2 Celebrating Allied Health Professionals
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2026
PHYSIOTHERAPIST It’s not work; it’s a passion PHYSIOTHERAPIST LOVES HELPING PEOPLE GET BACK TO DOING THE THINGS THEY LOVE
Scott LeMaistre says one of the things he enjoys most about being a physiotherapist is being able to work with patients from start to finish of their healing journey. Supplied
By Jennifer McFee I n his role as a physiotherapist, Scott LeMaistre takes pride in helping people move better, feel stronger and get back to do- ing the things they enjoy. Along with his business partner Kevin Friesen, LeMaistre co-owns Henderson Physiotherapy (955 Henderson Highway) with a mission to provide active, attentive and hands-on physio- therapy treatments. “In a clinic like ours at Henderson Physio, we treat pretty much anybody who walks in the door. We see a wide range of injuries from head to toe, from age 10 to seniors,” he says. “There’s a broad amount of things to see, but it’s primarily musculoskeletal issues — muscle, bone and joint injuries.” As a profession, physiotherapy involves treating and preventing physical injuries and movement problems. Physiotherapists use education and preventative measures, including exercise, to help patients gain and maintain their best level of physical function. From an early age, LeMaistre knew he wanted to embark on a career that involves helping others. “It was always on my radar to try to find a profession where I could make a difference — and, particularly, a difference to individuals. I always felt like I wanted to help people. I was also athletic, especially when I was in my teenage years and early university, so I wanted to stick within a sports realm,” he says. “I started to learn about physiotherapy as a profes- sion and I really felt like that was a good fit for me. I had the opportunity to use my interest in the human body as well as my interest in being able to help people get better — and to get back to activities that maybe they haven’t been able to do for a while because of their injuries.”
“I feel that every new patient is like a new puzzle to try to solve. Even though people might come in with the same diagnosis, there might be a new angle to it. We have to try to figure out why this in - jury is going on for that person under their individual circumstanc- es,” he says. “One of the main things I like is that we tend to see patients from start to finish. When they come in for an assessment, we diagnose what their issue is and we work with them on a treat- ment plan. As they get better, typically there’s a resolution at the end where they’ve improved. That’s quite rewarding, especially if people haven’t been having success with what they’ve been trying at home.” For those who aren’t sure if physiotherapy is the right path for them, LeMaistre recommends finding a physiotherapist to job shadow. “It’s actually something that I did in my early undergrad. I wasn’t too sure what I wanted to do, but I followed my interest. I didn’t know what it would be like to live a day in the life of a physio, so I phoned up a clinic near my house. I went and worked in that clin- ic as a volunteer for a short period of time, and that really drove home for me that this is something I want to do,” he says. “My advice is to always follow your interest because if you do something that you’re interested in, it makes your job a lot easier. Because I chose something that I like to do, it doesn’t really feel like work most days. That’s definitely a good thing.” Reflecting on his career, LeMaistre feels satisfied knowing he’s making a difference in the day-to-day lives of individuals. “People tell me that they haven’t been able to do an activity or sport because of their injury. They feel frustrated that they’re not going to be able to do that activity anymore. We can get them to a point where they can get back to their activities, and I’m never more happy than that,” he says. “It’s not just pain relief. Pain relief is nice, but it’s always better when people can get back to doing the things they love to do. I really like to help them take their recovery to another level where they actually start to see results.” ■
LeMaistre has been a physiotherapist for 13 years and has lost none of his enthusiasm for the profession.
We see a wide range of injuries from head to toe, from age 10 to seniors. There’s a broad amount of things to see, but it’s primarily musculoskeletal issues — muscle, bone and joint injuries.
— Scott LeMaistre, physiotherapist
Krakenimages / Adobe Stock
Powered by FlippingBook