Paige Larson is a registered physiotherapist who completed her certificate from Sport Physiotherapy Canada in 1993 her diploma in 1996. A University of Toronto graduate, she currently practices in North Vancouver at North Shore Sports Medicine. Some of her areas of speciality include figure skating, swimming, running and hip, low back and pelvis.
Paige Larson is a registered physiotherapist who completed her diploma credentials from Sport Physiotherapy Canada in 1996. A University of Toronto graduate, she currently practices in North Vancouver at North Shore Sports Medicine. Some of her areas of speciality are figure skating, swimming, running and hip, low back and pelvis.
Paige has been a part of many games health care teams including: Paralympics 2000, 2004, 2008, 2010 and in her hometown as the Chief Therapist for figure skating at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
Paige shares with us a few insights into her career:
How has your SPC credentials made you a better physiotherapist? Working through the process to earn my Diploma helped me to understand how to support high performance sports athletes, which at the highest level, is as much about teamwork as it is about your clinical skills. I have used this knowledge of an integrated support team to build my clinics using the same model. Working as a team is essential to success, for the patients, for myself and for my clinics. The SPC system teaches us to integrate multiple view points towards a single athlete or team, as well as problem solving with a wide base of knowledge drawing from multiple healthcare perspectives. These skills make working with any patient better – treating them as a whole person living their life, where we need to make our work with them improve their injury, themselves, and their life.
What was your most challenging/interesting case? One interesting case was when I was traveling with wheelchair basketball women’s national team. We were in Kitakyushu, Japan for a tournament. One of the players, who was paraplegic due to spina bifida, complained of “something” going on. Overall, it could have been many different things, but a quick once over of her legs showed some blotchy erythema below her right knee. It was also hot, which made me think cellulitis. She denied this up and down since she had had cellulitis before and this was different. We did not have a doctor with us, so off we went to the local hospital, where of course, no one spoke English. The interesting part was that this hospital had dry wall up but not one touch of paint. But they seemed to have every fancy high-tech medical machine available on earth! She had scans and tests of various sorts done with amazing speed, and within a couple of hours was admitted. We did manage to ascertain that it was cellulitis and she needed to be admitted. The treatment, however, was even more interesting! The athlete said she would need to be treated for six weeks for the IV antibiotics. But, no IV and no pills – they wrapped her leg in what we called a “mustard plaster” all yellow and moist. Such was the treatment for about a week and she was 100%! So, the moral is – don’t judge a book by its cover…and keep an open mind to other treatments!
In your own time what are your favorite sports or activities? Trail running, road cycling, hiking, downhill skiing, snow shoeing, and traveling.
What do Paige’s patients say about her?
“Thank you so much for the great work and making me feel ready for my competition!”
– Patrick Chan, World Champion Figure Skater
SPC’s credential program ensures that our diploma holders have the specialized knowledge and experience to get you back to top performance. Find a credentialed physiotherapist today!
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