There’s perhaps a bit of serendipity when it comes to the start of Groms Physio and Co., a newly launched physiotherapy business in Squamish.
Karly Dagys, the founder and a physiotherapist at the business, says when she learned about paediatric physiotherapy in university, something inside of her clicked.
“This is amazing,” she thought at the time. “I won’t look back.”
Then when she moved to Squamish last year, she saw a need for children-and youth-specific physio services. Still, after she started offering at-home services, she was shocked by the response.
“It just exploded so quickly,” she recalled.
That’s when she realized a brick-and-mortar business could help more families in Squamish.
Having just opened on June 1 on Glenalder Place just above the Freshii and Samurai Sushi, Groms Physio has grown to five team members — three physiotherapists including Dagys, a registered massage therapist, and a rehab assistant.
“We can help 100 families a week or 200 families a week,” Dagys said, instead of the 25 per week she could do on her own before.
And the space itself is big and bright, filled with toys and games and tools to help with physio for kids with all abilities — and make it fun.
“If you make it fun and you make it a game,” Dagys explained, “then they’re more likely to do it on their own.”
She even said some parents have taken a liking to the fun exercises she employs with their kids.
The services offered are primarily aimed at ages zero to 18, with some services aimed at pre-and post-natal mothers, like pelvic floor physio or pain and inflammation associated with breastfeeding.
The services for children and youth range from infant development physio, such as a muscle strain from an aggressive delivery, to working with toddlers on co-ordination to sports rehabilitation or concussion management for very active teenagers.
Dagys also said the team has experience supporting clients with developmental disabilities.
When Dagys talks about these services, she often talks about empowerment.
“There’s ways that you can help not be in pain, and that’s an amazing thing — to be able to have that empowerment in your body,” she said.
While she maintains that she has some longer-term goals, such as creating resources for parents and families about development processes, for now, she says she’s focused on collaboration with the team and welcoming new families to the practice.
And, naturally, to celebrate and appreciate the new endeavour.
“It was a lot of work to get to this point,” she said. “And it’s nice to enjoy it and enjoy the space.”
For more information about Groms Physio, go to their website gromsphysioco.ca.
