In Alberta, you can see a physiotherapist for an initial MVA injury assessment and start treatment even before you see your family doctor. Your insurance company requests that you send them the report of your accident and injuries form, an AB-1, within 10 days from the date of the accident. Global Physiotherapy can provide you with this form and FAX it to your insurance adjuster with the physiotherapy assessment and treatment form, AB-2.
Motor vehicle insurance companies recommend starting MVA injury treatment as soon as possible to help you recover from your injuries more quickly. Most people who seek physiotherapy treatment after a motor vehicle collision, within 30 days of their accident, qualify for “protocol treatment”. As a result, Global Physiotherapy can direct bill your insurance company for the MVA assessment and treatments.
Global Physiotherapy MVA Assessment and Treatments
The priority for the assessment after a motor vehicle accident is to identify all areas that have been injured due to the accident and determine the severity of the injuries. This first visit can be demanding due to the need to evaluate all spinal areas as well and the leg and arm joints and muscles. The nervous system function will also be tested as this influences the grade of the injuries to the spine. Our goal is to ensure that the AB2: Physiotherapy Treatment Plan is complete. This helps you and your insurance company know what to expect regarding the recovery from the motor vehicle collision.
How does the physiotherapist determine my level of Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD)?
WAD is the term used to describe injuries sustained after a motor vehicle accident (MVA). WAD stands for Whiplash Associated Disorder and includes all the spinal areas. Global Physiotherapists devote an hour of one-to-one time for the first assessment and treatment, which is longer than most physiotherapy clinics. A detailed mobility evaluation will include standard measurements and tests for the spine, joints, muscles and nerves. Questionnaires will be given to you to help identify how the injuries are impacting on daily activities. All of this information will be analyzed and explained to you.
Someone with less mobility restrictions and pain in the spine will have a WAD 1 diagnosis. An injury to only the shoulder or knee that causes pain and some movement restrictions, without any spinal injuries, will have a sprain/strain diagnosis. These two injuries usually require less treatment to recover to close to the pre-accident level of function.
The more common diagnosis seen by physiotherapists after a MVA is WAD 2. This includes one or more spinal area that has limited movement and pain. Headache may also be one of the problems. At Global Physiotherapy, we often find that clients have limited shoulder and mid back motion combined with neck pain. The low back can also be injured and included in this diagnosis. The intense effort of braking in a auto collision can cause a sprain to the sacroiliac joints and hips.
A WAD 3 injury is more severe with positive tests of nerve impairment. This is a less common diagnosis and is considered “out of protocols”. Another injury that is considered out of protocols is a fracture. The billing arrangements that are required for this diagnosis will be explained by your physiotherapist.
Why choose Sherwood Park’s Global Physiotherapy for MVA Injury Treatment?
- Experienced Physiotherapists will ensure that your MVA injury treatment is progressed appropriately.
- Advanced manual therapy, including myofascial techniques, are available.
- Unique laser and Regenerative Photon TherapyTM system provide soft tissue, joint and nerve healing to multiple sites in one treatment session.
- Medical Acupuncture can be added to treatments for additional healing and pain relief.
- Custom electronic exercise programs with clear illustrations and videos are provided to help you with a home program.
Are you still experiencing pain even after MVA injury treatment from another facility?
An Out of protocol assessment can be requested from your motor vehicle insurance adjuster to obtain a new perspective on your persistent injuries and symptoms. Global Physiotherapy’s experienced physiotherapists will complete a comprehensive assessment and submit a treatment plan: AB2 to the insurance company. Our staff are familiar with the challenges of injuries that have not resolved after three or more months of treatment. Our combination of state of the art healing technology, advanced physiotherapy and acupuncture skills with one to one treatment has helped other clients with persistent motor vehicle injuries get back to their activities again.
