3 Reasons to Start Physical Therapy After a Car Accident
A car accident can have lasting and unexpected effects on your long term health. Here are 3 major benefits of starting physical therapy after a car accident.
In 2016, there were over 34,000 fatal car crashes in the United States and over 12 million non-fatal accidents. Car accidents can be very scary and cause an infinite number of injuries. Immediately following the accident, you could have broken bones, head injuries, cuts and bruises, and more.
However, many people don’t realize that there is still a risk of injury long after the car accident has happened. With their adrenaline flowing, a victim of a car accident may not realize the extent of their injuries or that they have any injuries until later.
It is always wise to seek out physical therapy after a car accident for this reason. Keep reading to learn about three major reasons to seek professional help if you’ve been in a wreck.
1. Mitigating Long-Term Health Problems
While physical therapy can offer relief to injuries that occur during the accident, there are injuries which are not immediately noticeable. Back, neck, and shoulder pain and stiffness can occur as a result of an accident but not show up until later.
Physical therapy after a car accident can help reduce pain, stiffness, and the need for surgery. It can go a long way towards speeding up the recovery process after a car accident.
2. Avoiding Surgery
Often times injuries that don’t display symptoms until long after the accident can turn into serious issues. Sometimes, these injuries even require surgery. By seeking out physical therapy soon after the accident, you can treat these hidden injuries and reduce or get rid of the need for surgery.
Certain injuries, if left unchecked, can lead to surgery and costly hospital bills. It is always best to visit a medical professional immediately following an accident. This will help with any claims you may wish to make later on. A doctor will also be able to recommend a physical therapist to see as well as document the need or desire for physical therapy to an insurance company.
3. Improving Quality of Life
There are times when it’s hard to tell if a car accident caused your injuries. These issues can rise up years after an accident and take a serious toll on the quality of life of a person.
Physical therapy can help in a couple of ways with this. One, as mentioned earlier, is to help relieve these issues before they become serious health concerns. In this respect, physical therapy can improve quality of life before the quality of life is even diminished.
If the injuries go unchecked, however, and quality of life diminishes, physical therapy helps you take back control of your life.
Physical Therapy After a Car Accident
Physical therapy after a car accident can be beneficial to someone that’s suffered an injury. While the recovery process can be hard with injuries, it can be just as hard without visible injuries.
If you’ve been in a car accident and feel like you may have underlying injuries or wish to learn more about the benefits of physical therapy contact us today!