Dr. Westaway is not a medical physician. He is a licensed physiotherapist and specialist in musculoskeletal (msk) Physiotherapist. He has been practicing for 38 years. He is one of 24 physician therapists in Canada to attain a specialist designation.

Michael graduated in 1984 from the University of Toronto (St. Michael’s College) with a degree in biochemistry and biology. He was then accepted into the faculty of health sciences (Physiotherapy) at McMaster University and graduated silver medalist and summa cum laude distinction in 1987. After graduation, he moved to Thunder Bay, Ontario and practiced with an orthopedic surgeon in a sports medicine clinic for 6 years. He was also a surgical assistant at this time.

He attained a certificate in Acupuncture (1984) after completing his oral, written and practical examination. Dr. Westaway was part of a handful of practitioners performing acupuncture at this time. He was one of the first Physiotherapy practitioners to use this modality in western Canada.

In 1993, Dr. Westaway passed (with distinction) his Residency and fellowship examination in manual therapy through the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Therapists. He then went on to teach Orthopedics at McMaster University as an adjunct clinical professor.

In 1988, Dr. Westaway was accepted into the osteopathic Medical School at the Michener Institute in Toronto. The same year he enrolled into the Master’s program at the University Of Calgary Faculty Of Kinesiology. He was very fortunate to collaborate with a PhD Physical Therapist, Neurosurgeon, Neurologist and Neuroradiologist for his thesis work. He then went on to complete doctorate at Andrews University in 2005. His area of research is centered around cervical (neck) spine treatment intervention.

Dr. Westaway has a medical directive to perform trigger point injections and physiotherapy injections (American College of Osteopathic Medicine) in an advanced practice role. He is the only Physical Therapist in Canada to have obtained this role. He works in tandem with Dr.Martin Breton MD MSc at Infini Health in an Advanced Practice Physiotherapist role.

Michael is the past president of the Orthopractic Society of Canada which advocates safe and responsible use of high-velocity, low-amplitude joint manipulation in clinical practice. Dr. Westaway sits on various national and provincial committees. He is past Chairman of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association Orthopedics Division. Michael was also the secretary for the Research Committee for the Canadian Physiotherapy Association.

Michael was a founding member of the caleo health spinal triage clinic in Calgary. He was fortunate enough to work with various spinal surgeons and clinicians. In addition, he was one of the first clinicians to practice at the EFW Advanced spinal care center at the Holy Cross Hospital before it moved years later to their new facilities in the NW and SW. He was fortunate to be on the triage team with interventional radiologists; Michael’s doctoral thesis investigated the utility and efficacy of facet joint injections and medial branch blocks of the cervical spine.

Dr. Westaway was a physical therapy spinal consultant with the Calgary Flames Hockey Club and the Calgary Stampeders Football Team. He is a physician therapist for the Calgary International Track Club coached by “JC” John cannon. He continues to treat nationally ranked and Olympic athletes. One of them went to the Olympic Games in London 2012 and won a Gold Medal.