19 Mar The Importance of Physical Therapy After an Accident
There are about six million car accidents that leave people injured or disabled every year in the United States. Most of the accidents in the United States are caused by people from the ages of 15 to 44 years old. Over two million of these accidents are rear end collisions. People underestimate how much force is exerted when a four thousand pound car hits a vehicle from behind. Whiplash is often caused by these rear end car crashes. Regardless of how minor you may think a car accidents is, it is in your best interest to seek physical therapy, from a physical therapy near you to assess damage.
Untreated injuries by not seeking physical therapy can have long term issues as time progresses. There are a few symptoms you may experience after a car accident that indicate you may be suffering from whiplash. Pain in the head, neck or shoulders, or stiffness may indicate you suffer from whiplash. Other indications of whiplash are: you may notice a loss in the range of motion in your next area, unusual intense headaches, loss of feeling or tingling in your fingertips, hands and arms. Other whiplash symptoms may include dizziness, fatigue, blurred vision and memory loss. However it’s important to point out, you may suffer from whiplash and not experience any symptoms right away, again reiterating the importance of seeking physical therapy near you, like our chiropractor El Segundo immediately after a car accident. Not seeking physical therapy after an accident can result in long-term damage to the neck and head areas, extreme pain, and even PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
There are five reason you should seek physical therapy after an accident to ensure your quality of life won’t suffer in the future. As stated, regardless of how “minor” a car accident may seem, it’s important to understand cars weigh about 4000 pounds, and an object that heavy exerting forces will cause some damage. Physical therapy is important during the recovery process. Patients will need assistance in alleviating pain and stiffness, gaining strength and flexibility, which is all supported by visiting a physical therapist. Physical therapy can also prevent injuries that can lead to long-term damage. It is critical in reducing the risk of long-term injuries. It will require various movements and rehabilitation exercises that force the body to move blood and oxygen to damaged area, which help in the healing process and prevent long-term damage. The reduction of pain is aided from physical activity. It may seem counterintuitive to be more physically active after a painful accident, however this is key to reducing pain. Physical Therapy forces you to move your injured areas and moves blood to these areas, and significantly improve the healing process.
Our chiropractor El Segundo will create a personalized plan to target areas for a long term recovery process. Avoidance of surgery can be accomplished by undergoing Physical Therapy. “Minor” accidents probably won’t require surgery, but over time from natural wear and tear plus the damage from the accident can result in surgery. Physical therapy rehabilitation exercises can prevent the need for surgery by healing these damaged areas. It can help the healing of older injuries as well. Building on what was addressed previously, Physical therapy exercises force blood, nutrients and oxygen to the damaged areas and help them heal.
If you have been in a “minor” accident, seek a physical therapist near you as soon as possible to prevent long term damage and issues. Even if you have pain from older injuries seek a physical therapist to prevent the need for surgery later in life.