Whiplash Physiotherapy & Treatment

We have combined our years of experience in treating complex and severe motor-vehicle accident injuries with our extensive skill set and technology to arrive at a treatment program that melds evidence based care with compassion. Our treatment program is delivered in multiple phases to ensure that a patient receives the right treatment for the right problem/symptoms at the right time. Most important, our program is delivered within a transparent model, whereby all of our patients are being treated in their best interest, without agreements or memorandums of understanding between our clinic and your insurer. We believe that you are the client and not the insurer, which is why your doctor, friends and family will refer you to us, but you won’t likely be referred to us by an insurance company.

The Five Phases of Whiplash Treatment

Phase 1: Assessment – to be completed over the 1st 10 days following your collision depending on the number and severity of injuries. We may utilize our occupational therapist to perform a mini-functional assessment in order to accurately monitor your progression in key areas of self-care, productivity and leisure activities.

Phase 2: Acute Treatment Phase – In-depth education, initial provision of movement oriented exercises and early joint mobilization. This may be augmented by modalities such as acupuncture, heat, TNS and ultrasound. Early focus on safe range of motion, postural corrective exercise and safe functional exercise patterns. Phase 1 and 2 overlap.

Phase 3: Acute/Chronic Phase – Introduction of more aggressive joint and soft tissue mobilization, integration of light resistance and progression of functional exercises, continuation of modalities to facilitate return to sport/work/activity.

Phase 4: Work/Sport/Activity Specific phase – Integration of advice and exercise specific to the difficulties that exist in your ability to perform activities that are important to you.

Phase 5: Discharge – Provision of self-care advice and programs aimed at sustaining the level you wish to achieve.

All phases are designed to be patient specific and are customized to the injuries that you may have sustained.

You will notice no timelines listed above, since different injuries and different people will have different needs at different times during their healing. We will strive to provide the type of care that is right for you, at the right time and for the right problem. For example, we are able to design a specific exercise program that takes into account each person’s injuries, activity tolerance, time, work schedule and life! At each phase there may be the inclusion of techniques that are Leading Edge, aimed at giving you the best opportunity to get back to the person you were before the accident.

You need to be seen by a physical therapist or doctor within 10 days of the collision to facilitate the claim process and provide early intervention that has been shown to produce better outcomes.

We recommend that a patient attend as soon as possible. The first few days after an accident can be quite painful and even scary. Our team will spend the time to ensure that you get the information you need to support you through the initial stages of your recovery.

Is the sky blue?

In Alberta Two forms need to be completed within 10 days:

The AB-1 is a form that you complete to provide your insurer details of your collision and the AB-2 is completed by your physical therapist to provide a diagnosis and treatment plan to your insurer. We will provide the forms and assist you in the completion of them in order to get your care underway promptly.

Please confirm with you motor vehicle insurer in the province that you reside and we will complete the forms needed to ensure you access the care you need.

No. You do not need a referral from a physician or your insurance company. You simply need to contact us to begin your treatment.

No you do not. Under the laws and regulations in Alberta, you have the right to decide where you attend.

At Leading Edge our patients can rest assured that we are working for them and that their goals are what matter most. We don’t sign agreements with insurance companies because we don’t want to confuse who we are working for. This is why your insurer may not recommend our clinic, even if your family, friends and doctors may have.

This will depend on how soon you attend and how your injury is classified. Please refer to the funding pages of our website for further information.

If you’re looking for whiplash treatment near me, use our Find a Clinic tool to locate a Leading Edge Physiotherapy clinic that offers the Whiplash Response Regimen. Service availability can vary by clinic, so you can confirm available treatments and request an appointment at the location that works best for you.