Went to the free outdoor lunchtime yoga offered by Sitka. Jen was the instructor and she had a restorative yoga session planned for us. She made both an Indigenous land acknowledgement and also sn acknowledgement that yoga comes from India and not her own culture. There was a good series of stretches, including some new ones and she told us what areas of the body each move targeted. It went more into yoga flow in the last third of the class. The instructor also provided blankets for props and had a playlist for the class. I think this business is a convenient option for anyone needing rehab or wanting to increase flexibility. Super approachable. read more

When I saw Helen for fascia manipulation, she appeared nervous, rushed and largely ran from session to session. When I asked her about her demeanour, which did not foster a healthy therapeutic relationship with me, she was not able to address my discomfort levels in the sessions. As she refused to explain a serious comment about my health made during a session , I terminated treatment , being confused and upset about the poor therapeutic alliance I had with her...this dilemma was never resolved. Like Comment Share read more

I only have the best things to say about Sitka. From the reception staff, to the facility and especially the treatments I have received from the practitioners, everything has been excellent. I've been seeing Lis (Elisabeth) for the last 7 months and was not in a great place when I first started came in. She is incredibly thorough in her assessments and every session she is reassessing and changing things up to make sure she is relevant in treating the issues completely. I feel like I get the utmost care and trust her completely to get me back to my original health. It's no easy task and although we are still working on 'fixing' me, the difference from when I first went it, clueless to what physio would be like, to now, is incredible. She uses manual manipulation, IMS and acupuncture to treat me (I'm sure there are more technical terms, which unfortunately I can't remember to repeat here). Whatever it is called, it's incredibly effective! For someone who is weary of needles, IMS and acupuncture were scary but I can tell you firsthand that the results speak for themselves. Along with physio, I also see Carla, a Kinesiologist. She is great at complementing the work I do with Lis and gets me to really focus on building myself back up step by step and shows me how to get there while avoiding further injury. Overall I feel very supported at Sitka. I don't feel like I'm just another patient/client. I trust that they have my interests at heart and are doing their best to get me back to 'normal' and even beyond. It's amazing when you can have that kind of trust in your practitioners and I feel fortunate to have found this team that will get me there. I have already recommended Sitka and Lis to a couple friends who echo my sentiments and I am looking forward to recommending to anyone else who stands to benefit. When you find a team this good, you just have to share it! read more

I'm not one to whine and moan about my issues, and you've already heard of my back maladies, but I haven't mentioned that they are no longer the issue they once were, due in part largely to Royal Centre Physiotherapy. My Registered Physiotherapist and Certified Acupuncture Practitioner showed me basic but highly effective excercises that I could perform on my own in order to improve the condition of my back, and by gosh, they worked! I will admit it was not just the excercises. I had heard grand things about acupuncture's miracle work and decided to give it a go. Okay its a little uncomfortable, but not painful and seriously worth it, I can tell you its really the only thing that 'fixed' my condition and I've only been three times! I very much appreciated the humane attention I was given from my therapist. I especially appreciated that my therapist gave me solutions to my problem instead of offering a one-off treatment option. read more

Specializing in rehabilitation, the Sitka wellness centre has it all! After a few treatments with Helen Ries (Physical Therapist) , which included manipulation and accupuncture. I started to feel better. What I love about Helen is that she does not make you feel like a PIN cushion. No one should feel like that! Helen recommended the in house Pilate class with small props taught by Amari. Amari is a fun, smart bubbly instructor who really cares about her students. This class is right on and just what the doctor ordered. Unlike any Pilate/Yoga class you will go too. She assists the class in strength, using small props and your own body weight to relax tight muscles. read more

I went to Royal Centre Physiotherapy today to begin treatment for an Achilles tendinitis I developed a month or so ago. I was recommended to go to this place by my friend Nelson D. and also by Yelper Mercedes G (after having read her review). I made an appointment with Helen - we had e-mailed a few times before to come up with an appointment time and she always seemed nice and professional. As soon as I walked in Helen made sure to make me feel comfortable while she asked me a bit more about my condition. She was gentle while going through some exercises and she asked me if it would be ok to do some acupuncture to help reduce the inflammation - I agreed as I had been treated with acupuncture before. Helen asked me several times throughout the treatment if I felt any discomfort - but I really didn't - the whole process helped my muscles relax and by the end of the visit the intensity of my pain had reduced. Helen also used some heating pads and cold electrodes to reduce the inflammation. Overall I was quite impressed with the process. I would definitely recommend Royal Centre Physiotherapy for their great location, customer service, and the attentive bed-side manner of their therapists. read more

I've been to a lot of physios over the years and Katie Wnuk at Sitka is by far the best one. She's an expert in her field, identifies issues quickly and gives you exercises that you will actually do. She explains everything she's doing in the moment and shares just enough information so that you understand what's going on but don't get overwhelmed. Before our first session, my knee was so sore that I couldn't walk up stairs. Afterwards I practically skipped home. It is a rare treat to work with someone who is so talented and passionate about what they do. Get on her client list before she's all booked up! read more

One thing I appreciate about Sitka Physio and Wellness is that they offer yoga classes and personalized rehab/restorative strength training (with a registered Kinesiologist) in addition to their well-established physiotherapy services. I have been doing active rehab (for low back pain) with the Kinesiologist Clare Beary. She has been paramount in bringing the work I've done with physiotherapy (and registered massage therapy) to the next level. Clare's knowledge of exercise science, in combination with her experience in yoga, makes her incredibly diverse as a therapist. Although her breadth of knowledge is vast, she manages to explain and demonstrate exercises in an understandable and practical way. Getting one-on-one attention (in knowing I'm doing the exercises correctly) gives me the confidence to integrate what I've learned with Clare into my own at-home exercise and rehab plan. Since starting active rehab with Clare, I've noticed a positive change in my rate of healing and improved responses to other therapies (like PT and RMT). I highly recommend taking Clare's yoga classes and seeing her for one-on-one kinesiology work. read more

My first visit was here today, bright and early in the morning. Located on the bottom floor of the Fairmont Hotel, this place is amazing. The space itself is beautifully decorated, bright and welcoming. The receptionist was super lovely- answered any of my questions and made me feel right at home even though I was still half asleep and rambling on about who knows what . I saw Liz( a physio) for my appointment and I cannot say enough great things about her. She is extremely knowledgeable, friendly and just rad at what she does. I left with my knee/ankles/hips feeling better, a game plan to keep them feeling good and extremely satisfied with the service I had received. read more

Policies more important than customer service. I am a newer customer, and have been to Sitka 4 times for physio services. I had a 5th appointment scheduled, but needed to change my appointment on the day of, due to an unexpected family matter. I called to reschedule and was not given that opportunity. I was not even able to cancel the appointment. I was told I would be charged for the appointment on my next visit for not complying with their "24 hours notice" policy. Then to make this more ridiculous the receptionist actually called to see where I was because the person I tried to cancel the appointment with (Aren) didn't even bother to make a note of it for the therapist or the reception. So for the sake of $65, they lost $1000+ (which is what I spend annually on these services) in revenue. Given that the therapists are independent contractors, I wonder how they would feel if they new Sitka was costing them clients. I understand policies, but accommodating a client in a one-off situation suggests Sitka needs a lesson in customer service. The quality of my physio, Carle, was great. Hopefully she starts working somewhere else. read more

Highly recommend. I could barely walk from back pain when I showed up, and an hour later once I was done my session, it was 80% better. All of the team really knows their stuff and cares about their patients' well being. read more

Hi am a MOST enthusiastic patient at Sitka. I am a 46 yr old male who has seen many, many chiropractors, massage therapists, and Physiotherapists. I have been receiving the best treatments ever by Steve, and am getting wonderful treatment and exercise advice by him and the other staff. THANK YOU! I will refer EVERY ONE of my friends with aches and pains to Sitka. Steve has the healing touch. The fact that I feel like I'm walking into a Wallpaper* advert only adds to the spa-like experience. A Spa - Physio... Awesome work - and thanks! read more

I have been coming to see Steve for a couple of years (on and off of course). He helped me out with a couple of crappy running injuries and now does my annual orthotics. He taught me how to overcome some hip issues I was having as a result of an ankle weakened by surgery. My running has improved and my hip strength is far more even now. Everyone here is super friendly, very accommodating and hip hop Fridays are awesome :) It's a great place with really good people. read more

I had a very severe impinged nerve substantially restricting neck movement, I couldn't even lie down. Steve initially provided frequent treatment to improve mobility and, acupuncture to alleviate the 24hr pain. With "homework exercises" prescribed by Steve, the majority of the problem cleared up within 6 weeks. I was well "looked after" and would definitely return. I couldn't believe how effective just 6 or 7 acupuncture needles could be at lessening my pain. Plus their new Digs in the Hotel Vancouver are a great improvement. read more

As an aspiring endurance athlete and adventure racer Steve Nairn at Sitka Physio has helped me bounce back better than anticipated from several injuries. I am now comfortably open water swimming distances greater than 2.5km without ever noticing that I had shoulder surgery. Great range of services in a friendly and relaxed environment. read more

Steve is like Jesus Jr. - he's a great health pro and he gets me feeling strong and active faster than you can say "miracle man"!

I am so pleased to have found something local that is SO helpful to my general wellbeing! Amari (pilates/yoga/body rolling) is a fantastic instructor, with the ability to work without judgement and able to turn your body into what you need it to be. Helen (owner, physiotherapy) is aiding me in getting back on track after many months of prolonged back pain. One visit with heat, massage, acupuncture.. and I walked out of there elated.. with the ability to shake my bum! Trust me, it had been a while. Love it. I never knew I would be such a huge fan of acupuncture. It made a real difference in what was becoming a debilitating problem. I am able to work again after one visit! Keep up the good work ladies. I'll be back... many, many times. ;) read more

Ive been seeing Steve Nairn for two injuries and have nothing but fantastic things to say about the recovery on both! His knowledge on the injuries and how to rehabilitate was incredible. The exercises we worked on were simple, yet effective. I always feel that when I leave the appointment that I've learned about why my body is healing and why the exercises we do are working. His passion for this field is evident during every session. I highly recommend booking with Steve for any rehabilitation you may need - no matter how simple or complex. As like Steve, the rest of the team at Sitka are fantastic - warm, welcoming and always up for a laugh! read more

I had a bad shin splint injury and decided to see Steve at Sitka. He was extremely helpful with my recovery- he knew exactly what my problem was and how to correct it. Along with acupuncture + massage therapy, he suggested a lot of different training exercises to target weak areas in my body which was great, since this will help long-term. I'm happy to say that my shins are feeling much better thanks to Steve! read more

I was hurt at work and didn't realize how bad things had gotten until I could not move or raise my arm at all. Steve my physiotherapist was able to get me back to great condition. he used acupuncture, therapy and heat to fix me up while being very patient with my condition. when I first went to see him I was wearing sunglasses because I was crying from the pain constantly. I highly recommend him. read more

Great place with experienced physios and other practitioners. Front end staff is polite and helpful. Overall, nothing but good things to say about them. I tell all my friends to go there. read more

Super friendly place and the new location in the Fairmont Vancouver has been done up in a fresh, warm and welcoming style. The staff obviously enjoy working there. I saw Steve Nairn for (recurring) elbow tendinitis and he was quick to point out that issues with my back were definitely contributing to the problem. The first visit alone gave me much greater mobility in my neck - something I haven't had for quite some time. Subsequent visits with acupuncture, intramuscular stimulation, massage and advice on home exercises have made a big difference. He is very well armed with training and certifications! I am now firmly on the road to complete recovery - pain is gone and I'm looking forward to renewing my weight training exercises (altho this time with his advice on avoiding a repeat performance). read more