Spotlight on Matt Redekopp

Matt Redekopp joined our Physiotherapy team nearly a year ago and what a year it has been!

We thought it would be great to hear about Matt's year and share it with our readers.

You recently travelled to Central America with Athletes in Action. Can you please provide details of the trip...what you were doing there? How you got involved?

This summer I had the privilege to travel with a team of medical professional sponsored by Athletes in Action to Honduras to teach at one of the largest and most modern university sports complexes in Latin America. The purpose of the Sports Performance trip was to build relationships, increase knowledge, and promote athletic training to the coaches, professors and students in the department of physical education, medicine, and physical therapy. Throughout the week our team of 8 did 50 presentations on sports medicine and strength and conditioning topics in 4 days at two universities and at the Honduran Olympic Training Center. Our team was interviewed by student journalists and national TV reporters, whose interviews and live streams were broadcast throughout the country. I loved being the token Canadian and only physiotherapist on our team, as I was able to share about my life and work back at home in South Surrey here at Performance Integrated Health!

What was the most impactful thing that you learned on your trip?

The most impactful aspect of the trip for me was simply presenting my knowledge of physiotherapy and rehabilitation principles to the students and professors. It was challenging that every presentation had to be translated live on the spot from English to Spanish, but everyone understood due to the fact that Sport, Medicine, and Rehab are universal in nature and can be shared across cultural and language barriers so easily! I also loved playing soccer with some amazing athletes at the Olympic Centre.

Have your experiences there impacted how you practice here? If so, how?

I realized that the greatest tool I can share both in Honduras and back at home is knowledge. My greatest tool as a physiotherapist is working to educate every individual to help them fully understand their injury, believe in their strengths, set appropriate goals, and encourage them to work hard through each step of the rehab process.

You've been with Performance for nearly a year now. How have you evolved as a Physiotherapist?

This year I have taken a number of advanced courses and time furthering my scope of practice specifically in the areas of manual therapy, vestibular & concussion rehabilitation, athletic taping, acute & chronic shoulder injuries, and TMJ pain.

I have benefited greatly in working with such an incredible multidisciplinary team full of experience in dealing with high-level athletes, chronic pain, and every condition in between.

I love my job as a physiotherapist and the lifestyle it offers working here at Performance! This year I provided physiotherapy services to national level volleyball players and provincial team men’s soccer and women’s gymnastics athletes. I also have a great group of colleagues who I stay active with biking, hiking, or jumping out of a plane -- Physiotherapists are the most active health profession in BC!!

What are some of the most important things you've learned since joining Performance?

Teamwork!

Here at Performance, we work hard to set each other up for success. We take every aspect of each patients rehab experience to heart with the highest quality care, excellent communication, and one on one treatment.

What would you tell patients who question whether Physiotherapy is right for them?

British Columbia is the healthiest and most active province in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2013) and I have no doubt South Surrey is one of the highest active cities on that list. As a physiotherapist I am committed to restoring and working to keep each patient healthy and moving for life!