No one plans to get into a car crash. That is why it is called an “accident” after all! For this reason, it can be tough to know what to do next, particularly if you are hurting. Common ailments after a car crash include pain and stiffness in the head, neck, and shoulders. As well, many people experience a loss of range of motion in the neck, chronic migraines or headaches, tingling and numbness in the upper extremities, dizziness, and fatigue, and even blurred vision and memory problems. You know you need medical help, but from who? Physical therapy is a wonderful idea to help you heal after a car accident! Consider the following:
It allows you to return to normal activities quicker
If you are experiencing pain, stiffness, reduced range of motion, or migraines, it can be a struggle to complete what you need to do throughout the day. Physical therapy aids in the recovery process. It can help those who have been in a car accident to increase their strength, improve their flexibility, and keep pain symptoms to a minimum.
It helps to reduce pain
This leads to our next point- being active reduces your pain. While moving around may sound like the last thing you want to do after the accident, being physically active actually helps reduce pain and help you recover from your injuries much quicker than bed rest. This is particularly true if you have a medical professional showing you the right way to do it.
It can reduce your need for surgery
Most people want to avoid surgery if possible. It’s costly, painful, and requires quite a bit of time away from work and other activities you enjoy while you recuperate. Physical therapy often allows a person to avoid surgery altogether. Physical therapy helps strengthen vulnerable muscles, tendons, and ligaments, which in turn, helps protect various structures throughout the body.
It prevents long-term damage
Your health is too important to let go! Physical therapy not only helps address immediate injuries by improving strength, flexibility, and mobility, but it can also prevent long-term damage including chronic pain and migraines. If you begin a physical therapy treatment plan immediately after your accident, you are much more likely to live a healthy, enjoyable, and pain-free life for years to come.
It helps with old injuries and pain
Let’s say you didn’t begin a physical therapy treatment plan immediately after your auto accident. You are not out of luck! In fact, physical therapy can help restore function and mobility in patients with old car accident injuries from months or even years ago. Using various strength training exercises and cardiovascular rehabilitation techniques, you may be able to achieve a pain-free lifestyle you never thought would be possible.
For those in the Columbia MD area, you have the dedicated professionals at BEAT Physical Therapy to count on. We can help you achieve all of these benefits, and more! Schedule your physical therapy appointment now, so you will be back to feeling healthy and strong very soon!
