According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, over 2.7 million people in the United States were injured due to a car accident in 2019 alone. While some car accident injuries can be relatively minor and may not require medical treatment, some injuries can have lasting consequences. Common injuries associated with car accidents can include: 

• Whiplash — This is an injury of the neck caused by forceful, back-and-forth movement, which causes strain on the muscles, nerves, tendons and vertebrae of the neck. Whiplash can often result in neck pain and stiffness, shoulder and lower back pain, as well as cognitive symptoms such as blurred vision.

• Fractures and broken bones — Fractures and broken bones can be caused by car accidents, due to the body’s impact against the inside of the car or airbag. The connective tissue of the arms and legs can also be damaged.

• Back injuries — Car accidents can result in sharp or burning pain in the back, muscle spasms, stiffness, and discomfort when walking or standing. Severe back injuries can sometimes lead to decreased mobility, or even paralysis.

How common is back pain after a car accident?

Experiencing back pain, even long after you experience a car accident, is very common. In fact, 63% of ongoing cases of lower back pain can be attributed to a previous injury from a car accident, according to Accident Analysis & Prevention. 

Ongoing back pain from a car accident can negatively affect your mobility as well as your overall quality of life. However, with ongoing therapy from a licensed physical therapist, the pain and discomfort caused by a car accident injury can be greatly reduced.

How can physical therapy help with a car accident injury?

There are several steps that the team at a physical therapy clinic can take to help you on the road to recovery from a car accident injury:

• Help with managing pain — The pain from a car accident injury can be debilitating. Pain management techniques designed to stimulate your soft tissue can help with managing the pain from your injury, reducing inflammation and improving your quality of life.

• Increasing mobility — With the help of a PT clinic, car accident injuries may not restrict your mobility long-term. Working with a physical therapist can help the tendons, ligaments and muscles in your back regain their strength and mobility. Treatments can include exercises, manual therapy, and other forms of physical therapy.

• Preventing long-term damage — Injuries from a car accident can have long-lasting effects on the body. Aside from chronic pain, car accidents can result in prolonged irritation of the nerves in your back. This can lead to problems down the road, such as spinal stenosis (the narrowing of the spinal canal) and nerve damage. Committing to physical therapy now can prevent long-term damage to the body.

Turn to Continuum Wellness to help you recover from car accident injuries

If you have experienced a car accident injury and want to take the first step on the road to recovery, let us help. At our physical therapy clinic, we can schedule a one-on-one consultation to assess your injury and put you on the road to recovery. Our physical therapists can also create a targeted physical therapy treatment program for your needs.

Contact our team today for more information about our car accident injury treatment services or to schedule your initial appointment.