Importance of Physical Therapy After a Car Accident

According to research by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there are about 6 million car accidents that occur in the States each year, rear-end collisions being the most common kind. However, what patients don’t realize is how important physical therapy is after injuries caused by car accidents, even if the injuries aren’t that severe

This article is going to focus on the importance of physical therapy after car accidents, and how physical therapy in Dallas actually helps individuals who have been a part of a car accident.

How physical therapy helps individuals after a car accident?

In most cases, car accidents cause a “whiplash” in individuals, which usually occurs when the neck extends beyond its normal range of motion. Therefore, because of this whiplash, individuals can develop numerous symptoms, which may need immediate medical attention. Some of those symptoms include pain in the head, neck, and shoulders, stiffness, immobility, chronic headaches or migraines, numbness, fatigue, and dizziness, and blurred vision in extreme cases.

Even if an individual may not experience such symptoms right that instant of the accident, he/she still must seek immediate medical attention to monitor their health. Moreover, in case an individual prolongs treatment and medical care, it might result in long-term damage. Therefore, they may suffer from chronic pain, difficulty in mobility, or even post-traumatic stress disorder.

However, fortunately, physical therapy in Dallas is successful in supporting the recovery process of an individual after a car accident. Physical therapy is important after a car accident as it:

Helps increase strength

Physical therapy greatly helps individuals who have been a part of a car accident to regain their strength back. Physical therapy makes use of a variety of physical activity and strengthening exercises, which greatly help strengthen the muscles. Moreover, physical therapy also helps in better functioning of an injured area, as more strengthened muscles will not get sore or stressed easily.

Therefore, therapists can help car accident victims to bounce back from their injuries faster so that they can get back to their daily lives more quickly.

Helps prevent long-term damage

Physical therapy helps to prevent more long-term damage that can be caused due to a car accident. This mostly relates to chronic pain, as well as muscle pull, ligament tears, and much more. Therefore, this is why injuries should be given medical attention as soon as possible after car accidents, so that no more damage is caused. Moreover, if an individual starts his/her physical therapy right after a car accident, they will live comparatively less pain-free for the time to come.

Helps alleviate pain

Pain is probably the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about a car accident. Well, luckily, being physically active greatly helps reduce pain. Here you might be thinking moving around and being physically active while injured may increase pain, but that’s how physical therapy helps.

 Physical therapy helps improve the overall blood circulation all around the body, which means oxygen and other important nutrients are transported to other parts of the body more effectively. This way, pain is alleviated, and a person recovers from an injury much quicker.

Physical therapy targets a specific group of muscles, including soft tissues. It does so by stretching, flexing, and making use of repetitive exercises to help strengthen your body. Thus, such physical activity also helps reduce inflammation that may have been caused by the accident. Inflammation is one of the major causes of pain in any injury.

Physical therapists, therefore, make use of certain exercises and movements that help address a person’s pain points, as well as poor body mechanics. This increases mobility in patients, as they can move freely without feeling any pain caused by the injury.

Helps prevent the need for surgery

Serious injuries may require surgeries. However, when physical therapy is incorporated into the treatment plan of the patient, surgery won’t be necessary. Physical therapy is a more natural way of recovering from an injury, and it even helps recover from injuries quicker. 

Moreover, if one goes for surgery, it may result in more complications post-surgery. Therefore, physical therapy will not only help to build strength and improve mobility unlike after surgery, but patients will no longer require a more invasive and unnatural way to recover from an injury. Also, physical therapy is a more cost-effective solution to treat pain and injuries, than surgery.

Helps prevent injuries to occur easily in the future

When we talk about getting injured in the near future by a car accident, your injuries won’t be that severe. Here we’re talking about whiplash and any pressure or jolt that may have occurred due to a minor car accident. Therefore, physical therapy helps reduce such injuries in the future. The chances of strains, stress, cramps, torn ligaments, and more from occurring in the future lessen.

Read Also: Therapy Talk: What Does a Physiotherapist Do in a Day?

Improves Flexibility

Because injuries from car accidents can cause immobility and stiffness, physical therapy is a great way to help improve flexibility. Physical therapy, therefore, targets a set of muscles and makes use of various exercises and other methods, such as strength training, aerobics, and much more. Improved flexibility and mobility will definitely get you back on track as soon as possible following a major injury. Therefore, you can easily return to your daily life, and even sports, once you’ve regained your flexibility and mobility. In most cases, depending upon the severity of your injuries, physical therapy will be aimed at atrophy and muscle loss as well.

Although it can take numerous months to regain your flexibility, regular and continuous physical therapy sessions with your physical therapist will result in a much higher quality of life, post-accident. Moreover, increased flexibility will also ensure less severe injuries in the future.

Minimizes the use of harmful medications

Pain medications, such as Opioids, will no longer be needed if physical therapy is used as a means of treatment. Opioids are not only dangerous if used excessively, but can also be very addictive.  Therefore, opting for physical therapy will no longer require any need for pain medication, or will greatly reduce the time you will use them.

Helps restore range of motion

If you opt for timely physical therapy right after you’ve experienced a car accident, you are able to restore your range of motion.

Helps prevent chronic symptoms

In case an individual lingers on to the pain caused by car accidents, more severe problems can arise. Moreover, these injuries can also worsen over time. Therefore, those who do not opt for physical therapy on time, will be more likely to suffer from chronic pain. A prominent example is degenerative disc disease, which arises in numerous individuals over the years. Thus, starting physical therapy as soon as possible after a car accident will be more beneficial.

Therefore, although physical therapy can require an extensive amount of time before you actually start seeing results, it is still definitely going to be worth the while! You will be on your feet again in no time and continue your everyday life as soon as possible. Get connected to physical therapy in Dallas today, so that your physical therapist can devise an individualized plan for you.