PhysioReady – The Physio on Your Phone

The last few weeks, I have been slowly increasing my mileage and I’ve been walking (running) the line between excitement and terror.

Let me explain.

I became a multi-sport athlete for the same reason many do. Because when I was only running, I was riddled with injuries so having a few other sports in my roster to cycle in began making a lot of difference in terms of injuries cropping up. My mileage shifted downward but my hours of aerobic training shifted upward.

I am now returning to running with a wider base of fitness than I have ever had and a no-injury streak approaching four years. As a matter of both pride and principle, I am determined not to break it as my mileage and workouts arc upwards.

Recently, I reached out to my friend Mitch who is an incredible athlete, physiotherapist and all around amazing human to congratulate him on his latest endeavour, an app called PhysioReady.

Mitchell (Mitch) Starkman created the app based on a frusteration. He was working at a high-end sports medicine clinic in the financial district in Toronto. Patients would come from all over the greater Toronto area for consultations with the health team. The problem was that once these patients had a diagnosis form one of the specialists, very few were actually able to follow-up in a clinic and complete their treatment plan. And really, a diagnosis is useless without a treatment plan.

I really was proud of the app’s idea – basically, once you get your diagnosis and you search out the issue on PhysioReady. You sign up for the program (which costs 1/6^th of what a traditional rehabilitation program costs) and they do the rest.

Before I dig into what “the rest” is, let me just say why I fell in love with the idea. I think that physiotherapists are an incredible resource and I see mine anytime I have something that needs to be rehabilitated, but PhysioReady is the answer for people who aren’t going to treatment based on finances, proximity to treatment and just being plain old busy. So with companies slashing health benefits for contracts and many of my peers choosing the entrepreneurial route, this is a perfect way to have your avocado toast and rehabilitation therapy too.

If this is not making sense, there is a video that explains the app and how to use it here:

I really wanted to see what the program was about so I selected from one of the top three running injuries to try it out – the horrible Plantar Fasciitis. He also has programs for Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (runners knee) and IT Band Syndrome but I chose this one because I have ran through (mild) cases of both but I find that plantar is the one injury that I would be terrified to try running through and therefore, want to prevent at all costs.

I have also never dealt with it so, while I know what exercises to do regularly to avoid the other two, I am a rookie when it comes to plantar issues.

The process takes you to a landing page where you can review symptoms to ensure that the issue is indeed something you are dealing with and review the equipment you need for the exercises. Some of the equipment that is suggested, but not required for all programs, is a foam roller, resistance bands, a release ball (I use a lacrosse ball) and superfeet insoles. After you confirm all of this, click “Buy the Program” for $90 (most rehabilitation programs cost $500-600) and you have your program.

From there, you download the app and you can set reminders for exercises. I set mine for the morning and evening so I am sure to be free at one of those times to ensure they are completed.

There was a welcome video that explained the programming and each evening (the time I choose to do my exercises) there are three videos to go along with the exercises.

One of the biggest issues I have had when I visit the physio with an injury in the the past is remembering the exercises and even if I can manage to do that, remembering to DO the exercises. Having the alerts to complete them and the instruction videos for each move gives me no excuse.

The other great thing about this is that you can view all of the workouts offline as well so you do not need to worry about unwanted data charges if you are doing them remotely. See? ZERO excuses to not get healthy again.

PhysioReady just announced that they will be sold across Canada online at the Running Room so if you are struggling with one of the key running injuries and want to put it behind you but don’t have the benefits to support a rehabilitation program, here ya go.

Mitch, the founder, is not just an incredible physiotherapist, but he has such an incredible passion for his work and for helping athletes heal. This comes out in every part of the app, from the custom videos he created to the in depth content and instruction he provides. This is a company run by a real person with a really big heart. If you want to see a bit more before you consider buying (and really, this is an app we all really hope we don’t ever need to use, but are glad it’s there when we do need it), check out his freebies page to test drive some of the content.

So again, if you want a program, check it out here. For some free content, head here. And to celebrate the new program, I am hosting a giveaway on my instagram page so head on over to my feed to enter to win a free program of your own to try, plus some goodies from Starbucks…so basically the ultimate Laces and Lattes giveaway!

I was given a PhysioReady program to try for free.