If you’ve been in a car accident, you know how scary and painful it can be. Sometimes, even small crashes or fender benders can cause injuries that may impact your daily life. Injuries like neck pain, back aches, or sore muscles may not go away on their own. That’s where physical therapy comes in.
Physical therapy can support the healing process after a car accident. Learn about some of the most common mval injuries PT can treat, how physical therapy plays a role in helping you recover, and how PT can play a role in the legal process from a car accident lawsuit.
Physical therapy is an effective treatment option after motor vehicle accidents to help identify the underlying cause of pain and be an effective treatment option for alleviating pain, restoring function, and improving mobility. It’s important to receive a proper medical evaluation by a healthcare professional, even if the car accident would be classified as a minor fender bender. Some injuries can have a delayed onset when symptoms don’t present themselves for several hours or even days afterward.
Some of the most common car accident injuries include:
This is one of the most common injuries sustained from a car accident. Whiplash happens when your neck moves forward and backward quickly, like a whip. It can cause neck pain, headaches, stiffness, and make it difficult to move your head.
The spine is very sensitive, and car accidents often strain or injure the back. People may suffer from herniated discs, pulled muscles, or pinched nerves. This can lead to sharp pain, tingling, or numbness.
During a crash, your knees might hit the dashboard or twist in awkward ways. This can cause swelling, bruising, or more serious injuries.
Even if you don’t hit your head hard during a collision, your brain can shake inside your skull. This can lead to headaches, dizziness, or memory problems. Traumatic brain injuries may not have immediate symptoms and can take an exceptionally long time to heal if not treated properly and early. It’s important to get evaluated to make sure that brain injuries are identified swiftly and treated effectively to reduce the likelihood of long-term effects.
Seat belts protect you, but they can also cause shoulder pain in an accident.
During a collision, there are many things that you can bump your hands into. Whether it’s the airbags deploying, glass, or loose objects in the vehicle, there are plenty of things to scrape, bruise, or injure your hands on.
You don’t have to live with pain after a car crash. Physical therapy gives your body the tools it needs to recover after a motor vehicle accident. Physical therapy can help individuals recover by addressing and alleviating pain, improving strength and flexibility, preventing long-term issues, and restoring mobility.
Physical therapy can also be an important component for those individuals who are going through recent car accident lawsuits. If you’re working with a lawyer after your crash, going to physical therapy can play an important role in making sure that you get the proper care needed for the injuries you’ve sustained and provide additional documentation needed to address any concerns or questions that may arise from the litigation process or interested parties like insurance companies.
When you see a physical therapist, they document everything. That includes how bad your pain is, what movements you are limited with, and how your symptoms may affect your daily life. This paperwork and documentation is essential for providing additional third-party evidence that you have sustained an injury and the timeline it will take to recover properly.
Insurance companies often ask, “Did this person try to recover?” If you go to physical therapy and follow the plan, it shows you’re taking your healing seriously. This helps support your legal claim.
The cost of your physical therapy and the impact your injury has on your daily life can affect how much money you might receive in a settlement. Your physical therapist’s notes and reports may be used as evidence in your case.
There are many types of motor vehicle accidents that may lead to legal claims. Physical therapy can be an important part of recovering from these:
These often cause whiplash, back pain, and shoulder injuries. Therapy helps relieve neck tension and get the spine back in shape.
Even minor accidents can cause injuries, and physical therapy can help to identify and treat minor injuries as a result of fender bender collisions.
These crashes can lead to hip, leg, and shoulder injuries. Physical therapists work on rebuilding strength and walking normally again.
These crashes can cause serious injuries all over the body. Physical therapy is essential for helping people move and feel better.
Since riders are more exposed, their injuries are usually worse. Physical therapy helps with improving balance, walking, and rebuilding injured muscles.
People who get hit by cars often deal with head injuries, broken bones, and joint damage. A strong physical therapy plan is key to recovery.
After you’ve received comprehensive evaluation and gotten the sign off that you’re safe to begin physical therapy, the sooner, the better for starting treatment. Even if you feel fine right after the crash, pain and stiffness can show up later. Starting physical therapy early helps your body heal more efficiently and reduces the risk of ongoing pain and complications. Early intervention with physical therapy has been shown to improve clinical outcomes and help individuals get better faster.
If your doctor says it’s okay, request an appointment with a physical therapist within the first few days after your accident at a physical therapy location near you.
Car accidents are scary, and healing from one can be a difficult journey, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Physical therapy can ease your pain, help your body heal, and support you getting back to life.
If you or someone you love has been hurt in a crash, don’t wait. Request a physical therapy appointment at a PT location near you to start getting treated for a recent car accident injury.
