Workplace injury rehabilitation
WSIB physiotherapy in Scarborough
Reviewed by Maryam Ahankoob, Registered Physiotherapist and clinic lead. Updated October 2026.
Injured at work? Physio Cottage is a WSIB provider helping injured workers across Scarborough recover and return to the job safely. We bill the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board directly for approved treatment and handle the progress reports, so you can focus on getting better. Report your injury, then book your assessment at (416) 445-5353.
Fees and pricing
WSIB physiotherapy costs
For an approved WSIB claim, physiotherapy for your work injury is billed directly to WSIB where applicable. Bring your claim number to your first visit and our team will help with the paperwork. If your claim is still pending, or a visit falls outside it, standard physiotherapy rates apply: $115 for the initial assessment and $105 for each follow-up visit.
WSIB work injury claim
Direct billing
Billed to WSIB where applicable
- Bring your WSIB claim number
- Bring your employer details
- Help with your claim paperwork
Initial physiotherapy assessment
$115
First visit: assessment and treatment plan
- Full history and movement assessment
- The problem explained in plain language
- Treatment plan agreed together
- Home exercise program
Physiotherapy follow-up visit
$105
Per treatment session
- Hands-on treatment
- Exercise progression
- Progress re-checked each visit
- Receipt for your insurer
All prices in Canadian dollars. Your fee is confirmed when you book.
The basics
What WSIB physiotherapy is
WSIB physiotherapy is rehabilitation for people injured on the job in Ontario, funded through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board. The WSIB supports injured workers while they recover and return to work, and it pays registered providers directly for approved treatment.
To be covered, the accident must be reported to your employer and a claim filed as soon as possible, and your employer must be registered with the WSIB. Once your claim is open, a WSIB provider such as Physio Cottage assesses your injury, writes a treatment plan around your job demands and bills the WSIB for the approved visits.
Our physiotherapists have worked with injured workers from warehouses, construction sites, offices, kitchens, hospitals and delivery routes across Scarborough. Each plan is built around the movements your job asks of you, not only the injured body part.
Why injured workers choose us
WSIB rehabilitation at Physio Cottage
WSIB provider
We work directly with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board so injured workers can start covered care as soon as the claim is open.
Direct billing to WSIB
Approved treatment is billed to the WSIB, and we prepare the health professional reports and progress updates the board requires.
Plans built around your job
Treatment reflects your injury, the physical demands of your work and the duties you need to return to, with goals you can measure.
Several services under one roof
Physiotherapy, chiropractic care, massage therapy, acupuncture and orthopedic supports are available at the same clinic when your plan calls for them.
Return to work focus
We prepare you for modified duties and full duties step by step and communicate with you, your employer and the WSIB along the way.
Easy to reach in Scarborough
The clinic is at Victoria Park and Ellesmere with easy parking, open Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm.
Your care, step by step
How WSIB treatment works at our clinic
Assessment and claim setup
Once the injury is reported, we complete a full assessment, confirm your claim details and start your treatment plan.
Communication with WSIB
We send the board regular progress reports so that your approval and coverage continue without interruption.
Your treatment plan
Manual therapy, exercise rehabilitation, pain management and functional training that mirrors the tasks of your job.
Return to work support
We track your progress, adjust treatment as you improve and work with you, your employer and the WSIB on a safe return to duties.
Step by step
How a WSIB physiotherapy claim works in Ontario
Most injured workers have never dealt with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board before, and the process can feel like more paperwork than recovery. Here is the sequence as it actually happens, and where Physio Cottage fits in. If you are unsure at any step, call us at (416) 445-5353 and we will walk you through it.
1. Report the injury to your employer
Tell your supervisor as soon as the injury happens, even if it seems minor. Your employer must report a workplace injury that needs health care or time off to the WSIB within three days using their own form. Reporting late is one of the most common reasons claims are questioned.
2. Get first health care
See a doctor, a walk-in clinic or an emergency department if the injury is serious. The health professional who first sees you completes a report to the WSIB. You can come directly to our physiotherapists for musculoskeletal injuries, and we complete that report.
3. File your worker’s report
You complete the worker’s report of injury, either online through the WSIB or on paper. It describes what happened, your job and your symptoms. Claims must be filed within six months of the injury, and the sooner the better.
4. Start treatment at Physio Cottage
Once you have a claim number, or while it is pending, we assess the injury, start treatment and send the required reports to the WSIB. We bill the WSIB directly for approved care; you pay nothing for covered treatment.
5. Progress reports and return to work
We send progress reports as treatment continues and complete functional abilities forms when your employer or the WSIB asks for them, describing what you can safely do. This is what makes modified or gradual return to work possible.
6. Discharge or further care
When you have recovered, or reached the point where a different service is needed, we document the outcome. If recovery stalls we let the WSIB know and recommend the next step, such as imaging, a specialist or a specialized program.
Injuries we treat
Common workplace injuries treated at our Scarborough clinic
Scarborough’s workforce is varied, from warehouses along the 401 and manufacturing plants to hospitals, schools, retail and the trades, and the injuries we see reflect that. These are the most common:
Low back strain from lifting
The single most common WSIB injury. Pain after lifting, twisting or a long shift of repetitive bending. Early treatment focuses on settling the muscle guarding and restoring movement, then on lifting technique and core and hip strength so the back tolerates the job again.
Shoulder and rotator cuff injuries
Overhead work, pulling and repetitive reaching irritate the rotator cuff and the tissues around it. Rehabilitation rebuilds range, then strength, in stages, and we plan the return to overhead duties with your employer.
Knee injuries
Twisting on a wet floor, kneeling for long periods or stepping off a ladder badly. Ligament sprains, meniscus irritation and kneecap pain are treated with a graded strength and balance program.
Neck pain and repetitive strain
Desk based workers and assembly line staff develop neck, forearm and wrist pain from repetitive tasks and sustained postures. Treatment includes workstation changes so the problem does not return.
Slips, trips and falls
Ankle sprains, wrist fractures after a fall on an outstretched hand, hip and tailbone bruising. After a doctor has ruled out fractures or once a cast is removed, we restore movement and strength.
Injuries from vehicle and equipment use
Delivery drivers, forklift operators and transit workers with back, neck and shoulder injuries from vibration, awkward cabs and sudden stops. If the injury involved a road collision, see also our motor vehicle accident page.
Treatment
What WSIB rehabilitation includes at Physio Cottage
Treatment follows the same evidence based approach as every physiotherapy plan at the clinic, with one difference: the goal is defined by your job. We need to know what a shift actually involves, how much you lift, how long you stand, whether you drive, and what modified duties are available, so the plan rebuilds the specific capacity your work requires.
- Assessment with a job focus: your injury, your job demands and a baseline measure of what you can do now.
- Hands-on treatment: manual therapy, soft tissue release and, where appropriate, acupuncture or electrotherapy to settle pain and restore movement.
- Progressive exercise: strength, endurance and movement control built up toward the demands of your job, including lifting, carrying and overhead work where relevant.
- Work simulation: as you progress, exercises that mimic your tasks so the return to work is not a shock.
- Education: safe lifting, pacing, and how to manage symptoms during a modified shift.
- Multidisciplinary care in one clinic: physiotherapy, chiropractic care, registered massage therapy and acupuncture, coordinated under one chart when the plan calls for more than one service.
Your rights and responsibilities as an injured worker
- You choose your treating health professional. Your employer cannot require you to use a particular clinic.
- You must cooperate with health care and with reasonable return to work efforts, and keep the WSIB informed of changes in your condition or employment.
- Your employer must offer suitable modified work where it exists, and cannot penalize you for filing a claim.
- If a decision on your claim is one you disagree with, you can object in writing within the time limit stated in the decision letter, and the Office of the Worker Adviser can help free of charge.
- The WSIB can be reached at 1-800-387-0750 for questions about your claim status.
Return to work
Getting back to work safely, not just quickly
Returning to work is part of recovery, not a reward for finishing it. People who return to modified duties early, within what their injury allows, generally recover faster and are less likely to develop persistent pain than those who stay off until they feel fully healed. The key word is modified. A gradual return might start with shorter shifts, no lifting above a set weight, or a temporary change of tasks, and progress every week or two as your capacity grows.
Our role is to describe your capabilities accurately on the functional abilities form, so your employer can plan safe duties, and to progress your treatment so those restrictions lift as quickly as is safe. We will not clear you for duties your body is not ready for, and we will not hold you back from work you can do. If your employer has no suitable modified work, the WSIB’s return to work specialists can become involved; we document what is needed to support that process.
Worried about reporting an injury? Workers sometimes delay because they fear losing hours or upsetting a manager. Delays make claims harder and injuries worse. Report it, get assessed, and let the process work as it is designed to.
WSIB physiotherapy near you in Scarborough
If you are looking for a WSIB physiotherapy clinic near you in Scarborough, Physio Cottage at Victoria Park and Ellesmere treats injured workers from across Scarborough, North York and East York. We bill WSIB directly for approved claims.
WSIB Programs of Care
For many common injuries, WSIB pays for treatment through set Programs of Care, for example for low back injuries, shoulder injuries and other musculoskeletal injuries. A Program of Care sets out the assessment, the weeks of treatment and the reports your physiotherapist sends. We explain which program applies to you at the first visit and keep the paperwork on track.
Injuries we treat under WSIB
- Low back strain from lifting or repetitive bending
- Neck and shoulder injuries, including rotator cuff strains
- Wrist, hand and elbow overuse injuries such as tendinitis and carpal tunnel symptoms
- Knee and ankle sprains from slips, trips and falls
- Recovery after surgery for a work injury
Services that can be part of a WSIB plan
Depending on your claim, a WSIB plan can include physiotherapy, chiropractic care, massage therapy and bracing, all in one clinic. Read our step by step guide to getting WSIB physiotherapy in Ontario.
Practical questions
Questions injured workers ask us most
Do I pay anything for WSIB physiotherapy?
No. For an approved claim we bill the WSIB directly for assessment and treatment. There is no copayment and nothing to submit yourself.
Can I start treatment before my claim is approved?
Yes. We can assess and begin treatment while the claim is pending. If a claim is ultimately denied, we discuss options with you, which may include your extended health benefits.
Do I need a doctor’s referral?
No. Physiotherapists in Ontario are primary access practitioners, and we can be the first health professional to see your injury and complete the required report. Many workers see a doctor first; either is fine.
How often will I need to come?
Typically two to three times a week at the start, reducing as you improve. The WSIB approves treatment in blocks, and we report progress so approval continues as long as treatment is helping.
What if my injury happened months ago?
Claims must be filed within six months of the injury. If you reported it at the time and symptoms have returned or worsened, contact the WSIB about reopening the claim and book an assessment with us.
Will my employer see my medical details?
Your employer receives information about your functional abilities, meaning what you can and cannot do at work, not your diagnosis or medical history. Those stay between you, the WSIB and your treating practitioners.
Can I get massage therapy or chiropractic care under WSIB?
In many cases yes, when it is part of an approved treatment plan. Because all of these services are in one clinic, we coordinate the plan and the billing for you.
I was injured at a job in Scarborough but live elsewhere. Can I still come?
Yes. Many of our WSIB patients work near Victoria Park and Ellesmere and live in North York, Markham, Pickering or downtown. Evening and Saturday hours make it practical.
Book your WSIB assessment
Injured at work? Start your recovery this week.
Same day and next day assessments are usually available for new workplace injuries. Bring your claim number if you have one; if not, we will help you get started.
- Direct billing to WSIB for approved claims
- Physiotherapy, chiropractic, massage and acupuncture in one clinic
- 2231 Victoria Park Ave, Unit #5, Scarborough, ON M1R 1V8
- Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 5pm
- On-site parking, minutes from the 401 and DVP
Recovery timelines
How long WSIB injuries typically take to recover
Every worker asks this at the first visit, and the honest answer depends on the injury, your job demands and how consistently you can attend treatment and do your home program. These ranges reflect what we commonly see at the clinic; your physiotherapist gives you a personal estimate after assessment and updates it as you progress.
Low back strain
Most workers are back on modified duties within one to three weeks and full duties within four to eight weeks. Heavy lifting jobs sit at the longer end, and a previous back injury adds time.
Shoulder strain and rotator cuff irritation
Six to twelve weeks for most strains, longer for significant tendon injuries. Overhead work is usually the last duty to return, and we stage it carefully.
Ankle and knee sprains
Two to six weeks for mild sprains, eight to twelve for moderate ones. Jobs involving ladders, uneven ground or long standing need extra balance and endurance work before full return.
Neck strain and whiplash from workplace vehicles
Four to ten weeks is typical, with headaches often the last symptom to settle. Driving duties are reintroduced in stages.
Repetitive strain of the wrist and elbow
Six to twelve weeks, and the outcome depends heavily on changing the task or the workstation that caused it. We document the needed changes for your employer.
Fractures after the cast comes off
Six to twelve weeks of rehabilitation to restore movement and strength, depending on the bone and the job. Treatment begins the week the cast or splint is removed.
Modified duties
What modified work looks like in practice
Modified or suitable work is any arrangement that lets you contribute safely while you recover. It is not a sign of weakness and it is not optional for employers who have it available. Some examples we see across Scarborough workplaces:
- A warehouse worker with a back strain returns to inventory and scanning duties with no lifting above a set weight, progressing week by week.
- A personal support worker with a shoulder injury returns to charting, client communication and light duties while overhead and transfer tasks are staged back in.
- A line worker with wrist pain rotates between stations every hour instead of staying on one repetitive task.
- A delivery driver with neck pain starts with shorter routes and no heavy parcels, then builds up.
- A teacher with a knee injury returns to seated instruction and reduced hallway supervision before resuming full duties.
Our functional abilities reports describe exactly what you can do, in plain terms your employer can act on: how much you can lift, how long you can sit, stand or walk, whether you can climb, reach overhead or drive. We update them as you improve.
Preventing a second injury
- Finish your rehabilitation. Most re-injuries happen in the weeks after someone stops treatment because the pain went away before the strength came back.
- Keep the two or three exercises that matter most as a short daily routine for a few months after discharge.
- Use the lifting and pacing techniques from treatment every shift, not just when you remember.
- Report early signs of a flare to your supervisor and to us. A short course of treatment early is far better than a new claim later.
- If the job itself caused the injury, the workplace change matters more than any exercise. We document what needs to change.
Why Physio Cottage
Why injured workers across Scarborough choose us
Physio Cottage has treated workplace injuries at Victoria Park and Ellesmere since 2017. The things our WSIB patients tell us matter most are practical: we see them quickly, usually the same or next day for a new injury; we complete and submit every form, so nothing is delayed waiting for paperwork; we offer physiotherapy, chiropractic care, registered massage therapy and acupuncture under one roof, so a plan that needs more than one service does not mean more than one clinic; and we are open evenings and Saturdays, which matters for workers on modified hours. The clinic has on-site parking and is minutes from Highway 401 and the Don Valley Parkway, with bus stops on Victoria Park and Lawrence Ave E, so it is practical for workers from across Scarborough, North York, Markham and East York. Most of all, we are honest about progress. If treatment is working we say so to the WSIB; if it is not, we say that too and recommend the next step, because a worker who is stuck in treatment that is not helping is not being served.
More answers
Further questions about WSIB physiotherapy in Scarborough
What is a functional abilities form and who fills it out?
It is a form your employer or the WSIB may request that describes what you can safely do at work: lifting limits, sitting and standing tolerance, climbing, reaching and driving. Your treating physiotherapist completes it based on the assessment, and it is updated as you recover. It does not contain your diagnosis.
Can I choose Physio Cottage if my employer suggested another clinic?
Yes. Injured workers in Ontario choose their own treating health professional. Tell your employer and the WSIB where you are being treated and we take it from there.
What if my claim is denied?
You can object in writing within the time limit in the decision letter, and the Office of the Worker Adviser provides free help to non unionized workers. We can continue treatment through your extended health plan while that process runs, and we provide the clinical records you need.
Does treatment continue if I return to work?
Usually yes. Many workers return to modified duties while still attending treatment two or three times a week, and visits reduce as full duties resume. Evening and Saturday appointments make this workable.
Will the WSIB pay for travel to appointments?
In some circumstances the WSIB covers reasonable travel costs related to treatment. Ask your case manager; we can provide attendance confirmation if required.
I have an old WSIB injury that has flared. What should I do?
Contact the WSIB about reopening the claim for a recurrence, see your doctor or book with us for an assessment, and keep records of what changed. Recurrences are common and treatable.
Can my family doctor and my physiotherapist both be involved?
Yes, and it is often ideal. Your doctor manages medication, imaging and time off; we manage rehabilitation and the functional reporting, and we send notes to your doctor when you ask us to.
Do you treat psychological injuries or chronic pain claims?
We treat the physical side of chronic pain claims through our chronic pain program and coordinate with the other professionals involved. Psychological care is provided by the appropriate professionals; we can be part of a multidisciplinary plan.
Related reading: WSIB physiotherapy claims, step by step · How to access physiotherapy through WSIB in Ontario · Physiotherapy.
Glossary
WSIB terms explained in plain language
Claim number
The reference the WSIB assigns to your injury once it is reported. Every form, report and bill uses it. Keep it somewhere you can find it and give it to us at your first visit.
Case manager
The WSIB employee responsible for decisions on your claim, including treatment approval, benefits and return to work. They are your main contact at the WSIB.
Health professional’s report
The report the first treating practitioner sends to the WSIB describing the injury, the diagnosis and the initial treatment plan. We complete it when we are the first to see you.
Treatment plan and progress report
Our submissions to the WSIB outlining what treatment is proposed, how many visits and how you are responding. Approval of further care depends on these, which is why we keep them timely and accurate.
Functional abilities
What you can safely do at work right now: lifting limits, sitting, standing, climbing, reaching, driving. Reported on a form to help your employer plan modified duties.
Modified or suitable work
Duties that fit your current abilities while you recover. Employers must offer them where they exist, and workers must cooperate with reasonable offers.
Loss of earnings benefit
Wage replacement from the WSIB when the injury keeps you from working or from earning your full wage. Decided by your case manager, not by the clinic.
Recurrence
A return of symptoms from a previous work injury. Reported to the WSIB under the original claim, with treatment resumed as needed.
Objection
Your right to dispute a WSIB decision in writing within the stated time limit. The Office of the Worker Adviser can help free of charge.
Serving injured workers across Scarborough and east Toronto
Physio Cottage is at Victoria Park and Ellesmere, within easy reach of the industrial areas along Highway 401 and Eglinton, the hospitals and care homes of Scarborough and North York, the retail and logistics employers around the Scarborough Town Centre and Markham Road, and the schools, offices and trades across Wexford, Agincourt, Parkwoods, Don Mills, East York and Thornhill. Many patients come straight from a shift; evening and Saturday hours and on-site parking are there for exactly that reason. Bring your claim number, your health card, a note of your job duties and any imaging or doctor’s notes, and we take care of the rest.
From the blog
Guides about WSIB injuries from Physio Cottage
- What to Do in the First 7 Days After a Workplace Injury in Ontario
- How to get WSIB physiotherapy in Ontario, step by step
- Muscle strain recovery time with physiotherapy
- How long does it take for tennis elbow to heal with physiotherapy?
Related services at the clinic: car accident recovery, sport injuries and chronic pain.
Your wellness matters to us
Report your injury, then book your WSIB assessment online or call the clinic. We are at 2231 Victoria Park Ave, Unit #5, Scarborough, ON M1R 1V8, open Monday to Friday 10am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm.
- WSIB provider in Scarborough
- Approved treatment billed to the WSIB
- Progress reports handled for you
- Easy parking at Victoria Park and Ellesmere