Q&A with physiotherapist Léa Couture Fernandez

We made it to the best day of the week, Hockey Friday! I’m Sally Hoerr from The Ice Garden here with this week’s edition.

I spoke to Léa Couture Fernandez about her inspirations as a sports physiotherapist and how she approaches caring for professional athletes, especially during times of injury. She spent this summer and the previous two seasons working with the Montréal Victoire and the Montréal Force in the PHF (a former professional women’s hockey league in North America) before that.

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She’s cared for high-performing athletes across numerous sports since she graduated from the University of Montréal in 2019 and is now working with Team Italy’s women’s hockey team during their two centralizations in Montréal to help them prepare for the Winter Olympics.

Interview was conducted via email.

What inspired you to become a physiotherapist and eventually work with athletes

I grew up as an athlete, and sports were a core part of my identity—my values, my culture, and my daily life. Choosing a profession that allowed me to stay connected to the world of sports felt completely natural.

When I was younger, I spent time around high-level athletes, and I saw firsthand how injuries could end or drastically change a career. Fifteen or twenty years ago, the quality of care and follow-up was not what it is today. That inspired me to become part of the solution—to support athletes, help them progress, and push their limits safely.

What motivates me most is seeing the spark in young athletes’ eyes when you can finally tell them, “Yes, you’ll be able to compete.” That moment alone is incredibly meaningful and continues to drive me forward.

What do you love the most about working with elite-level athletes?

What I love most is the feeling of being part of a family—an integrated unit working toward a common goal. I get to walk with athletes through every stage of their journey, from point A to point B, through highs and lows.
Supporting them, pushing them, reassuring them, and witnessing their successes is deeply rewarding. Seeing their eyes light up and the big smile that comes with achieving something they’ve worked so hard for… that’s everything for me.

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In your role with the Victoire, you coordinated medical care with doctors, surgeons, the GM, coaches, kinesiologists and more. What are the challenges in keeping everyone aligned, and why is this so important for an athlete’s recovery?

The biggest challenge—and the most essential element—is communication. Every department has a role to play, and each one is equally important. An athlete may share a piece of information with one specific person, and another part of the puzzle with someone else. Only through communication can we piece everything together and truly understand how to help the athlete.

At times, challenges arise from different opinions or backgrounds, or simply from the difficulty of gathering all the pieces of the puzzle. But when everyone respects each other’s expertise and works toward a unified vision, the athlete benefits from a clear, cohesive plan and feels fully supported.

Coordinating all these perspectives ensures the athlete feels heard, protected, and surrounded by a team working together—not in separate silos.

You travelled to France with elite Canadian women’s soccer players as part of the Women’s Pro Project. What was that experience like, and how has exposure to different sports helped you grow in your profession?

Travelling to France meant stepping into a completely different culture and environment. Everything—from the coaching style, to the communication preferences, to the structure and expectations of the sport—required rapid adaptation. Working in different sports teaches you to become a chameleon. The human body stays the same, but the objectives, age groups, demands, and team dynamics vary significantly. This forces you to adapt your approach, sharpen your clinical reasoning, and respond more efficiently.

Being abroad also brings logistical challenges: planning meals, sleep routines, transportation, laundry—things that are simple at home but require coordination when you’re responsible for a team overseas. You become, in some ways, the “team mom,” supporting the athletes beyond just their physical needs.

These experiences ultimately made me more adaptable, resourceful, and confident as a practitioner.

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Fans see injuries happen, but they don’t see the emotional side of what athletes experience afterwards. What’s your approach in those first difficult moments, and how do you support an athlete throughout their recovery?

The first thing I do is stay calm. When an athlete comes off the field or the ice, they’re often overwhelmed with fear, anger, sadness, or frustration. My role is to support them emotionally—listen, validate, and create a safe space.

Then, depending on the athlete, the next step varies. Some need reassurance; others want a clear plan right away—what happens in the next 24 hours, 72 hours, or week. Giving them structure reduces uncertainty, which helps quiet the “hamster wheel” of racing thoughts.

Throughout the entire recovery, my approach is consistent:

Listen
Establish a clear plan
Involve all relevant members of the medical and performance team
Protect the athlete—even from themselves, if necessary

Return-to-play is gradual and structured: off-ice → on-ice alone → on-ice with selected teammates → non-contact practice → full-contact practice → return to competition. But the progression always depends on the specific injury.

Beyond physical rehabilitation, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned about what athletes need from their physiotherapist?

Athletes need time—time to process, time to heal, time to recover. They need to know that their coach and medical team are truly there for them. Feeling supported and not alone is essential.

A physiotherapist must be competent, but also aware of their own limits. Knowing when to refer to another expert, when to expand your team, and when to seek additional knowledge is crucial. A strong, reliable network—medical professionals, specialists, coaches, family—plays a major role in an athlete’s successful recovery.

Many elite women’s hockey teams around the world don’t have access to immediate care during games or practices. What difference does having a physiotherapist on-site make for athlete safety, recovery, and performance?

In a high-contact sport like hockey, injuries are frequent, especially during games. Having a physiotherapist on-site allows for immediate care, which helps calm the athlete and reduces the anxiety that comes with uncertainty.

When no therapist is present, the athlete may turn to Google, call multiple clinics, or try to figure things out on their own. This can become mentally exhausting and overwhelming. But when someone is there to assess the injury right away, answer questions, create a plan, and guide the next steps, the athlete can focus solely on recovery.

On-site care improves safety, accelerates decision-making, and ultimately enhances both short-term recovery and long-term performance.