About Us

Douglas Clare Freer, CAT(Ret'd), AFCI(C), FCAMPT

Doug working with patientAs of July 2025, Doug has been practicing physiotherapy for fifty-two-years. In that time,  Doug had one year of hospital experience, five years of Home Care experience, and fifty-two years of clinical experience.

 

Credentials

  • B.SC. (Agr), Honours U. of Guelph 1970
  • B. Sc Physiotherapy UWO 1973
  • Diploma Sports Physiotherapy 1983
  • Diploma Manipulative Physiotherapy1983
  • Diploma Gunn IMS Practitioner  2007

Continuing Education

Doug has always been and continues to “consume” information that will make him  a “better” practitioner.

  • He received his degree in Physiotherapy from the University of Western Ontario in 1973.
  • He completed his training and examinations from the Canadian Athletic Therapy Association in 1978 and received the designation CAT(C). He has retired, his designation is now CAT(Ret’d).
  • Doug completed his manual therapy training and examinations in 1983 from the Orthopaedic Division, CPA to obtain his Part “B” (IFOMAT) designation ( Dip. In Manipulative Physiotherapy).
  • He completed his Sports Physiotherapy Training and examinations in 1983 from the CPA, Sports Physiotherapy Division and the designation Diploma in Sports Physiotherapy.
  • He completed the courses and examinations in 1991 for the Acupuncture Foundation of Canada for the designation AFCI(C). He was both an instructor and examiner.
  • He completed his training and examinations in IMS Training by Chan Gunn, ISTOP, in 2007 in Vancouver B.C.
  • He obtained his College of Kinesiologist Certification in 2014 in the Province of Ontario. He presently is not billing under this title so his registration category is presently inactive.
  • He is presently enrolled in the Georgian College Advanced Diploma in Acupuncture.  Doug has completed four out of six semesters.  He has taken courses online from the AIM school of Acupuncture in Toronto during Covid.

Lecturer

Doug working on knee of patientDoug has been involved in teaching since early in his career.

  • 1981-1985. Lecturer for the Ontario Hockey Development Corporation. It was a program for instructing persons who were involved in hockey trainer activities
  • 1982-1987. Senior Tutor, University of Toronto, Faculty of Rehabilitation, Physiotherapy Division.  He developed and taught the undergraduate musculoskeletal program.
  • 1981-2000. Assist Lecturer, Lecturer for the Orthopaedic Division, Canadian Physiotherapy Association.  He taught weekend courses in MSK assessment and treatment to physiotherapists.
  • 1991-2010. Assist Lecturer, Lecturer, Examiner for the Acupuncture Foundation of Canada.  He was involved in teaching/examining Anatomical Acupuncture to physiotherapists, physicians, and chiropractors.
  • He has had physiotherapy students from the U. of Toronto, Physiotherapy Program as interns, to train under his supervision at the clinic in Barrie.
  • He has presented lectures and ran workshops at numerous conventions.  At this year’s OPA convention in Toronto, he presented  on the MSK Assessment of the Thoracic Spine.

Clinician

Doug has always worked as a clinician, treating all ages. His initial years in Practice as a Clinic Owner/Operator included fifty plus hours per week.  This allowed Doug to gain great experience in treating different injuries/problems to all ages of clients.
  • He was owner/operator of Cedar Point Physiotherapy in Barrie from 1987 to 1991. It was a multidisciplinary clinic with physiotherapy, massage therapists and exercise specialists
  • Doug operated a private clinic in Toronto in 1983 with Orthodontist Dr. Gavin James. They specialized in treating TMJ pain clients.
  • He operated D. Freer & Associates Physiotherapy from 1992 to 2015, which was purchased by Lifemark Health and now operates as Lifemark Health Bell Farm Rd. in Barrie.
  • He has worked Internationally as a Canadian Team Therapist for four Winter Games (1988, 1992, 1994, 2000), three Summer Paralympics (1996, 2000, 2002), three World Student Games( 1981, 1983, 1987, three Pan American Games( 1979, 1991, 2015, one World Blind Championship (1998), one Invictus Games(2017, one North American Indigenous Games (2023) and one Ontario Winter Games (2024).
  • Doug was an Alternate Therapist for the Canadian Men’s Wheelchair Basketball team from 2014-2022. He traveled to England and Tokyo with the team for training sessions.

Awards

Doug has been honored to receive accommodations from his colleges and professions:

1981: Ontario Physiotherapy Association, “Professional Contribution”, External

This award was for contributions to the profession from outside the Organization that contributed to the “moving forward” of the physiotherapy profession.

2019: Barrie Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

Inducted into the City of Barrie Sports Hall of Fame.  For contributions internationally and locally for assisting in treating Athletes.

2019: Canadian Athletic Therapy Association

Inducted into the Canadian Athletic Association Hall of Fame for long standing  teaching of Athletic Therapists.

2019: Canadian Physiotherapy Association

Made the list of 100 Physiotherapists that “Made a Difference in Our Profession in the First 100 years”.

2024: Ontario Physiotherapy Association

Membership Award for Being a Member of the Association for 50 years.

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