Active vs Passive Rehab After a Car Accident (ICBC)
Active treatments are ones you participate in — exercise-based active rehab and kinesiology that rebuild strength, movement and function. Passive treatments, like massage, are done to you and mainly ease pain. ICBC encourages injured claimants to prioritize active treatments, because they’re more effective at restoring physical function within your 12 weeks of coverage. A good recovery plan uses both, but leans active.
What counts as active rehab?
Active rehab is guided, progressive exercise — usually led by a kinesiologist — that retrains your body to move, lift, and return to daily activity after an injury. It’s tailored to your injury and advanced as you improve, so you’re steadily rebuilding capacity rather than just managing symptoms.
What counts as passive treatment?
Passive treatments are applied to you while you rest — registered massage therapy is the most common example. They can reduce pain and help you tolerate activity, which is valuable early on, but on their own they don’t rebuild the strength and function you need to fully recover.
Why does ICBC prioritize active treatment?
Because the goal of Enhanced Care is to return you to your previous activity levels, and active treatment does that more effectively than pain management alone. Your 12 weeks of pre-approved coverage is a limited window, so ICBC suggests using it to get the most functional recovery — making active rehab the core of your plan and using passive treatment to support it.
How much active rehab does ICBC cover?
Kinesiology (active rehab) is pre-approved for 12 sessions in the first 12 weeks under the current fee schedule, alongside other treatments like physiotherapy (25 sessions). If you need more after that, your provider can work with your ICBC recovery specialist to extend coverage.
How Swift Health helps
Swift Health’s kinesiologists build active rehab programs around your injury and your goals — getting you back to work, sport and daily life — and we direct bill ICBC. Learn more on our ICBC treatment page.
Frequently asked questions
Is massage covered by ICBC after a car accident? Yes — registered massage therapy is pre-approved for 12 sessions in the first 12 weeks, though ICBC encourages prioritizing active treatments.
What’s better after a crash, active or passive rehab? Both help, but active rehab is more effective at restoring function, which is why ICBC encourages prioritizing it.
How many active rehab sessions does ICBC cover? Kinesiology is pre-approved for 12 sessions in the first 12 weeks under the current fee schedule.
Source: ICBC — Accessing treatment during your first 12 weeks of recovery (icbc.com).
Start ICBC treatment with Swift Health
We direct bill ICBC and can usually book you in without any wait for approval. Contact Swift Health to get started.
