Car accidents jar your body and can cause multiple injuries, some so tiny that regular X-rays and other medical imaging equipment can’t see them. While some patients suffer from whiplash, others deal with severe injuries that limit their physical capabilities. Physical therapy for car accident injuries at Align Health & Wellness helps you recover more quickly and get your life back.
Minor Injury Recovery
Back pain and a sore, stiff neck commonly appear in car accident victims. Your physical therapist can help you find relief from these pains with exercises in-office, plus a plan to follow at home. Because whiplash sometimes won’t begin hurting until days after a car accident, practicing physical therapy before the pain starts may reduce the intensity.
Major Injury Recovery
In the case of broken bones, organ damage, or other significant injuries, you should first get treatment from emergency doctors or your physician and only begin physical therapy once you’ve received medical clearance. Once your doctor gives you the green light, you should begin physical therapy as soon as possible.
Besides the injuries sustained during the accident, your recovery may have limited your mobility and range of motion. Physical therapy helps patients reach a healthy activity level regardless of how long they’ve had to wait. Some conditions physical therapy can help patients recover from include:
- Long-time recovery in a hospital bed
- Inability to walk due to injured hips, legs, or feet
- Inability to use their arms due to injuries
Secondary Injury Avoidance
After a car accident, you may not feel your injuries immediately. These invisible injuries can lead you to make your injuries worse accidentally, such as putting pressure on broken bones, overworking torn or ripped muscles, or damaging injured or inflamed joints. Physical therapy after a car accident helps you identify and treat potential injuries with gentle exercises.