Oksana Pankova shares her journey from linguistics to physio and why weightlifting can help combat entropy

You originally studied linguistics, how did you end up in the world of physio? 

In Russia, I studied linguistics and education, because I really liked learning languages. When I was working towards that degree, I thought I wanted to teach languages, but I later discovered that I enjoyed learning foreign languages much more than teaching them! When I came to Canada, it was a bit of a journey to discover what I want to do next. I turned to an administrative role, but as I worked there, it started to weigh on me that I couldn’t see myself being in that position for another 30-40 years. I started to question and wonder what my talents were, and what had I enjoyed from my previous experiences, which direction did I want to go.

I had always been active and was really keen on yoga at the time. Sometimes injuries popped up here and there, but coming from Russia, I didn’t know about the types of physio available in Canada. Physiotherapy does exist in Russia, but it’s quite a bit different and more a part of the hospital system.

It was an interesting experience the first time I encountered physio in Canada. I was receiving treatment for a whiplash accident and I thought, “This is cool! I may like doing this!” 

When I was a university student, I had taught yoga, aerobics, and fitness classes. I had enjoyed those partially because it allowed me to solve puzzles to figure out the best approach for my students, but it also gave me the opportunity to apply my knowledge of anatomy and movement principles. The way that physio combines these really suited me. I started looking into physio, but I didn’t have any of the science requirements, coming from a linguistics degree. I worked on those for two years, while working full time, just to get into the MPT (Masters of Physical Therapy) program. I was really lucky to get in on the first try!

My friends really helped me through this process. I was on the fence for a while, but they encouraged me to take the leap.

I practiced physio for two and a half years in Winnipeg, in a private practice and had such a great experience. My supervisor was supportive and gave me the freedom to run the show, which was so good for my brain because it meant I could figure things out on my own. I’m more of an intuitive learner: I have a checklist of things to address, but it’s not rigid, which allows me to be more flexible. My brain needs a puzzle and is interested in solving the mystery of, “Why does this hurt?”

How did you end up in Victoria?

I moved to Victoria in early 2025, straight from Winnipeg. I sometimes wonder, why did I wait so long to move here? But on the other hand, all the experiences I’ve had up to this point have led me here.

I grew up in Russia and stayed there until I was 25, then had a few work and study experiences in the US and Germany. When I moved to Canada, I was initially in Calgary for a while before I moved to Winnipeg, where I lived for over 12 years. I left one place with cold winters (Russia) and thought those winters were behind me, only to find myself in Winnipeg! I used to joke that at least I wasn’t homesick, because the weather was so similar. 

Where did your interest in scoliosis come from?

It was a bit unexpected! In my supervisor’s clinic in Winnipeg, I mostly worked on general orthopedic injuries: ankles, backs, necks. But, his wife had specific training in scoliosis and was looking for someone to join her, because there were so few specialists. I shadowed her and at first, I didn’t think it was for me. My brain needs novelty, but it looked like repetitive work. I couldn’t be more wrong about that.

For some reason, call it the hand of fate maybe, I felt like I was becoming a magnet for people who had scoliosis. They kept showing up for me! Eventually, I couldn’t get it out of my mind. I was curious about the root causes and how to approach the treatment but being a generalist, I didn’t have much expertise yet. So I started exploring basic courses on scoliosis and found I enjoyed learning about the condition. Each person presents differently: every curve is unique and so, treatment approaches from a physio perspective also have to be unique.

I started practicing as a physio in 2022, and completed my scoliosis training at the end of 2023. Since then, I’ve never looked back. It was an experience that allowed me a lot of growth. I think it elevated my skills in terms of communicating with people, because scoliosis is a condition where you have to support people physically, but almost more so psychologically, especially with teenagers. My orthopedic practice definitely complements the scoliosis-specific therapy, and vice versa.

How do you nerd out on new physio research?

“Nerding out” is what attracts me to physio as a profession! I like to connect with people by educating them about their bodies and it’s fun to get into concepts like biomechanics, physics, and anatomy. It can be tricky with younger patients to explain complex concepts and sometimes I struggle with how to simplify them. This is an area of growth for me.

I usually research by topic, but I do also listen to a couple of podcasts, Physio Network being one of them. I subscribe to a few of their services, too. For scoliosis specifically, I receive information through my school and I subscribe to certain newsletters and attend webinars. And in May 2024, I attended the Society on Scoliosis Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Treatment (SOSORT) conference, in Boston, which was so informative.

Tell us more about your interest in Vipassana meditation

I came to Vancouver Island a couple of times before my big move from Winnipeg, to do a meditation course known as ‘Vipassana’ or silent meditation. It has really, really helped me with everyday stresses and offers me a way of looking at life differently.

One goal as a meditator generally is to stay away from ego-driven thoughts or actions, or to at least be aware of them. Ironically, my first interest in Vipassana was really ego driven! About a decade ago, Vipassana came up while talking with some friends, and after explaining that the practice involved being in total silence for several days, they said, “I could never do it!” So I thought, “I can totally do it!”

I sat my first course just as I was finishing my physio degree. Anyone who has gone through the experience of getting a physio degree will tell you the program takes a lot out of you. When I was done, I felt like the world needed to quiet down for a minute. So, I came to Vancouver Island for a Vipassana course in Duncan. It was such an enriching experience. It helped me start off my career in a calmer way.

I served my second course in January 2025 and it was partially what solidified my desire to move to Victoria. I’m excited to be on the island and closer to the centre.

You slackline!

I consider myself a novice, so I’m excited to explore the slacklining community here! It’s always more fun to do it with other people and learn from them. My interest in it was (like my initial interest in Vipassana) a bit ego-driven at first…the challenge of staying on the line, how cool it looks to balance.

At some point, slacklining connected me to mindfulness. The moment you overthink what you’re doing, without feeling your feet or how your toes are gipping on the line, or breathing, you get tense and fall off. There is a lot to focus on beyond performance. 

To be honest, it does look cool, and people are impressed! So that’s still fun. My ego is not gone! Over time though, it has become a meditative practice for me. It takes practice and perseverance to learn. I haven’t had a chance to unroll my slackline yet, but I’m still planning on exploring it here.

What draws you to weightlifting?

For the last maybe one and a half years, I’ve been getting into traditional weightlifting. This has really helped me relate to my patients, particularly those who want to add resistance training to their routine, but need to know how to do it safely and why it’s important.

Weightlifting, or any resistance training, helps our bodies withstand the stresses of our jobs and lives. For me personally, if I just do my physio job for six hours a day, I will probably be really fit, but I will burn out. That’s one of the pitfalls of this profession and other active professions: we have to be very intentional about fitness and put dedicated time into it, so that our jobs are easier. Even if you have an active job, you still need to challenge your body, so that it gets stronger but also so you can still meet the demands of your work and life activities.

A concept I use to educate my patients about this is the idea of “entropy,” which tells us that everything is falling apart unless we put energy into preserving it. It’s a natural phenomenon, it is happening all around us. One way to think about this is that if you don’t clean your room, it will get covered in dust. Entropy is something that stuck with me from my physics prerequisites. Your body will become weaker if you don’t put energy into strengthening it.

I found a really good gym in Victoria, thanks to Willow on our admin team. She’s a personal trainer and works out there, so now we go together sometimes to keep each other accountable.

What has been your favourite part of settling into life on Vancouver Island?

I’m super obsessed with the ocean. I feel like I’m in love, constantly! I found an apartment a few blocks away from the ocean, so I can walk to it whenever I want. After living in Siberia and Winnipeg for so long, this is like Hawaii for me! It’s nice to be so close to hiking, nature, and the ocean. I think people are a bit more relaxed here and have a slower rhythm of life, which I appreciate. Moving to BC had been on my mind ever since I visited for the first time.