A car accident can be a traumatic experience, even when no one gets hurt. Unfortunately, over 2 million people every year are injured in automobile accidents in the United States alone, leaving many with long-lasting problems that could trouble them for the rest of their lives. Decreased mobility, chronic pain and cognitive symptoms are all common consequences of car accident injuries.
Do I need physical therapy after a car accident injury?
Even if you’ve received medical attention for your immediate injuries after a car accident, oftentimes symptoms of further injury don’t appear until days and sometimes months after an accident. Pain and discomfort are sometimes the first warning signs that you may have sustained further injury than you realized, and without treatment, you risk aggravating the injury, leading to long-term complications down the road.
How can physical therapy help?
A licensed physical therapy specialist can help you assess an injury from a car accident, and will formulate a plan to best help you manage your symptoms, leading to gradual healing and a better quality of life. Three ways your physical therapist can help you recover from injuries after a car accident are:
- Manual therapy — Hands-on therapy can be used to manually manipulate and stretch your soft tissue. This not only promotes tissue healing, but it also improves mobility and flexibility in the injured area by breaking up internal scar tissue. It also helps reduce painful inflammation.
- Guided exercises and stretches — Your therapist will walk you through various exercises and stretches to ease the pain from injury, as well as prevent further injury to the affected areas.
- Posture training — During posture training, your therapist will instruct you as to what constitutes good posture. This helps you keep your back, neck, and spine aligned while sitting, standing, driving or walking. This prevents any further injury to the affected areas.
Border Therapy Services offer a free consultation to anyone recovering from a car accident injury. One of our many licensed therapy specialists will be happy to tailor a plan to your specific needs.
Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.