Motor vehicle accidents are a major cause of trauma. There were over 5 million motor vehicle incidents in the nation in 2012. The damage caused by a car accident might be devastating.
There are both fatalities and injuries as a result of these events. An automobile accident injury can differ from person to person, although certain injuries are more common than others.
Head and back injuries from a car wreck are typically the most serious. Head injuries can lead to vision problems, skull fractures, and concussions.
With a concussion, you may experience dizziness and headaches. Another common car accident injury is a herniated disk. Neck and chest injuries are also common, with whiplash being the most common accident injury. Whiplash can be very painful and restrict movement.
The sudden movement of the neck and head in a car accident can cause whiplash. Blunt force trauma from a car accident can collapse lungs and break ribs.
There are many, many reasons to undergo physical therapy after you’ve been in a car crash. Most importantly, physical therapy supports the recovery process. After a car accident, you may experience pain, reduced range of motion, headaches, or stiffness.
Keep in mind that these symptoms may not appear right after a car accident, sometimes it may take days, or even weeks for symptoms of an MVA to present. Physical therapy helps you to keep pain symptoms at bay, improve flexibility, increase strength and recover faster.
It can also prevent long-term damage from a car accident, including migraines and chronic pain. The sooner you get physical therapy after a car accident, the more likely you are to have a pain-free life.
Physical therapy can also restore function in patients with old car accident injuries. You can still benefit from physical therapy even if you had an injury years ago. Using cardiovascular rehab techniques and strength training, it can help relieve old pain and improve mobility.
Plus, it’s a non-invasive treatment, and you won’t wind up having to rely on pain medications for relief.
Physical therapists can even treat vertigo due to a car accident. Sometimes in as little as one treatment, they can fix a dysfunction in the vestibular system.
Types of physical therapy include massage, manual manipulation, ultrasound, ice and cold therapy, specific exercises, targeted massage, stretching, and aquatic therapy.
It’s a holistic approach to healing after being in a car accident. In addition to treatment after a car accident injury, physical therapists can provide services for cardiovascular, orthopedic, and post-op care.