ICBC INJURIES

1. Contact ICBC to report your accident and file a claim. This can be done over the phone or online. 
2. Once you have a claim number give Westcoast SCI a call or book an appointment online as soon as possible. 
3. In most cases, you will want to request an appointment for both a physiotherapy ICBC initial assessment AND a kinesiology ICBC initial assessment
4. Once you’ve booked your appointment, you will receive a confirmation email with more information (location, COVID protocols and more).
   – If you’d like more information about what to expect, please contact our office directly
5. When you come for your appointment, remember to wear loose fitting or athletic clothing so that you’re comfortable moving around.
6. Prior to your appointment, you’ll also be required to fill out an in depth intake form detailing your injury and any relevant medical history.

ICBC will cover 100% of your physiotherapy and kinesiology needs. 

Within the 12 weeks following your motor vehicle accident, from the date of your accident, you are automatically pre-approved for the following:

If you and your healthcare provider determine that further sessions are required beyond what is pre-approved, Westcoast SCI will contact ICBC for an extension request for their approval on your behalf.

MVA is short form for: motor vehicle accident. In other words, a car accident or accident involving a vehicle and a pedestrian or cyclist.

This really depends on the severity of the accident, speed in which you or the other vehicle was travelling and the point of impact. 

If it’s a simple “fender bender” in a parking lot where someone was backing up their car and accidently  bumped into your vehicle at very slow speed on the bumper, the likelihood of a prolonged rehabilitation plan is slim. 

However, if you were travelling at freeway speed and someone stopped suddenly in front of you, the collision would cause a much higher impact potentially leading to much more severe bodily harm and possible head trauma including a concussion. The duration of rehabilitation following such a collision would be much more involved and longer duration as you might imagine. If you require concussion management as part of your physiotherapy treatment plan, this could extend the duration of your physiotherapy treatments

Much like the motor vehicle accidents themselves, no injuries are the same and will each require their own road to recovery that our health care providers will guide you along. 

Ultimately, your investment in your recovery paired with our practitioner’s expertise and support will be the cornerstone of getting you back to the things you have been missing out on due to your MVA.

As with many things in life, you always have a choice. No one will force you to seek help after a motor vehicle accident. It is really up to you. However, the benefits of working with a registered physiotherapist and kinesiologist are that their treatments will be guided by evidence based practice which has shown to have tremendous efficacy for most individuals. This is especially relevant if you are unable to resume the activities of daily living or that you were able to do prior to the accident. 

The combination of physiotherapy and kinesiology at Westcoast SCI can help you get back to life and the things you love as quickly and efficiently as possible. We are movement specialists as well as healthcare providers. Initially, you may require help with the pain and acute injuries caused by a car accident. However, if you want to get back to going for a walk without pain, the best way to do that is by getting you walking and moving again safely. That simply will not be achieved by lying on a treatment table with a buzzy machine and heat pad. 

Your healthcare team consisting of a physiotherapist and kinesiologist will guide you every step of the way, creating a detailed plan of how to reach your goals with you. You are not alone.

Again, this is a difficult question to answer because there are many factors that will impact the success and speed of your recovery. To help you find a solution, please contact Westcoast SCI to book a free discovery call with one of our registered Physiotherapists or Registered Kinesiologists. They will be able to help you understand the best course of treatment for your unique situation.

Yes! You are fully covered to begin your road to recovery with our practitioners as soon as you have established a claim number with ICBC.

After the initial assessment and treatment block, your physiotherapist and kinesiologist will request continued approval for care and treatment funding as needed.

No referral is needed for physiotherapy or kinesiology for those injured in an MVA or ICBC claim.

You are eligible for assessment and care by both our registered physiotherapists and registered kinesiologists as soon as you receive a claim number from ICBC upon reporting of the MVA.

Some common conditions or injuries you might sustain during an MVA include soft tissue injuries that often involve shoulder or neck pain.

In addition, significant motor vehicle accidents might also involve injuries to the spine and lower limbs including knee pain from jarring or contact forces.

Some injuries may not resolve with traditional therapy modalities and may lead to chronic pain, through which our team of healthcare providers will look to address the root causes and help you on your road to recovery.

Lastly it is also important to note that we can also work with you in regards to head trauma and brain injuries such as concussions.

Active rehabilitation is an exercise-based program to improve your function level (work, play, or perform activities of daily living). This program helps with injuries (accident physiotherapy, massage therapy, manual therapy) in joints, post-operative rehabilitation, soft tissue sprains and strains, and post-concussion management.

A physiotherapist or kinesiologist can treat your less common injuries. If you have motor vehicle accident injuries (including traumatic brain injuries and other injuries), MVA rehabilitation (accident rehabilitation) can help you return to normal.

Examples of active rehabilitation are stretching and light exercises to regain endurance and strength. This program helps clients reach optimal recovery from motor vehicle accidents MVA (pelvic health physiotherapy, dry needling therapy, accident physiotherapy, traumatic brain injury management, car accident injury management, concussion management, custom orthotics, accident rehab, sports injuries management, other related injuries management, and therapeutic exercises). This is performed by physiotherapists and kinesiologists to help patients return sooner to work and play.

Passive rehabilitation, usually administered by health care providers (kinesiologist, physiotherapist), improves strength, cardiovascular, mobility, and functional therapeutic exercises. Some treatment plans include registered massage and chiropractics.

Registered massage therapists or manual therapist activities include rubbing, pressing, or manipulating muscles and other tissues with fingers and hands. Examples of massage include Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, sports massage therapy, and trigger point massage. 

Swedish massage reduces muscle tension, cramping, and chronic pain (knee pain, shoulder pain, leg pain, neck pain, etc.) through low-pressure manipulation. Deep tissue massage uses high-pressure manipulation to improve blood circulation. Similar to deep tissue massage, sports massage therapy maintains flexibility and improves circulation. For idiopathic pain or pain that has no known cause, kinesiologists may use trigger point massage.  

In chiropractic, some techniques include the Gonstead technique and Activator technique.

The Gonstead technique includes adjusting the low back to reduce pain, realign joints, and increase mobility as the patient lies on his side. The Activator technique delivers a gentle impulse into vertebral segments of the spine to treat low back pain and headaches.

After assessment and diagnosis, the healthcare providers (physiotherapists and kinesiologists) will design active rehabilitation programs, which can help clients strengthen their muscles and return to activities of daily living.

1. Rest and protect the injury (sports injury, brain injury, motor vehicle accident injury)

The first stage is minimizing further damage by controlling pain and regulating inflammation.

2. Recover your motion

Start by slowly stretching your body. Stretching too far may slow down the healing process. Follow the exact instructions of your physiotherapist or kinesiologist to prevent further injury. If you’ve been injured, seek the help and advice of a healthcare provider for your safe and therapeutic exercises.

3. Recover your strength

After motor vehicle accidents or surgery, you may experience muscle weakness and wasting. Some exercises minimize injury, maintain good form and technique, reduce pain and stiffness, and strengthen muscle groups. As your muscles move more, pain caused by stiffness is expected to lessen.

4. Recover your function

The last step is recovering function and return to work or play, such as restoring coordination and balance and improving speed and agility.