A happy runner is a successful runner. Let’s cross that next finish line together.

Emma Vaillancourt

Physiotherapist & Run Coach

I’ve been a competitive runner for most of my life.

I got into the sport in grade 6. I’m one of the few runners out there that started in this sport at a young age and has been able to continue to run competitively today. I was lucky enough to have supportive coaches and physiotherapists that made my longterm health and happiness a priority.

Throughout my years in this sport I’ve met many runners who unfortunately didn’t have the same experiences that I did. They were pushed too much from a young age. They were encouraged to weigh less, eat less, and sacrifice more of their life in order to be “successful”.

I’ve also heard stories from many runners who’ve felt misunderstood by their health care providers when dealing with injury - often told to “just stop running”.

This is what motivated me to become a physiotherapist for runners. I wanted to change the norm.

I completed my undergraduate degree in Health Promotion from Laurentian University, which built the foundation of my approach to keep athletes active for life. I then pursued my Masters in Physical Therapy at Western University. Throughout this stage of my life I competed at the varsity level in both cross country & track. Since graduating, I’ve spent the last 10 years developing my skills to provide the best possible care for runners.

I’ve helped runners to successfully toe the line between pushing their limits and getting injured. I’ll help you discover how your body adapts to training, when to push and when to back off. My goal is for you to come away with an understanding of what you need for longterm, sustainable success in this sport.

Building Durable Runners.

Credentials

  • Bachelor of Physical & Health Education, Health Promotion (Laurentian University)

  • Masters of Physical Therapy (Western University)

  • Assistant Coach, Queen’s University Cross Country/Distance Track

  • Assistant Coach, Lakehead Running Club

  • Assistant Coach/Physio, Western University Track & Cross Country

  • 5-time Academic All-Canadian

  • CIS Cross Country Team Bronze Medallist

  • OUA 4x800m Bronze Medallist

  • Team Ontario Member, 2013 Canada Summer Games

My Approach

You often don’t need to stop running altogether to get your pain under control. Your body is built for running, we just need to find the right approach for YOU. This is why I love working with runners virtually. It allows me to coach you through the rough patches of pain and injury. It gives me the opportunity to educate and empower you so that you can take control of your injury. Ultimately it’s up to you to do the work to get better. I want you to gain the confidence that comes from learning how to improve your pain without relying on hands-on treatments. Because this is what sustainable running is all about: trusting that your body can recover when given the right tools to thrive.

Kind Words from Clients

  • "Highly recommend!! Having found myself with an injury and unsure if running was safe I went to Emma for help. She took the time to listen to me, made assessments, and provided great exercises and running suggestions which helped tremendously. She was very approachable and wonderful to work with! I am now so happy and thankful to be back to training."

  • "Working with Emma helped me recover faster from an injury that had been bothering me for a while and was not improving on its own. Virtual physiotherapy was flexible and convenient and the treatment plan was realistic, I was able to fit in appointments and follow through with the treatment plan around my busy schedule. Thanks to my work with Emma I was able to get back to running regularly and training for my next race without the injury slowing me down again. I would highly recommend working with Emma if injuries are keeping you from running."

  • "I first reached out to Emma for physiotherapy when I wasn’t healing from Achilles pain. With her help and guidance I was able to go from not running to consistently running again. Emma then started coaching me for a full marathon with a goal finish time of 4 hours. Working with Emma for that training block was fantastic. She’s upbeat and positive, and she was able to accommodate my unique working schedule. I was able to be flexible but stay consistent. With her coaching, I became a faster runner and completed a sub 4 hour marathon time!! I also stayed injury free which was another big goal of mine. I really enjoy working with Emma, and I was so happy with my progress and results that I will continue to work with her for my next big goal!"

  • "Training with Emma was the best decision I could have made to improve my running! She is an excellent coach. After running for several years, I knew I needed some extra support to hone my technique and help me create a sustainable plan. With a big race coming up, I worked with Emma for about 4 months to prepare. Not only did I achieve a huge personal best in that race, but my confidence and love for running greatly increased."

  • "Emma is an excellent physiotherapist. As a masters-aged track athlete with a career and growing family, it is important to me that my physiotherapist understands my time limitations, and the uniqueness of working with an aging athlete who's still looking to compete at the highest level. Thank you Emma for everything you've done!"

  • "With Emma's coaching I completed the New York City Marathon! I was 1 year post-partum and struggling with a lot of pain while running and other training programs were not working. We started with a goal of 10km of pain free running and worked our way up by combining run and strength training. Emma was so friendly and encouraging. She continued to rework my training around my life events and rotating injuries and never stopped believing in me even when I had lost all hope. Because of my work with Emma, I was able to cross the finish line of the NYC Marathon! And my body felt good! I have recommended Emma to to running friends and will continue to sing her praises!"

  • "For years my knee bothered me and eventually it got to the point I had to stop competing, and that's what led me to meeting with Emma. From the first appointment, she was incredible by not only documenting my full running history but also took the time to understand what my goals were with returning to running. The virtual appointments worked great and I'm happy to say I've been able to return to a regular running routine thanks to Emma!"