People are injured in car accidents every day. According to the National Safety Council, 4.8 million roadway users were seriously injured in 2020 alone. And that doesn’t even include the light injuries — the slight cases of whiplash that don’t put you out of work but make it difficult to turn your head or sleep on your side for a few months.
No matter the severity of your injury, Alliance provides physical therapy that can help you recover from an auto accident injury. Our specialists can assess your injury to determine the root cause of any pain symptoms you're experiencing and work with you to find a course of action for treating and managing them.
Conditions We Treat
Car accidents can lead to many different types of injuries. While physical therapy isn't a cure for all of them, it can help treat the symptoms associated with many.
Here are some examples:
- Back injuries — The spine cannot always absorb the impact of an automobile accident and is commonly injured when involved in one, often leading to painful injuries that can affect your ability to walk, stand or move comfortably.
- Whiplash and other neck injuries — Whiplash occurs when the muscles in the neck are torn or overstretched due to the head turning back and forth too quickly. Also, upper cervical discs (spinal discs in the neck) can be dislocated in an auto injury and cause significant pain.
- Shoulder injuries — If you put your hands on the dashboard to brace against the impact of a crash, your shoulders may not be able to absorb the shock, and you could end up with a painful shoulder injury.
- Wrist and hand injuries — The wrist joint is the most commonly dislocated joint in auto accidents due to people putting their hands out in front to brace against the impact. Broken and fractured wrists are also common auto accident injuries.
- Knee injuries — Knees are often injured in auto accidents because they smash into the console or front seat, leading to severe bruises and fractures. Soft tissue tears may also occur as a result of the knees twisting.
- Foot or ankle injuries — Some of the smallest bones in the body exist in the feet, and they can be crushed when the front end of the car is pushed in.
What to Expect During Treatment
Physical therapy treatment looks different for every patient. Depending on the type and severity of your injury, your physical therapist may use several treatment methods to help you manage your symptoms. In most cases, treatment will involve some combination of the following:
- Target exercises to help you build strength and promote healing in your injured body parts
- Strategic stretching to help you relieve tension and restore flexibility so you can move independently without pain
- Manual therapy technique, in which the therapist physically manipulates your joints and soft tissue to relieve pain and mobilize your injured body parts
If you have recently been in an auto accident and are seeking high-quality physical therapy to help you recover, schedule an appointment at an Alliance clinic in your city today.