Injured at work in BC? Three steps to WCB physiotherapy
You can book before your claim number arrives.
Right away
Report the injury
Tell your employer as soon as it is safe. Report to WorkSafeBC online any time, or call Teleclaim at 1.888.967.5377 (604.231.8888 in the Lower Mainland), weekdays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Next
Book your assessment
Pick the clinic nearest home or work and book a WCB Physio Initial Session. Tell us the injury happened at work.
At your visit
Bring your claim number
WorkSafeBC mails an 8-digit claim number. Bring it if it has arrived. Contracted physiotherapists bill WorkSafeBC directly for the assessment.
Before you book
How WCB physio works at each claim stage
Who this is for
Workers in BC who were hurt at work and have reported the injury to WorkSafeBC, or are reporting it now. The claim can still be pending.
Claim accepted. Care related to your claim is billed to WorkSafeBC and you should not have to pay fees.
Claim pending. Your first assessment can go ahead without prior approval within 60 days of your injury. WorkSafeBC pays for that assessment even if the claim is later denied. Funded treatment visits start once the claim is accepted. Until then, a clinic may ask you to pay for treatment.
More than 60 days since the injury. WorkSafeBC must approve treatment before it starts. It is not refused automatically.
For your first visit Checklist
Your 8-digit claim number, if it has arrived
Your employer’s name
The date and how the injury happened
Clothes you can move in
TipBooking online? Choose WCB Physio Initial Session so your first visit is set up as a WorkSafeBC claim.
Straight answers to what injured workers in BC search for: reporting, claim numbers, costs at each claim stage, return to work and where to book. Synergy Rehab has 19+ locations across the Lower Mainland that book WCB physio online.
Getting Started. Hurt at work in BC? The first steps, in order: tell your employer, report to WorkSafeBC, then book an assessment.
Is WCB the same as WorkSafeBC?
Yes. WorkSafeBC is the Workers’ Compensation Board of British Columbia, which is why many people still call it WCB. You may also see it written as WSBC. WCB physio, WorkSafe physio and WorkSafeBC physiotherapy all mean the same thing here: physiotherapy for an injury you got at work.
If you need urgent care, get it first. Then tell your employer as soon as it is safe, and tell anyone who treats you that the injury happened at work. Report it to WorkSafeBC online at any time, or by phone through Teleclaim. Within 60 days of your injury, a WorkSafeBC-contracted physiotherapist can do your first assessment while your claim is still pending.
Tell your employer as soon as it is safe, and tell anyone who treats you that it happened at work. Then report it to WorkSafeBC online at any time, or by phone through Teleclaim at 1.888.967.5377 toll-free or 604.231.8888 in the Lower Mainland, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time. WorkSafeBC recommends the online report for a physical injury from a single incident. The phone may suit you better for an injury that came on slowly, a mental health injury or hearing loss.
You have up to one year from the injury to report it to WorkSafeBC, but it is best to report right away. Your employer has its own duty: it must report the injury to WorkSafeBC within 72 hours if you missed work or needed medical care beyond first aid.
Yes. WorkSafeBC asks you to tell your employer about the injury as soon as it is safe to do so. Your employer may also ask you to fill in Form 6A, a notice that goes to your employer, not to WorkSafeBC.
The paper Form 6 has been retired. Workers now report to WorkSafeBC online or by phone through Teleclaim. Form 6A still exists, but it is a notice you give to your employer, not to WorkSafeBC. Use WorkSafeBC’s own pages so you always get the current version of any form.
No. At a WorkSafeBC-contracted physiotherapist you can have your initial assessment before WorkSafeBC accepts your claim, if it is within 60 days of your injury. You do need to report the injury to WorkSafeBC so there is a claim, even if it is still pending. WorkSafeBC mails you an 8-digit claim number once it gets your report.
It comes by mail, in the letter WorkSafeBC sends once it gets your report. It is 8 digits long. If you cannot find it, call WorkSafeBC’s Claims Call Centre at 1.888.967.5377 toll-free or 604.231.8888 in the Lower Mainland, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time. When the letter comes, take a photo of it so the number is always on your phone.
Do I need a doctor’s referral for WorkSafeBC physio?
WorkSafeBC tells workers who need physiotherapy to visit a contracted physiotherapist and explain that the injury is work-related. Its guidance for physiotherapy does not list a doctor’s referral as a step. If treatment starts more than 60 days after your injury, WorkSafeBC has to approve it first.
Costs & Coverage. What WorkSafeBC pays and what you may pay, depending on where your claim stands.
Will WCB pay for my physio, or will I have to pay?
Once your claim is accepted, yes. Your provider bills WorkSafeBC for care related to your claim, and you should not have to pay fees. While your claim is pending, a clinic may ask you to pay for treatment, and you can ask for a refund if the claim is accepted later. Treatment for a body area that is not part of your accepted claim can be billed to you.
Yes, you can start with an assessment. Within 60 days of your injury, a contracted physiotherapist can do your first assessment on a pending claim with no prior approval, and bills WorkSafeBC directly for it. Treatment visits paid by WorkSafeBC start only once the claim is accepted, so a clinic may ask you to pay for treatment before then. Keep every receipt, and ask the clinic for your money back if the claim is accepted.
If your claim was pending at your first visit, WorkSafeBC still pays the contracted clinic for that initial assessment. It does not pay for treatment visits given while the claim was pending. If you disagree with the decision, you can ask WorkSafeBC for a review within 90 days of the decision date. The Workers’ Advisers Office can also give you advice at any stage of your claim.
It has been more than 60 days since my injury. Can I still get physio?
Yes, but WorkSafeBC has to approve treatment first when it starts more than 60 days after the injury. It is not refused automatically, so 60 days is not a cut-off. You may read online that you need a doctor’s referral after 60 days. The step WorkSafeBC names is pre-approval, not a referral. Tell the clinic your injury date when you book.
Treatment visits paid by WorkSafeBC start once your claim is accepted. If you need more treatment, your physiotherapist can ask WorkSafeBC for it, and WorkSafeBC decides. WorkSafeBC’s new physiotherapy services agreement took effect on April 1, 2026. If another page gives you a visit number, check it against WorkSafeBC’s own site, and ask your physiotherapist where your treatment stands on your claim.
Can a clinic charge me a user fee on an accepted WCB claim?
A clinic with a WorkSafeBC contract is not allowed to charge you extra, such as a top-up or user fee, for services under that contract, except where the contract allows it. Costs can still come up for care to a body area that is not part of your claim, or for a service WorkSafeBC does not fund or has not approved. If you are not sure what a visit will cost, ask the clinic before your appointment.
What if I go to a physio who is not contracted with WorkSafeBC?
You pay for each visit yourself and ask WorkSafeBC to reimburse you at its set rate, which is $95 per visit from April 1, 2026. You pay any difference. WorkSafeBC asks workers who need physiotherapy to visit a physiotherapist who has a contract with WorkSafeBC in their region.
How do I check if a clinic is contracted with WorkSafeBC?
WorkSafeBC publishes regional lists of physiotherapy clinics contracted for musculoskeletal care. It keeps separate lists for other programs, so being on one list does not mean a clinic is on another. You can also simply ask the clinic when you call.
Which Claim Applies. Work injury, car crash or neither: how to tell which one applies before you book.
I was in a crash while working. Is that WorkSafeBC or ICBC?
It depends on what you were doing. If driving was part of your job when the crash happened, such as deliveries or travel between job sites, it may be a WorkSafeBC claim. A normal commute to and from work is usually an ICBC claim. Tell your employer, report the crash, and tell us when you book so your visit is set up under the right claim.
My pain came on slowly at work. Can it still be a WorkSafeBC claim?
You can still report it. WorkSafeBC says reporting by phone through Teleclaim may suit you better than the online form for an injury that came on slowly, a mental health injury or hearing loss. WorkSafeBC decides whether the claim is accepted. Repetitive strain from tools, keyboards or repeated tasks is one of the work injuries our physiotherapists treat.
Then it is not a WorkSafeBC claim. If you were hurt in a car crash, ICBC physiotherapy may apply. Otherwise you can use your extended health plan or pay privately. Our front desk can help you sort out which applies when you book.
Work Injuries. The work injuries our physiotherapists see most, and when to get urgent care instead. General information, not a diagnosis.
Can physio help a back strain from lifting at work?
Yes. Pain or stiffness after lifting, carrying, bending or twisting is one of the most common work injuries we treat. Your physiotherapist checks how you move, your strength and where it hurts, then builds a plan that works back up to the lifting your job needs, from floor, waist and shoulder height, adding weight a little at a time.
What about shoulder strain from overhead work, pushing or pulling?
Shoulder strain and overuse often show up as pain reaching overhead, pushing, pulling or carrying loads on one side. Treatment settles the pain, then builds shoulder strength and stamina for reaching, pushing, pulling and working with your arms up.
Do you treat wrist, elbow or forearm pain from repetitive work?
Yes. Repetitive strain from repeated tasks, tools or keyboard work is a common work injury. Your physio works on grip strength and control for tools, keyboards, steering wheels and the tasks you repeat all day.
Can physio help neck strain from a long shift at a screen or behind the wheel?
Yes. Neck pain and stiffness can follow a strain, a long shift at a screen or a sudden movement. Treatment builds neck and back stamina for long sitting, plus a routine of movement breaks that fits your shift.
Slips, trips and falls on stairs, ladders, ice or wet floors often cause sprains, strains and bruising. If you have no warning signs that need urgent care, a WCB physio assessment is a good next step. Rehab includes balance and confidence for the floors, ramps and steps you deal with at work.
Do you treat knee and ankle injuries from climbing, kneeling or uneven ground?
Yes. Twists and sprains from climbing, kneeling, uneven ground or stepping down are common at work. Your physio works up to standing for longer, stairs, kneeling and squatting, and the walking your job needs.
I had surgery for my work injury. Can I start physio after it?
Yes. A contracted physio can do a post-surgery assessment on your claim without asking WorkSafeBC first, as long as it is within 60 days of the surgery related to your claim. Bring any notes or exercise sheets your surgeon gave you to your first visit.
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department if you have sudden weakness in an arm or leg, chest pain or trouble breathing. Do the same if you have numbness in your groin or inner thighs, or new trouble controlling your bladder or bowels.
By Job. How WCB physio fits the physical demands of your work. General information, not a diagnosis.
I do heavy physical work, like construction, warehouse or farm work. How does physio get me back to it?
Your physio looks at what your job asks of your body and sets treatment goals around those tasks: lifting and carrying, climbing, kneeling and working overhead. Weight, time and reps go up a little at a time as you cope. A return to work may start with modified duties, for example a warehouse worker with a back strain scanning and labelling orders instead of lifting heavy boxes.
Truck, bus, transit and delivery drivers often deal with neck pain, back pain and sciatica from long hours at the wheel, plus shoulder strain from loading and climbing in and out of the cab. Physio builds neck and back stamina for long sitting and a movement-break routine that fits your route. A modified duty can be as simple as shorter routes with more breaks.
I work in health care and move patients. How does WCB physio help?
Nurses, care aides and other health care workers often have back and shoulder injuries from moving and repositioning patients, and sore feet and knees from long shifts. Physio works on lifting, reaching and standing tolerance. Modified duties might mean tasks that do not involve lifting or moving people for a while.
I work at a desk. Can repetitive strain or neck pain be a WCB claim?
It can be, if it came from your work. Report it, and WorkSafeBC decides whether the claim is accepted. Physio for office workers works on wrist, elbow and forearm control, neck and back stamina, and a routine of movement breaks. A simple modified duty is switching between sitting and standing through the day.
Tell your physio what a normal shift really asks of you. Name the heaviest thing you lift and how often, how long you stand, sit or drive, and how much you reach, bend, kneel or climb. Mention your tools, your shift length and any modified duties your employer has offered. Real detail helps your physio plan treatment around your job.
Pick the clinic nearest home or work and choose WCB Physio Initial Session, so your first visit is set up as a WorkSafeBC claim. Tell us the injury happened at work. Every clinic in our network books WCB physio online.
What do the first weeks of WCB physio usually look like?
Most plans move through the same steps: assess your injury and the physical demands of your job, treat with hands-on care and exercise to settle pain, build with graded exercise toward the lifting, standing or reaching your job needs, then return to work, sometimes on modified duties first. Your own plan is set at your assessment, and treatment visits paid by WorkSafeBC start once your claim is accepted.
What does Synergy do, and what does WorkSafeBC decide?
Our physiotherapists assess and treat your injury. At our clinics with a confirmed WorkSafeBC contract, we bill WorkSafeBC directly for the first assessment, and for treatment visits once your claim is accepted. WorkSafeBC accepts claims and decides whether to approve more treatment. You tell your employer and report the injury to WorkSafeBC.
Return to Work. Gradual returns, modified duties and who decides what.
What does a gradual return to work look like?
You go back in steps instead of all at once. You might start with shorter shifts, fewer days or lighter tasks, then add more as your body copes. How long it takes depends on your injury, your job and how your body responds, so every plan looks a little different.
Modified duties are changes to your job so you can keep working, or get back to work, while your injury still limits what you can do. WorkSafeBC says this might mean other tasks, a different schedule or doing things a little differently. The work your employer offers must be safe, useful to the business, within what you can do now, and a fit for your skills.
Several people have a part. Since January 1, 2024, BC law says you and your employer must work together, and with WorkSafeBC, on a safe and timely return to work. Your employer must find and offer suitable work. WorkSafeBC manages your claim and benefits. Your physio and doctor can help you see what you can safely do at work.
Do I need my doctor or physio to sign off before I go back to work?
Not for WorkSafeBC. WorkSafeBC does not require medical approval for you to return to work. A written return-to-work plan can help keep your physio or doctor up to date, if needed, and your physio can help you see which tasks fit what you can safely do now.
Under the duty to cooperate, you must not turn down suitable work without a good reason. WorkSafeBC can reduce or suspend wage-loss benefits if it finds you did not cooperate and had no good reason. If a task in the offer seems beyond what you can do right now, say so, talk it through with your employer and your physio, and call your WorkSafeBC case manager.
Will my wage-loss benefits stop if I go back part time?
Not always. Wage-loss benefits can continue when you go back on fewer hours or different duties. WorkSafeBC takes what you earn into account and may pay part of the difference. Your case manager can tell you how this works on your claim.
It may. If your employer regularly has 20 or more workers and you worked there for at least a year before your injury, it has a duty to keep you employed. That means offering your old job or a similar one if you are fit for it, or else the first suitable work that comes up.
It is a written plan you and your employer make together. It sets out what you can do, your tasks and your hours. A WorkSafeBC team member, your health care provider or a union representative may also help with it. A new version is made as you are able to do more.
Can I keep going to physio after I go back to work?
Yes. Physio can continue alongside a gradual return to work when it is part of your treatment, so your physio can keep working on your strength while you build up your shifts. If you need more treatment, your physiotherapist can ask WorkSafeBC for it, and WorkSafeBC decides.
Is WCB physio the same as a WorkSafeBC return-to-work program?
No. WorkSafeBC runs its own Customized Recovery and Return-to-Work Program through providers that hold long-term WorkSafeBC contracts, and Return to Work Support Services is a separate service based at the workplace. Synergy Rehab does not deliver either service. What we offer is WCB physiotherapy: assessment and treatment.
Acupuncture. Acupuncture on a WCB claim has its own rules.
Does WorkSafeBC cover acupuncture?
WorkSafeBC acupuncture needs an accepted claim, but no referral. Past the first set of visits, a WorkSafeBC officer has to approve more. The treatment has to suit your accepted injury and focus on active rehab and getting back to work. We offer WCB acupuncture at every Synergy Rehab clinic except Abbotsford.
Where can I get WCB physio in Vancouver or Burnaby?
Synergy Rehab Vancouver is on West 16th Avenue on Vancouver’s West Side, between Dunbar and Point Grey. Synergy Rehab Burnaby is on Canada Way in central Burnaby. Both book WCB physio online: Synergy Rehab Vancouver and Synergy Rehab Burnaby.
Synergy Rehab New Westminster is in the Columbia Medical Building on East Columbia Street in Sapperton, Unit 405, 301 East Columbia St. Book WCB physio online at Synergy Rehab New Westminster.
Synergy Rehab Richmond is on Steveston Highway in the Ironwood area, close to Highway 99. Synergy Rehab Delta is on Delsom Crescent in North Delta, near Nordel Way. Both book WCB physio online: Synergy Rehab Richmond and Synergy Rehab Delta.
Where can I get WCB physio in Langley or Abbotsford?
Synergy Rehab Langley is on 204 Street in Yorkson, in the Willoughby area of the Township of Langley. Synergy Rehab Abbotsford is on Townline Road in west Abbotsford, our Fraser Valley clinic. Both book WCB physio online: Synergy Rehab Langley and Synergy Rehab Abbotsford.
Are there evening and weekend WCB physio appointments?
Yes, at most clinics. 19 clinics are open until 8 p.m. or later on at least some weekdays, 17 open on Saturdays and 18 on Sundays. 12 clinics open at 7:30 a.m. or earlier on weekdays, which helps if you want a visit before your shift. Each clinic page lists its own hours.
Often, yes, when a clinic’s schedule allows. Our same-day appointments page shows clinics with openings today. When you book, choose WCB Physio Initial Session and tell us the injury happened at work.
Pick the clinic nearest home or work. Synergy Rehab has 19+ locations across the Lower Mainland, from Vancouver’s West Side to Abbotsford, and every clinic books WCB physio online. You can book before your claim number arrives.
Updated November 2026. General information, not advice about your own claim. If anything here and WorkSafeBC’s site differ, WorkSafeBC’s site is right. For an emergency, call 911.
Find your clinic
Find WCB physiotherapy near you
Every clinic below books WCB physiotherapy assessments online. Pick the one nearest home or work.
