When injuries happen, physiotherapist Victor Vongphakdy goes on the case to figure out what went wrong and why.
The 27-year-old physiotherapist who serves clients at the Physiomed clinic in Brampton, Ont., finds the intellectual challenge of his job refreshing because it requires a strong understanding of not only how the body works but how exactly things can go wrong.
“I like to call myself a detective of human injury. I have to deduce from a wide spectrum of what clients may have and bring it down to an accurate diagnosis,” Vongphakdy said.
Lower back and neck pain tend to be the most common injuries Vongphakdy sees, with a wide variety of sports injuries also topping the bill. Once he diagnoses the problem, Vongphakdy sets up a rehabilitation program and designs a training regimen aimed at strengthening the body in the right places to prevent a similar injury from happening in the future. He believes in educating clients about their bodies to help keep them out of the clinic by training their bodies to match their physical demands.
“The amount of stress that people demand from their bodies is often more than their inherent muscle strength can handle. Education is key to winning the battle,” he said.
Vongphakdy holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology as well as a Masters in Physical Therapy and says his background in science gave him a head start in his field.
“My background in Kinesiology gave me a huge advantage because of my exposure to the sports field and knowledge of the basics of training and muscle fatigue,” he said.
With plenty of face-to-face interaction with the clients he helps, Vongphakdy says it’s easy to find satisfaction in his work.
“I love my job. When I come to work I’m interacting with people, I’m using my brain and I’m getting people better. It’s completely satisfying,” Vongphakdy said.
An avid sports lover himself, Vongphakdy finds the most satisfaction in helping active people reclaim the ability to do those things they loved doing before getting injured.
“Being able to bring people back to activities that they love that they couldn’t do before coming in, that’s what drives me. It makes want to get them there because I share that passion,” he said.
