Were you or a loved one injured in a car accident? Read this!

After a car accident, it’s natural to be preoccupied with pain relief. The problem is that you or your loved one may be setting yourself up for chronic pain by letting medication do all the work. Yes, drugs and immobilizing devices can often keep pain at bay, while allowing for some function. But they also prevent you from knowing what needs healing when you have a car accident injury — and what to do about it.

Recovering from car accident injuries with physical therapy

Starting physical therapy as soon as your doctor clears you to do so can make a big difference in your eventual recovery. Damaged muscles and joints build up scar tissue if they’re not worked properly after a car accident injury.

In addition, neglecting to treat the areas damaged after a car accident often creates a domino effect. If you developed whiplash in the accident, for example, your body begins relying on nearby muscle groups. This causes your shoulders and back to go out of alignment. You may also experience more headaches with an untreated neck injury.

Treating chronic conditions post-accident

Among the more common injuries associated with car accidents are head and neck injuries, shoulder and back damage, broken pelvis, and damage to the knees, lower legs and feet. Some people suffer multiple injuries, with different healing times. It’s not uncommon for people to neglect at least one injured area after a car accident in favor of pain medicine. That lack of attention can turn a short-term problem into a chronic one.

As with other injuries, “use it or lose it” is the key to treating chronic pain after a car accident. Physical therapists work with you to get back your flexibility and range of motion, as well as strengthening muscles weakened after the injury. They also show you how to move more efficiently to reduce your current pain.

Additional conditions treated

Some people who suffer from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) after being in a car accident may be unaware how physical therapy can help. Yet a brain injury can impact a patient’s ability to walk, speak and focus. Physical therapy helps with a myriad of these TBI complications.

The nature of the TBI you or your loved one is suffering from will dictate what kind of physical therapist your primary physician may recommend. A physical therapist who specializes in occupational therapy may work best for some TBI recovery. Or, you may need one to help you transition from a walker, to a cane, to walking unassisted.

Armor Physical Therapy offers treatment for car accident injuries

Have you or someone you know recently been injured in a car accident? Our team at Armor Physical Therapy is primed to help you recover from your injury. We offer free screenings designed to reveal how your body is responding to your injury. Using this information, our therapy specialists can build you a personalized treatment plan intended to reduce pain and recovery time. 

Can’t make it into one of our therapy clinics? Don’t worry! Our team offers therapy services you can use from home, including virtual care and at-home therapy appointments. In addition, you can use any of our high-quality therapy services without first getting a doctor’s referral. 

Take the next step to get our help with your injury recovery. Contact us today for more information about how we can assist you or to schedule your free screening.