WSIB claims – 2025

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If you are injured at work and want to file an insurance claim, you must tell your employer right away.  You will need to submit various documents to the Occupational Safety and Health Insurance Board (WSIB ).

It is up to you where you want to receive treatment.  At Essential Physio, we have experience dealing with WSIB claims.  After examination, there are other forms that must be submitted within 2 days. 

WSIB offers a number of care programs depending on the area of injury (e.g., back, neck or shoulder). These programs usually provide eight to 12 weeks of treatment.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at Essential Physio & Rehabilitation 

We are leading new approaches to reach people with most modern, new, advanced and quality therapies. To achieve this, we are pursuing a holistic access strategy that focuses on improving access to therapy treatments, medical information and medical capacity.

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Car Accident Claims – 2025

Being in a car accident can be frightening.  Dealing with casualties, damage, police and insurance can produce anxiety and stress especially if nothing like this has ever happened to you.  Often, immediately after an accident, you are in shock and have no idea the extent of damage or pain your body is in.

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At Essential Physio & Rehabilitation , we have had extensive experience with motor vehicle accident (MVA) patients.  Of course, more serious injuries must be dealt with in a hospital setting, but if you have less extensive injuries such as sprain/strains, whiplash, arm or leg pain or numbness and tingling for example, you will need a course of treatment that is tailored to your condition.

Dealing with your insurance can be a confusing experience.  Even though you were just in an accident that may not have been your fault, there is paperwork that must be done in order to start your claim.  After informing your adjuster of the accident, they will send you an envelope full of forms, some of which you must fill out and others for us.  We can help you make this an easy process.

Spine Anatomy

Dealing with your insurance can be a confusing experience.  Even though you were just in an accident that may not have been your fault, there is paperwork that must be done in order to start your claim.  After informing your adjuster of the accident, they will send you an envelope full of forms, some of which you must fill out and others for us.  We can help you make this an easy process.

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  • In Ontario, there are generally 3 categories of injury:  Minor, Non-Catastrophic and Catastrophic.  Most people fall within the minor injury guideline (MIG).  This allows for the minimum amount of therapy pre-approved by the insurance company for $2200.  This can be extended by another $1300 making a total of $3500 under the MIG cap.  If you require further treatment, a treatment plan must be submitted to the insurance company for approval.
  • Unfortunately, most treatment plans beyond the $3500 MIG cap are denied pending an insurer’s examination which often results in further denial.  This is the part where you must seek legal council.
  • At Essential Physio & Rehabilitation, we offer chiropractic, physiotherapy, massage therapy, all type of spinal treatments, remedial exercises for your rehabilitation and much more.  We also work with psychologists and lawyers to help make your situation easier for you.
     
  • If you have any questions or concerns about your MVA or insurance claim, do not hesitate to contact us and talk to one of our sweet front desk personal.  Contact us any time at Essential Physio & Rehabilitation.

We are leading new approaches to reach people with most modern, new, advanced and quality therapies. To achieve this, we are pursuing a holistic access strategy that focuses on improving access to therapy treatments, medical information and medical capacity.

Everything You Need To Know About Spinal Conditions – 2024

With nearly a third of the us suffering from chronic back pain, and over a million patients a year having joint replacements, affordable physio therapy brings a welcome and viable alternative to the non-reversible trauma of surgery and a non-invasive drug-free treatment method for many internal medical conditions.

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Anatomy of the Spine

The intervertebral disc consists of an outer fibrous layer (annulus fibrosus) and an inner soft jelly-like substance (nucleus pulposus).  The disc consists of collagen and proteoglycan proteins that attract water.

Normally, discs compress when pressure is put on them and decompress when the pressure is relieved.  Discs do not have a blood supply and therefore the only way to get nutrition and oxygen in and remove waste products from the disc is by a process called “imbibition”.

The intervertebral discs exist between each vertebra of the human spine. In addition to the vertebrae, there are seven cervical (neck), 12 thoracic (mid-back) and five lumbar (lower back) discs. The intervertebral discs occupy about 1/3 of the spinal column. Their functions are as follows:

1. absorb shock from everyday wear and tear

2. allow movement of our spinal column

3. separate the vertebrae

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  • Imagine a sponge with water in it. When the sponge is compressed, the water is released, and when the compression force is released, the water is “sucked” back into the sponge. This is how the intervertebral disc works. Intervertebral disc dysfunction can lead to disc degeneration, which can lead to conditions such as
  • Osteoarthritis (Spinal Degeneration)
  • Disc Bulging/Herniation
  • Spinal Stenosis
  • Facet Syndrome

Spinal Stenosis

Stenosis is a process in which a structure “narrows. The most familiar example is heart disease, where the entrance to the arteries leading to the heart becomes narrowed, causing a heart attack. Similarly, the space around the ducts that surround the spinal cord and the exit of the spinal nerves can also narrow. This is usually secondary to arthritis or disc degeneration, but can also occur congenitally (at birth).

Arthritis causes biomechanical changes in your spine that result in bony protrusions called osteophytes (bone spines) and ligament calcification (bone fusion).  These structures narrow the openings containing the spinal cord and spinal nerves.  As a result, these sensitive nerve structures are “pinched”.

Typical visitors are patients aged 50 years and older.  The main complaints are back and leg pain.  Pain occurs in one or both legs, the localization of which cannot be determined.  Pain in the legs often begins while walking and is relieved by resting for 15-20 minutes or leaning forward at the waist (flexion).

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Degenerative Disc Disease – Osteoarthritis

As a result of aging, trauma, repetitive strain and poor posture, our intervertebral discs lose their elasticity, flexibility and cushioning ability as collagen molecules weaken and proteoglycan (which attracts water) content decreases.  As a result, the disc becomes brittle and loses water (dehydration).  As a result, the disc becomes brittle and loses water (dehydration), which seriously affects its cushioning ability and shrinks at normal pressure.

The intervertebral discs have no blood supply, but they do have nerve supply.  This nerve supply is often the cause of the back pain complained of by patients.  The most common symptoms are neck and back pain, which in severe cases may be accompanied by pain and numbness in the arms and legs.

Typically, x-rays usually show decreased disc height and bone spurs as the body responds to this instability by laying down new bone to stabilize the spinal column.

Spinal Facet Syndrome

Facet syndrome is commonly referred to as an inflammatory condition characteristic of the facet joints at the back of the vertebrae. As the name implies, it is a “syndrome” with several symptoms and many interrelated causes. The causes of facet syndrome are believed to be:

 • hyperlordosis (hyper-extended spine) which pinches on pain sensitive tissue, or 

                     • degeneration of the joints causing laxity (loosening) of the joint capsule which can lead to a type of spinal stenosis called lateral canal stenosis.

Lateral canal stenosis of the external canal can “jam” the spinal nerves that exit the spinal cord and send signals to the extremities (arms and legs), causing arm and leg pain, numbness and aching pain. Further degeneration of the facet joints can lead to the formation of osteophytes. This can lead to another type of spinal stenosis called central canal stenosis. In this case it is not the spinal nerve that is “pinched” (as with lateral canal stenosis), but the spinal cord itself. Central canal stenosis can cause a variety of symptoms, depending on which level of the spine is affected.

Bulged and Herniated Discs

Bulging and herniated discs, commonly referred to as “slipped discs,” are an abnormal condition of the intervertebral disc.  The discs do not slip, but may bulge or bulge as a result of trauma or repetitive strain.

This process occurs when the inner medullary nucleus (soft gel-like center) bursts through the annulus fibers (hard outer fibers) and bulges, causing the disc to bulge, which can put pressure on the spinal nerve.  This can lead to inflammation and progressive destruction of the nerve root.

Hernias in the neck can cause pain, numbness, and tingling in the arms, and herniated lower back can cause pain, numbness, and tingling in the legs. This condition is known as “radiculopathy.”  This is because nerves from the spinal cord innervate (attach to) the limb skin (responsible for sensation), limb muscles (responsible for movement) and reflexes in the limbs.

Hernias can be confirmed by a detailed physical examination and physical examination.  However, the “gold standard” for this diagnosis is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).  Surprisingly, bulging discs can occur in people without any symptoms.

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All the other conditions we treat

At Essential Physio & Rehabilitation Centre we treat a variety of neurological and musculoskeletal conditions.  Chiropractic, acupuncture, physiotherapy and massage therapy are therapies that are complementary therapies, and a combination of these therapies is useful for some conditions, multiple treatment modalities work best together. Here is a partial list of conditions we treat:

 

  • Mid back pain, sprain/strain
  • Rib pain
  • Low back pain
  • Gluteal pain
  • Sciatica
  • Disc Injuries
  • Spinal Stenosis
  • Leg/foot pain, sprain/strain
  • Capsulitis
  • Bursitis

We are leading new approaches to reach people with most modern, new, advanced and quality therapies. To achieve this, we are pursuing a holistic access strategy that focuses on improving access to therapy treatments, medical information and medical capacity.