Programs & Services

Musculoskeletal Program

Linda Gloutney, Program Coordinator Objective The Musculoskeletal Program provides coordinated rehabilitation services designed to address the needs of clients with a disease, injury, or impairment of the muscles, bones, joints or supportive tissues. The goal of rehabilitation is to help the client recover optimal levels of physical, mental, and social function. Clients are admitted from acute care hospitals, as well as from home. Continuums of care have been developed with Montreal's Jewish General Hospital and Laval's Cité de la Santé de Laval for clients following orthopedic surgery. Approach We focus on client-centered care using an interdisciplinary approach and involve the client and family as active participants in an ongoing process towards optimal health and well-being. Clients learn how to improve or manage their health problems and may benefit from therapy in a transitional living environment or in the therapeutic pool. The Musculoskeletal Program's multidisciplinary team provides coordinated, client-centered quality rehabilitation services. Our team includes the following professionals: Dietician Nurse Occupational therapist Physician Physiotherapist Psychologist Social worker Clientele The program provides its services to clients with health problems related to their bones, joints and muscles due to the aging process, rheumatic diseases, or following orthopaedic surgeries, injuries or an amputation.

Admissions Criteria
All requests for admission to the inpatient program must be sent by fax to the Admissions Office along with a summary from the doctor responsible for medical care. More detailed information will be requested from other clinicians at the referring hospital or CLSC. Click here to view the complete list of admission criteria.

Admission requests to the Musculoskeletal Program must include:

1. Notes from medical consultation
2. An operational protocol
3. Laboratory and radiology results
4. Notes from physiotherapists, occupational therapist, and social worker
5. A written summary of nursing needs and rehabilitation goals

Special Criteria for Specific Client Groups

1. Rheumatology Clients
   1. Referral from rheumatologist.
   2. Complexity of needs – physical, learning, emotional, and social.
   3. Acute inflammatory state of arthritis
   4. Functional distress – not coping, overwhelmed by health problems etc.


2. Orthopaedic Clients
   1. Post surgical procedure or injury (fracture) resulting in impaired mobility and pain.
   2. Disturbance in function – weakness, instability, stiffness.
   3. Able to follow instructions
   4. Potential to return to community setting.


3. Amputation Clients
   1. Sufficient upper body strength to assist with transfers
   2. Able to follow instructions
   3. Ability to learn safety practices for wheelchair use.
   4. Potential to return to community setting.
   5. Receiving active interventions by at least 1 rehabilitation discipline while in acute care.
*Functional Mobility – wheelchair

4. Prosthetic Candidates
   1. Ability to learn safety practices for use of a walking aid.
   2. Sufficient cardiovascular endurance to tolerate 20 minute physiotherapy session.
   3. Sufficient upper body strength to propel wheelchair 50 meters.
   4. Sufficient lower limb strength to stand in parallel bars for 15 seconds.
   5. Receiving active interventions by at least 1 rehabilitation discipline while in acute care.

Research, Teaching and Continuing Education
The Musculoskeletal Program is committed to the continued development of research and clinical knowledge in the field. We support a variety of research and teaching initiatives within the program. Collaboration on research projects is encouraged. Key members of the clinical staff, including several physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and social workers, have affiliations with McGill University. As adjunct professors at the school, they remain up to date on academic discourse as well as current clinical models.

Contact Information
For admissions:

Other inquiries:

Links
Canadian Arthritis Network: www.arthritisnetwork.ca

Links related to the amputee program
Info on prothesis and equipement: www.amputesdeguerre.ca
Info / professionnal association working with amputees: www.aqipa.org
APAQ (Association des personnes amputées du Québec): www.apaq.net