New clinic to open soon

A new physiotherapy clinic is set to open here next month by a former resident.
Jeff Wright, son of Robin and Janice, recently returned to the area from London, Ont. to follow his dream of opening his own clinic here in town.
“I’m nervous and excited all in one,” he said yesterday in his spacious office.
The clinic will be located in the old Elk’s Hall (426 Scott St.) Wright is having the building’s interior entirely renovated to his needs, with a reception desk and waiting room, consultations rooms, a private office, and an exercise room.
Work is well underway, with Wright saying he hopes to be up and running by Sept. 7.
“It’s a great opportunity. There’s no private clinic here,” he noted. “And it’s good for the community.”
The 28-year-old has a degree in kinesiology from Lakehead University in Thunder Bay and a degree in physiotherapy from the University of Toronto.
Following his studies, he moved to London, where he worked for a year-and-a-half as a physiotherapist in a clinic there while taking other courses.
“I always planned on coming back here,” he said. “There were certain courses I wanted to take before I came back.”
In addition to his kinesiology and physiology degrees, Wright also holds Level I certification in both acupuncture and orthodics.
Physiotherapy helps people recover from “any type of musculo-skeletal injuries, sports injuries, falls, and joint problems,” he explained.
“It’s the rehabilitation of those joints and making sure they’re working properly,” he added.
The purpose of the exercise room is to give patients a place to stretch and strengthen using weights and exercise balls.
Wright acknowledged there sometimes is some confusion regarding when treatment at a private physiotherapy clinic is covered and when it isn’t. “It’s similar to going to the dentist,” he remarked.
Generally, anyone with a claim through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) or anyone involved in a motor-vehicle accident is covered.
Wright also noted many companies have an allocation for physiotherapy in their staff benefit plans.
Otherwise, the cost of treatment comes out of pocket.
While the clinic staff will consist of just Wright and a receptionist to start, he eventually hopes to get a kinesiologist for the exercise room.
“It depends on the need in the community,” he said.