Developing a collaborative and professional relationship with your physiotherapist is key in achieving better outcomes for clients. Finding the right therapist for you, and establishing a therapeutic rapport is important in helping you achieve your goals while staying motivated and engaged in therapy.
Although rooted in the same key principles and competencies, each physiotherapist you meet may practice a bit differently. This can be attributed to factors like their educational program, professional and personal experiences, resources and equipment available to them, and so forth.
While factors like having a pool for hydrotherapy or a LiteGait harness for body-weight supported treadmill training might make choosing a physiotherapy clinic easier, narrowing it down beyond that level might be more difficult to figure out without understanding what will be most meaningful in your rehabilitative journey.
In this post, we outline 5 non-negotiables to help you find the right physiotherapist for you, why they are important and how you can discern whether or not a physiotherapist measures up.
The 5 Non-Negotiables:
- They are licensed & comply with professional standards
- The use evidence-based practice
- They practice patient-centred care
- They are honest, transparent, and effective communicators
- They demonstrate professionalism
- Choosing the right physiotherapist
1. They are Licensed & Comply with Professional Standards
In Ontario, individuals must be licensed and registered with the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (CPO) [i] to legally call themselves and practice as a physiotherapist (PT). The CPO sets the professional standards for PTs to ensure safe, ethical, and high-quality care. You can visit their “Find a Physiotherapist” page [ii] to check if somebody is a registered PT. If they are not registered but tell you they are, that is a major red flag!
2. They Use Evidence-Based Practice
What is evidence-based practice?
Evidence-based practice [iii] is an approach that integrates the best scientific evidence, clinical experience, and patient values. It closes the gap between the care patients should receive and the care they actually receive.
Why is it important?
This approach is absolutely vital to high quality care. It creates trust that the PT is providing current treatments that have actually have a scientific basis and have been shown to be effective (in research or in their experiences). It also means that the patient’s preferences are well-considered in the treatment.
How can you tell if a PT uses evidence-based practice?
The PT will explain how the treatment works, the benefits and risks, and why they believe it may be effective for you. They will also provide you with alternatives and ask for your preferences. If you ask them about a particular treatment you came across in your own research, the PT will be open-minded and think critically about whether the treatment may be appropriate for your specific circumstances. They will track your progress and modify the treatment plan as necessary.
At Propel Physiotherapy, our clinicians are rooted in evidence-based practice and are always considering the most current treatments with a critical mindset to provide you with the care that you deserve.
3. They Practice Patient-Centered Care
What is patient-centered care?
Patient-centred care [iv] recognizes your unique needs and incorporates them into an individualized treatment plan that is appropriate and meaningful for you. It values you as a person and as an irreplaceable team member when making health-related decisions.
How can you tell if a PT uses patient-centered care?
Simply put, they will keep you at the centre of your entire treatment plan. The PT using patient-centered care will respect your experiences, values, and preferences. This means sharing important information with you.
The PT will involve you in decision-making. They will not only concern themselves with your diagnosis; they will consider multiple aspects of your life. This includes, but is not limited to your schedule, work/school, hobbies, culture, emotions, financial constraints, and if there is anybody else who needs to be involved in your care, such as family/friends.
You want a PT that will listen to you, encourage you to share your experience, and treat you with dignity. They should empower you to actively engage in your own care.
You should never leave a PT appointment feeling like you were not seen as a human being!
4. They are Honest, Transparent, and Effective Communicators
Effective communication is one of the most important skills of a trustworthy PT. It is crucial to ensure that you are both on the same page. A great PT will listen actively, explain matters in a way you can understand, and value timely two-way communication. In the case of language barriers, the PT will use their words, diagrams, body language, or navigate this challenge through interpretation/translators. You should not leave an appointment wondering if you heard them right!
PTs are not all-knowing. If there is ever something they are uncertain about, a trustworthy PT will be honest and transparent with you. Additionally, they will make a plan to provide you with the relevant information, for instance, after first doing their own research. A trustworthy PT would never lie about anything that could compromise your health [v].
5. They Demonstrate Professionalism
Physiotherapy is a regulated healthcare profession, hence the right PT will demonstrate professionalism throughout your interactions. They will be respectful, compassionate, accountable, act in alignment with the code of ethical conduct [vi], have boundaries, and always ask for your informed consent. This does not mean that your PT should behave like a perfect robot. It is simply important that they act with professional integrity to optimize your care.
Summary
While every PT will practice a bit differently, there are core characteristics that you should never compromise when you’re deciding to book that first or second appointment. A trustworthy PT will be licensed, use evidence-based practice, patient-centered care, be an effective communicator, and demonstrate professionalism.
At Propel Physiotherapy, each of our licensed PTs aim to provide you with individualized quality care so that you can achieve goals that are meaningful for you.
Have any questions or want to book an appointment? Check out our website for more information!
References
[i] College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (2026). Home page.
[ii] College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (2026). Public register.
[iii] College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (2026). Evidence-informed practice standard.
[iv] Killingback, C., Green, A., & Naylor, J. (2022). Development of a framework for person-centred physiotherapy. Physical Therapy Reviews, 27(6), 414-429.
[v] College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (2026). Communication standard./
[vi] College of Physiotherapists of Ontario (2026). Code of Ethical Conduct.
Written by
OUR LOCATIONS
FOLLOW US!
OUR SERVICES
Last Updated on June 10, 2026 by Propel Physiotherapy
