educate. Empower.
Three words that inform my priorities in my physical therapy clinical practice. I will spend some time going deeper into each of these words in coming posts, but for now, here is a brief idea of what they mean to me:
ENGAGE - Create a meaningful connection with my patient. Listen. Hear. Help draw associations to their important activities. Make it matter. Blend “rehab” with lifestyle. Make it fun!
EDUCATE - De-mystify. Enlighten. Help my patient better understand the why and the how. Throw out the BS. I can’t fight fears with facts, but a little sound information can go a long way to alleviate the anxiety of pain and injury.
EMPOWER - Physiotherapy is something you DO (not something done to you). Help my patients take control of their symptoms and take charge of their lifestyle. Also, let’s build a little physical strength & power while we’re at it!
More on these to come... I’ve tagged a few leaders in my field who have helped inform my own personal biases towards the 3 E’s!