WSIB Physiotherapy in Ancaster and Hamilton

No. You choose your own first health professional for a WSIB claim, and a physiotherapist is one of the options. You do not need to see a doctor first.

One thing to know: if you already started treatment somewhere else for this injury, call WSIB before you switch clinics. Switching without approval can cause problems with your claim.

You need a claim to be filed and registered with WSIB. It does not have to be approved yet.

If your injury is in a single body zone, we can begin the first four weeks of treatment while your claim is still pending. If more than one zone is injured, WSIB has to approve treatment before we start.

If you have not filed yet, call us at 289-205-8255 and we will walk you through it.

It is WSIB's standard treatment program for soft tissue injuries and some fractures. It runs up to eight weeks, split into two four-week blocks.

Block one is your assessment plus four weeks of treatment. Block two is another four weeks. If you still need care after that, WSIB can approve extra treatment.

The program covers five body zones: the front of the trunk, the upper limb, the lower limb, the neck and mid back, and the lower back and buttocks.

Generally you need a WSIB claim, an injury less than eight weeks old, and a mild to moderate soft tissue injury or a fracture that did not need surgery.

You also need to be well enough to take part, which means not in hospital and without other injuries that would stop you participating.

Some injuries do not fit the program. We check this at your first visit and tell you either way.

WSIB pays us directly for approved treatment. By law we cannot ask you to pay for care that WSIB covers, so there is no bill and no co-pay for you.

If you ever want treatment outside what WSIB has approved, we tell you the cost first and you decide.

The Program of Care runs up to eight weeks in two four-week blocks. Visit frequency is set by your physiotherapist based on your injury and how you respond.

Recovery time varies from person to person. We measure where you start and track your progress, so you can see what is changing.

We take care of the health professional reporting. After your first visit we send WSIB a Health Professional's Report, known as the Form 8. WSIB asks for it within 48 hours and we aim to send it the same day so nothing holds up your claim.

Once you are in the Program of Care we send a report after your first assessment, a mid point report at the end of the first four weeks, and a final summary when you finish or are discharged. Each goes in within two business days.

You file the Worker's Report of Injury, the Form 6. You have six months from your injury date, and it is best to do it right away.

Your employer files their own report, the Form 7, and WSIB must receive it within three business days of your employer learning they need to report it.

You also need to consent to sharing information about what you can and cannot do at work. Without that consent your benefits can be limited.

Common ones include back strains from lifting, shoulder and rotator cuff injuries, neck strain, knee injuries, ankle sprains, wrist and hand injuries, repetitive strain from repeated tasks, and fractures that did not need surgery.

We also see workers after a slip or a fall, and workers with pain that started slowly from the same movement done all day.

A denied claim does not have to be the end of your treatment. You can appeal, and you can still be treated in the meantime.

If your claim is denied, we look at other options with you, including your extended health benefits. Your first visit with us is free either way, so you can find out what is wrong before deciding anything.

Often yes, and staying at work in some form usually helps recovery. The Program of Care is built for workers who are working as well as workers who are temporarily off.

We can describe what you are safely able to do, which helps you and your employer plan modified duties.

We are at 1280 Mohawk Rd #103 in Ancaster, L9G 3K9, minutes from the Hamilton Mountain. Parking is free and directly outside the door, and there are no stairs at the entrance.