Millions of car accidents occur every year within the United States, and many of them involve car accident injuries. The most common type of vehicle collision is a rear-end collision. These types of accidents can cause injuries to drivers and passengers that aren’t immediately noticed, such as whiplash.
Even if you don’t think you’re seriously injured at the time of an accident, you could have a long-term injury that causes you pain and other symptoms for years if it’s not addressed promptly. In many cases, physical therapy can be used to help you enjoy a faster and complete recovery from injuries sustained in a car accident. Here’s a closer look at some of the most common injuries, how physical therapy can help, and the importance of seeking treatment immediately after car crashes occur.
Common Car Accident Injuries
Injuries that occur in a motor vehicle accident can vary from individual to individual. However, some of the most common car accident injuries include:
- Head Injuries and Traumatic Brain Injuries – These injuries may occur when the head is hit or it hits another object.
- Neck Injuries and Back Injuries – Neck injuries can be milder, such as whiplash. They can also include serious injuries like disc injury or cervical dislocation. Lower back injuries can include fractured vertebrae, strains, and herniated discs.
- Facial Injuries – Injuries to the face, such as fractures, bruises, and lacerations are often caused by the airbag, steering wheel, car seats, shattered glass, or dashboard.
- Broken Bones – Depending on where the impact occurs, broken bones like a broken leg, broken ribs, or broken arm may occur.
- Internal Injuries – The impact of a car accident may cause internal injuries to the spleen, bowels, heart, lungs, liver, or kidneys.
- Psychological Injuries – Some people may experience psychological injuries such as depression, anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder after a serious accident.
The Importance of Getting Treatment Immediately
For many of the most common car accident injuries, physical therapy can be very instrumental in the recovery process. Some injuries can cause symptoms like stiffness, chronic headaches, pain, and reduced range of motion. Physical therapy can address these issues. Along with supporting the recovery process, physical therapy can also prevent long-term damage. It can help reduce pain, help patients avoid surgical intervention, and restore function.
While physical therapy can offer many benefits to individuals injured in car accidents, to enjoy the best results, it’s important to get into treatment immediately following the accident. The longer you wait to get treatment, the harder it will be to rehabilitate and the longer it will take to recover. Though many injuries are treated with painkillers and rest after a car accident, these treatment methods only temporarily relieve the pain because they don’t address the underlying problems. Physical therapy goes beyond temporary relief and helps repair and strengthen the body after an injury.
Whether you’ve just had a car accident or you have an old car accident injury, physical therapy offers a safe, effective method of treatment. Schedule your appointment at STI Rehab today to get on the road to recovery.
