Even minor car accidents can result in injuries. It’s important to understand that injuries may not manifest themselves until a few hours or days after the actual accident. If you end up feeling pain after your accident, then it may be wise to go in for physio treatment.
Is Treatment Essential?
It really depends on the injuries you’ve sustained. If you have some minor scrapes and bruises after a couple of days, you should be fine. But it’s always a good idea to spend a few days being mobile as there may be injuries you are completely unaware of. Sometimes the adrenaline and shock can often dampen your pain.
Now, if you have sustained injuries, physiotherapy from services like those offered at brentwoodphysio, is often recommended. There are many different ways that car accidents cause injuries, including damage to your back, shoulder, collarbone and neck. A physical therapist can address all these issues.
Understanding Common Injuries
Neck injuries are very common in car accidents. What usually happens during an accident is that you are propelled forward and then snapped back by your seatbelt. This results in a whiplash that can result in neck strain.
It’s recommended that you get physiotherapy as soon as possible for whiplash. The therapy can help you relax the muscles around the injured area. In addition, the treatments themselves will help reduce inflammation and swelling.
Trying to wait until your whiplash recovers on your own isn’t the best idea. You’re going to be dealing with a lot of pain and stiffness. Depending on how severe your whiplash is, you may be unable to lie down or function normally.
Back injuries are also common in car accidents. These are often the worst injuries as serious accidents can damage the spinal cords as well as the muscles in your back. A serious injury will put you out of commission for a long time.
You should get a diagnosis on whether you need surgery for a back injury. Whether you do or you don’t, physical therapy is usually essential. Physical therapy in Toronto will help you accelerate the healing, free up strained muscles and reduce inflammation.
Should injuries can result from car accidents as well. Fortunately, most shoulder injuries tend to be mild. In minor accidents, shoulder injuries tend to result from being snapped back by the seatbelt. This is similar to the whiplash effect that causes neck injuries.
Most minor shoulder injuries resolve on their own. However, some injuries can persist. This can result in limited mobility for your arms. Physical therapy can involve stretching, heat therapy, ultrasound therapy, and muscle strengthening to help you strengthen the shoulder area and give you back your normal mobility.
Finally, there are leg and foot injuries. While your upper body is protected during a car accident, there is nothing in the way of protecting your lower body. Your knees can end up hitting the dash. Your feet and ankles may get twisted up.
Like the other treatments, the therapist will help the recovery process using a combination of electrostimulation therapy, ultrasound therapy, and stretching exercises. Because there are tendons and ligaments in your ankles and feet, injuries in these areas tend to persist for a long period of time and require longer recovery times.
Physical Therapy Results in Faster Recovery Time
Overall, physical therapy is often recommended after car accidents for a reason. It results in faster recovery time, no matter what injury you end up sustaining. It will also help you get rid of the pain faster.
Injuries from car accidents tend to be stubborn. They can persist for a long time and reoccur even after the pain is gone. It’s best to treat the problem with the help of a professional rather than trying to last through it until it fully heals.