Your Questions, Honestly Answered 💬

The number of sessions varies depending on your specific condition, its severity, and your individual response to treatment. 📊 Acute injuries often resolve in 4–8 sessions. Chronic or complex conditions may require 10–20 or more sessions over an extended period. At your initial assessment, your physiotherapist will provide a realistic estimate of your treatment timeline and review it with you at each stage of recovery. The goal is always to discharge you as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

Manual therapy refers to hands-on physiotherapy techniques including joint mobilisation, joint manipulation, soft tissue massage, neural mobilisation, and myofascial techniques. 🤲 These interventions work by restoring joint mobility, reducing pain and inflammation, improving circulation, and normalising neuromuscular control. Sarah Mitchell holds FCAMPT certification — the highest level of manual therapy recognition in Canada — and James Okafor holds Cert. MDT certification in the McKenzie Method of mechanical assessment.

MSP (BC’s provincial health coverage) does not typically cover physiotherapy services in private clinics. 💡 However, physiotherapy is covered by most extended health plans, and our clinic direct-bills all major insurers. Physiotherapy is also fully covered through ICBC for motor vehicle accident injuries and through WorkSafe BC for workplace injuries. If you have no coverage, self-pay rates are available — ask our team for current pricing.

Registered Massage Therapy is a regulated health profession in BC, governed by the College of Massage Therapists of BC (CMTBC). 🏅 RMTs complete 3,000 hours of accredited training and pass provincial board examinations. Unlike a spa massage which focuses on relaxation, clinical RMT is goal-directed, evidence-informed, and specifically aimed at treating musculoskeletal conditions. RMT receipts are accepted by all extended health insurers — spa massage receipts are not.

Yes — prenatal massage with a qualified RMT is considered safe throughout all trimesters when performed by a trained practitioner. 🌸 Priya Sharma offers specialised prenatal massage using appropriate positioning, pillow support, and modified pressure techniques tailored to each stage of pregnancy. Prenatal massage can reduce back pain, leg cramps, oedema, and stress — all common discomforts during pregnancy. Please inform us of your trimester and any complications when booking.

Most patients are surprised by how comfortable acupuncture is. 😊 The needles used are extremely thin — many times finer than a standard hypodermic needle — and insertion is typically felt as a mild, brief pinch if felt at all. Once in place, patients often experience a dull, warm, or heavy sensation at the needle site which is considered a positive therapeutic response. David Chen brings over 12 years of experience and uses the gentlest techniques available. Most patients relax deeply during treatment.

For acute conditions, 4–6 sessions are often sufficient to achieve meaningful relief. 📈 Chronic or complex conditions typically respond best with an initial course of 8–12 sessions, followed by maintenance treatments every 4–6 weeks. David will assess your progress at each visit and adjust the treatment plan accordingly. Many patients choose to continue periodic acupuncture for general wellness, stress management, and preventive care after their primary condition resolves.

Many extended health plans in BC include coverage for acupuncture performed by a CTCMA-registered practitioner. 💳 Coverage amounts and eligibility vary by plan — some plans cover $300–$1,000 per year for acupuncture. We recommend calling your insurer to confirm your specific entitlement before booking. Our clinic will provide an itemised receipt after each session for your records or insurance submission. We direct-bill for acupuncture where the plan permits.

Yes — combination appointments are possible and often recommended for complex conditions or accelerated recovery. 🔄 Many patients benefit from a physiotherapy session followed by an RMT session on the same visit — the RMT treatment can complement and extend the effects of the physiotherapy hands-on work. Speak with our front desk when booking and we will schedule your appointments back-to-back for your convenience.

Absolutely — and this is one of the unique advantages of Olive Physiotherapy’s multidisciplinary model. 💚 Combining acupuncture with physiotherapy has been shown in clinical literature to produce superior outcomes for chronic pain, musculoskeletal dysfunction, and neurological conditions compared to either modality alone. David Chen and our physiotherapy team communicate directly to design co-ordinated treatment plans for patients who benefit from both approaches.