Enduring Strength, Enduring Health
People sustain injuries throughout their lives. These injuries are caused by a variety of accidents. Car accident injuries are frequently severe and unpleasant. Though injuries will vary based on the vehicle and type of collision, it is critical to begin car accident physical therapy as soon as possible.
If you have been in a car accident, you may be experiencing a number of physical and emotional issues. Physiotherapy treatment is one of the most effective approaches to recover from these issues. Physical therapy can aid pain management and recovery.
Furthermore, physical rehabilitation following a car accident aids in the prevention of additional injuries. With time, you regain movement and learn the best strategies to manage the disease. Sirwiss-affiliated physiotherapists will discuss the benefits of physiotherapy after a car accident and why it is so vital for your rehabilitation in this blog post. We will also look at numerous workouts that you should do following a car accident. Let’s get this party started.
What is Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy, often known as physical therapy, is a type of healthcare that tries to restore and improve physical function while also reducing pain and preventing additional injury. Physiotherapists help patients recover from injuries and diseases by employing a variety of therapies such as exercises, stretches, massage, and assistive gadgets.
Categories of Car Accident Injuries
When drivers, passengers and pedestrians are involved in collisions, they could sustain many different kinds of car accident injuries. However, these injuries are broadly organized into two different categories:
- Impact injuries: These occur when a passenger strikes any component of the interior of the car or is thrown from the car and strikes the ground or other objects. For example, if a driver sustains a head injury when his head hits the side window, this would be an example of an impact injury.
- Penetrating injury: These occur when loose objects flying around the vehicle strike the passenger. An example would be a window shattering and cutting a collision victim.
Both types of injuries can be severe, and it is important that all injuries are accurately diagnosed by a medical professional so they can be documented for victims who wish to pursue compensation for damages resulting from the crash.
Common Types of Car Accident Injuries
Every year, around 50 million individuals are injured or disabled in car accidents around the world. Every day, several car accidents occur. An automobile collision is not only painful and frightening, but it is also costly. Furthermore, some symptoms may not appear soon after the collision.
Some signs and symptoms affecting mobility can appear days after the accident. It is critical to note that you may be unaware of your injuries, or the severity of your injuries, while at the site of the accident. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, let the on-site medical staff know. If you are not evaluated immediately, you should go to the emergency room or schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. Immediate medical attention will give you the best chance of recovering from automobile accident injuries.
Some of the body discomfort caused by injuries sustained in a car accident include:
- Headaches
- Back pain
- Whiplash
- Neck pain
- Knee pain
- Shoulder pain
For this reason, it is crucial to seek physical therapy after an auto accident. PT prevents symptoms from worsening and causing more problems. Out of the listed injuries, whiplash is the most common. The severity of the condition can affect recovery time and also have a significant impact on your life.
Some of the common symptoms you experience from whiplash include:
- Numbness in the arm, neck, and upper back
- Difficulty concentrating
- Stiff neck, upper back, arms, and face
- Dizziness, headache, and nausea
- Feeling weak
- Altered sleeping habits and patterns
Why Physical Therapy Exercises After a Car Accident?
There are several reasons why physiotherapy is important after a car accident. Also, you may choose different physical therapy alternatives to recover from a car accident and here are just a few reasons to seek physiotherapy treatment.
- Reduces pain and inflammation: After a car accident, you may be dealing with a variety of aches and pains. Physiotherapy can help to reduce pain and inflammation by increasing blood flow to the affected area, which can help to speed up the healing process.
- Improves mobility and flexibility: Injuries sustained in a car accident can limit your range of motion and flexibility. Physiotherapy can help to improve these issues by stretching and strengthening the affected muscles and joints.
- Prevents further injury: By strengthening and improving flexibility, physiotherapy can help to prevent further injury. This is especially important if you have been involved in a serious car accident, as your risk of re-injury is higher.
- Improves overall quality of life: The physical and emotional challenges that come with a car accident can take a toll on your overall quality of life. Physiotherapy can help to improve your physical function and reduce pain, which can lead to a better quality of life overall.
Early Physiotherapy Intervention
The specific treatment plan for physiotherapy after a car accident will depend on the nature and severity of your injuries. In general, you can expect the following:
1. Chin Tucks
The goal of the exercises is to stretch the cervical spine muscles. You can do this exercise when lying down or seated. To do the exercise when lying down, lie on your back, looking at the ceiling. Then move the chin towards the chest and hold that position for 5 seconds. Ensure you feel a comfortable stretch at the base of the head to the next. Repeat the exercise 20 times. When seated, sit upright, and look forward. Move your head backward, ensuring your chin is tucked down. Hold that position for 5 seconds and repeat the exercise 10 times.
2. Side to Side Head Rotation
The goal of the exercise is to reduce tightness and improve neck mobility. You can do the exercise when seated or lying down. Lie on your back and rotate the chin toward the right shoulder. Using your hand, pull the head further into the stretch. Stay in that position for 20 seconds. Release and repeat the exercise on the left side. Do these 3 to 5 times a day. To do the exercise when seated, assume the correct sitting posture. Rotate the chin to the right shoulder. As the first step, use your hand to move the head deeper into the stretch. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat the exercise on the left side.
3. Side Bending
The PT can introduce this exercise during physical therapy after a car accident for neck pain. The goal is to reduce tightness and increase neck mobility. You can choose to lie down or sit. When lying on your back, move your head to the right and bring your right ear close to the right shoulder. Use your hands to help you move deep into the stretch. Stay in this position for 20 seconds and switch to the left side. You can repeat the exercise several times a day. When seated upright, bring the right ear toward the right shoulder. You can use your hands to help you pull your head deep into the stretch. Hold the position for 20 seconds, then release and repeat on the left side. Repeat these exercises about five times on each side.
Other Exercises
Other exercises that you can do include:
- Hamstring stretches
- Lower trunk rotations
- Posterior pelvic tilts
- Deep neck flexor activation and many others
You need to choose the best physical therapists to take you through personalized treatment. Your Physiotherapist will assess the injuries and map out the best treatment to improve mobility and prevent further complications.