Ryan Walker says bring on those aches and pains
A new Fonthill branch of the well established Niagara Orthopedic Institute health facility has opened its doors in downtown Fonthill, right beside the Beer Store in the Giant Tiger plaza. Joining sister Institutes in Niagara Falls and St. Catharines, the Fonthill outlet promises to continue the multi-faceted wellness treatments of the others, but adding new treatment and wellness options.
Physiotherapist and owner Ryan Walker is heading up the centre and emphasizes one-on-one therapy with a physiotherapist (not an assistant), as well as the variety of expertise and equipment that will be featured in the surprisingly large facility—once home, in fact, to a Jumbo Video store. At the centre of the complex is a gym containing state-of-the-art fitness equipment and a turf track for strength, power, and agility workouts. Individual treatment rooms will house foot specialists, massage therapists, nutrition coaches, and physiotherapists, as well as specialized machines such as a sports therapy laser and Shock Wave therapy.
“We offer unique treatments and machines that can’t be found anywhere else,” Walker says, “but in the end we are patient-centred.”
The core philosophy behind the centre is individually tailored treatments.
“Pain is very complex,” says Walker, “and too often we treat the symptoms of the pain without curing the actual cause.”
For example, he asserts that pain is often caused by inflammation, and inflammation can be treated, often with clear success. But at the root of the problem is what is causing the inflammation, and to treat this takes tim—and, most importantly, the patient’s participation.
“The root cause of most problems must be treated actively,” he says, “and half of what we do is behavioural change. The patient will have to work with us. All too often we blame age for physical problems when pain is frequently caused by years of not moving, not years chronologically.”
With the emphasis on performance enhancement, the facility will also cater to athletic injuries and sports therapy. One specialty, for example, will be golf-specific therapy, and Walker hopes to add certification from the Titleist Performance Institute to his list of certifications and qualifications. However, he is careful to point out that, “performance enhancement is a personal thing, and could be the ability to take the dog for a 35-minute walk or to play with the grandkids for an hour.”
He hopes the Institute’s blend of high-end machinery and specialized expertise will appeal to the region’s athletes, but just as importantly, he says, Walker hopes to help improve the lives of anyone who is experiencing pain or reduced mobility.
A graduate of McGill University in Physiotherapy, Walker met his wife, Lori, in Montreal, and relocated to her home area of Niagara. He has worked at the Niagara Orthopedic Institute Niagara Falls for the past eight years, but, by branching out to Fonthill, where he has lived for the last four years with his wife and their three children, he wants to become part of the fabric of the community.
“The investment I’m making here shows that I intend to be around for quite awhile,” he says. “I love Fonthill, my kids go to school here, and this is where we want to be.”
The Orthopedic Institute Fonthill opened yesterday, with patient assessment, massage, strength and conditioning coaching, physiotherapy, acupuncture, and machine-based treatments available. Other specialties such as foot treatments will be added later.
More information may be found at www.noifonthill.com
