Car accidents can lead to traumatic injuries that affect patients’ physical and mental health. Suppose you are looking for a better treatment option following a car accident. In that case, you can choose physical therapy that provides you with the expected relief you need to feel better and get back to your everyday activities.
This article describes the five common reasons for undergoing physical therapy after a car accident.
What Kind of Injuries Can Occur?
Getting in a car accident can result in different kinds of injuries. Still, it is better to visit a physical therapist who can provide car accident injury treatment Reynoldsburg, Ohio, for a speedy recovery and return to your everyday pain-free life. The injuries from car accidents include:
1) Whiplash
This is the most common injury resulting from a rear-end car accident. It can also occur while colliding with another player when playing contact sports. It is a sudden, rapid back and forth motion of the neck and head, stretching or tearing the soft tissues of the neck and leading to neck injuries.
It causes pain and stiffness in the neck, reduced range of motion, headaches at the base of the skull that radiate towards the forehead, and problems with memory, concentration, and sleep. Whiplash can sometimes lead to chronic pain and cause pain in the upper and lower back.
2) Back Injuries
The sudden force of impact can overstretch or tear the muscles, tendons, or ligaments in the lower back, leading to sprains and strains. It causes pain in the lower back, stiffness, and muscle spasms. Facet joints that connect the vertebrae in the spine can also be injured in the trauma, resulting in low back pain, inflammation, and stiffness.
Car accidents can also damage the spinal discs, cushion-like materials that separate the vertebrae and protect the spine. A herniated disc is one such condition that occurs when the inner portion of the spinal disc protrudes through the outer ring, causing inflammation and pain.
3) Head Injuries
A sudden change in movement or a blow to the head during a car crash can result in a concussion. This traumatic brain injury occurs when the brain strikes the inside of the skull and temporarily affects brain functioning. It can lead to headaches, loss of consciousness, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, confusion, and concentration problems.
4) Broken Bones
Car accidents can often result in broken arms, legs, hips, shoulders, broken ribs, and broken collarbones, as the trauma puts an abnormal amount of force on the individual’s body.
5) Other injuries include bruises, cuts, burns, and chest injuries.
Why Choose Physical Therapy After a Car Accident?
Car accidents can lead to reduced range of motion, headaches, fatigue, and dizziness. Physical therapy can provide effective car accident injury treatment in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, to eliminate the above-said symptoms and help return to everyday activities.
Physical therapists are musculoskeletal experts who conduct a thorough analysis to treat the underlying injuries resulting from a car accident with a personalized treatment program that suits the individual patient’s needs.
The following are the primary reasons to visit a physical therapist after a car accident.
1) Reduce Pain
Car accident injury treatment Reynoldsburg, Ohio, incorporates therapeutic exercises that enhance blood flow to bring fresh oxygen and nutrients to the injured area and promote healing. Physical therapists recommend a specifically designed and targeted exercise program that includes stretches, strengthening exercises, and range of motion exercises to improve normal function and movements.
2) Restore Function
Physical therapists utilize strength training and cardiovascular rehab techniques to help patients restore their normal function caused due to car accidents. It also helps with an old injury caused by a trauma years ago.
3) Avoid Surgery
Some injuries can require surgery, but car accident injury treatment in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, won’t allow patients to undergo invasive surgical procedures. Instead, they use safe and non-invasive physical therapy treatments such as manual therapy, specific exercises, and modalities to relieve pain, strengthen the affected muscles, and improve the normal range of motion in injured patients.
4) Speed Up Healing
Injured patients long for a speedy recovery to get back to their everyday lives and physical activities. Physical therapists locate and treat the root of the problem to prevent recurring issues in the future. Physical therapy treatments, including hands-on techniques, massage, manipulation, and targeted exercises, can help heal the injury fast and improve the normal range of motion to return to performing daily tasks efficiently.
5) Prevent Further Damage
Some injuries resulting from car accidents can lead to chronic pain, causing movement limitations, disabilities, and frustration in patients. Physical therapists monitor the patients throughout their recovery process and identify any movement that causes them pain. They will then focus on those painful areas to enhance mobility.
When a traumatic event occurs, such as a car accident, the body recalls the shock and the impact is felt on the muscles and physical health. With the support of efficient therapeutic activities and methods, physical therapy provides pathways to the healing of such trauma. To guarantee a patient’s healthy recovery, doctors frequently recommend a treatment plan that includes physical therapy.
