Most of us drive our cars every day without experiencing an accident. Unfortunately, car accidents are one of the most common causes of accidental injury in the United States. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, over 2 million people in the United States alone become injured in car accidents every year. This leaves many people with long-lasting effects from their injuries, such as reduced mobility and chronic pain that can be difficult to manage without treatment.
What kinds of injuries are caused by car accidents?
While car accidents often cause broken bones, dislocations and other serious injuries, soft tissue injuries are also common. Unlike fractures and other bone-related injuries, soft tissue injuries caused by car accidents often take longer to heal, and may have longer-lasting effects. Some of the most common soft tissue injuries are:
- Whiplash — Whiplash is an injury of the neck caused by forceful, back-and-forth movement. This causes strain on the muscles, nerves and tendons of the neck. Whiplash can often result in neck pain and stiffness, shoulder and lower back pain, and cognitive symptoms such as blurred vision.
- Concussions — Concussions can occur when the sudden impact in a car crash causes the brain to shift, and slam against the inside of the skull. This can result in feeling stunned or dazed, loss of memory, confusion, and loss of motor coordination.
- Sprains — Soft tissue sprains happen when the impact from a car accident causes the ligaments in the body to stretch too much and too quickly. Sprains result in pain, a loss of flexibility, swelling and inflammation, and bruising. Sprains can be so severe that the ligaments can even tear away from the bone.
- ACL Injuries — The anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, is a tendon located inside the knee. If the knee is severely bent or impacted during a car accident, the ACL can tear, causing painful swelling and difficulty standing or walking.
How can physical therapy help with soft tissue injuries from car accidents?
Soft tissue injuries from car accidents can take a long time to heal, and it may take months or even years before the injured area regains its mobility, flexibility and strength. Thankfully, physical therapy can assist you in recovering from soft tissue injury.
Using tried and proven techniques such as therapeutic exercises and joint mobilization techniques, Excel Sport & Physical Therapy can assist in mitigating and managing the long-term symptoms of soft tissue injuries from a car accident. A free screening is the first step toward building a physical therapy program that is specifically tailored to your recovery needs.
Contact our team today for more information about how we can treat your injury or to schedule an initial appointment.
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