Car Accident
You did everything right. You stopped at the stop sign. You looked for oncoming traffic. You accelerated into your turn. But out of nowhere, another car plows into yours.
Or maybe you skidded to a halt at a sudden red light and were rear-ended by the person behind you. No matter the means, car accidents are jarring and can take a heavy physical toll.
The effects of a car accident on the body can range from minor scrapes and bruises to broken bones. If you’ve recently been in an auto accident in Tampa, here’s what to expect afterward.
Head and Neck Injuries
Depending on the severity of your accident, you may experience head and neck pain after the crash. If you hit your head during the accident, you may be at risk for having a concussion. When untreated, concussions can be dangerous, so be sure to visit the doctor just in case.
Whiplash is another common side-effect of being in a car accident. As your vehicle comes to a sudden stop, your head keeps moving forward at an accelerated rate. This places an enormous strain on your neck muscles as they try to stop your head. Whiplash can be minor or result in muscle sprains.
If the latter is the case for you, be sure to check out where you can receive physical therapy in Tampa. If you’re not in the Tampa area, try googling ‘physical therapy near me.’
Back Pain
If you’ve injured your back in the accident, you may experience pain when you bend, twist, or reach. Back injuries can be very serious and should be treated by a medical doctor. Afterward, you may need muscular traction therapy to relieve any additional discomfort.
Injuries to the back can also cause pain in the neck, shoulders, and hips. If you have headaches after being in an auto accident in the Tampa Bay area, visit your doctor immediately. It may be a symptom of a greater issue.
Stiffness and Mobility Issues
Two of the less intense but frustrating post-accident issues are stiffness and immobility. As your muscles tensed to try and keep your body from flying out of your car, they may have overexerted themselves. This can cause stiffness and soreness which will make it hard to move.
Or perhaps you were jostled around or hit your airbag particularly hard. This can cause bruising which can also make it painful to move around.
Auto Accident in Tampa? Get Checked Out
Car accidents, even minor ones, cause trauma to the body. So once you’re home, your first step after an auto accident in Tampa should be to visit your doctor.
You need to do this even if you suspect you weren’t seriously injured. Any pain after the crash needs to be looked into. Plus, you can’t be sure that you didn’t sustain any internal damage until a doctor gives you a check-up.
Your next step is to follow the advice of your doctor. He or she may recommend physical therapy or other restorative treatments. Finally, give yourself time to recover. If you’re in need of physical therapy in Tampa, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Car Accident
Have you been involved in an auto accident?
If you are now experiencing pain because of this accident you need to know the symptoms that you should never ignore after you have been involved in an auto crash in St. Petersburg.
Injuries that you receive if ignored may wind up being very serious in the long run and not taking action can also damage your compensation claim. For your own health and in order to ensure that you have the necessary medical records to collect compensation, you need to seek medical attention. Here are some symptoms that you should never ignore.
1. Stomach Pain
Having stomach pain after a car accident is often the result of an internal injury or even bleeding. Damage to internal soft tissues is often the main cause of any stomach pain you experience.
This stomach pain can last for hours or it may go on for longer. It is essential that you seek medical treatment to deal with this issue. Pain in your abdominal area can lead to dizziness and large bruises.
2. Dizziness and Headaches
It is not uncommon for a car accident to cause a concussion. You may even experience blood clots or get whiplash which can result in dizziness or headaches.
These types of head injuries can get worse if not dealt with by a medical professional. Often these symptoms are the result of trauma to the brain.
If your head hit any hard surface or was suddenly thrown with violent force when you had the accident, this may result in damage to the soft tissue of the brain. Traumatic brain injury can be life-threatening so if you experience any dizziness or headaches after an auto accident you need to visit the emergency room immediately.
3. Neck and Back Pain
Back and neck pain should never be taken lightly when you have an auto accident. Often neck or back pain is a sign that you may have suffered a herniated disc.
If you have suffered a herniated disc you will experience pain going down your back and your leg. This is a very painful condition that may require painkillers and physical therapy over a period of months.
Sometimes pain from a herniated disc can go on for several years and it may require steroid injections to help you to lead a normal life. Needless to say, this is a serious injury and the sooner you get medical attention for it the better it will be for you in the long run.
A Final Look at Auto Crash in St. Petersburg
If you experience an auto crash in St. Petersburg you now know three of the major symptoms that you should never ignore. Ignoring these symptoms can result in long-term deterioration of your health.
Take action immediately after an auto accident. Even if you feel fine, go ahead and get a medical check-up because the symptoms can be delayed. Never take anything for granted, protect your health.
If you need physical therapy after an auto accident do not hesitate to contact us.
Car Accident
A whopping six million car accidents happen every year in the U.S, according to Driver Knowledge. Whether you’ve been in a fender bender or a life-altering wreck, your crash has added another tick to that tally.
Once the shock and adrenaline from the crash wear off, you might find that your body feels a bit different. Aches and pains post-accident don’t always go away on their own, either. You might need a physical therapist to help work out the kinks.
But how do you know when you need to seek out professional help? Here are three of the major signs that you need physical therapy after an auto accident in Tampa and beyond.
1. You Have Invisible Injuries
You may have walked away from your car accident, seemingly unscathed. Under the surface, though, late-onset injuries lingered. And, now, they’re starting to flare up and cause you discomfort.
Invisible injuries include whiplash, headaches, lightheadedness, and numbness, among other symptoms. Left untreated, any of these can get worse and more painful. Whiplash, for one, can digress into chronic neck and back pain.
Seeing a physical therapist can help you overcome auto accident injuries. Your doctor will have a slew of techniques with which to lessen your pain. For instance, they might recommend a paraffin bath to boost your mobility.
2. You Find It Tough to Move
Car accident injuries, both visible and invisible, can hinder your regular movements. Perhaps you feel pain or stiffness post-crash — physical therapy can help with that, oif course.
Physical therapists are movement experts — it’s their job to get your body back to its full range of motion. Their methods will help you with a variety of car-accident side effects, too.
For example, you might need to loosen your upper body once whiplash has tightened it up. Or, your crash-related injuries may have required surgery to fix. A physical therapist can guide you through gentle exercises to get muscles moving again.
Be sure to enlist the help of a Tampa physical therapy clinic that specializes in post-accident relief. That way, you can get the most useful, knowledgeable care in your situation.
3. Your Pain Gets Worse
The most common reason to seek out physical therapy is lingering pain. Indeed, many people attempt to wait it out anyway. Perhaps the pain will subside, they think to themselves.
And yet, your pain has gotten worse in the wake of your accident. When this happens, it should be a huge red flag — your body isn’t healing on its own. It’s nothing to panic about, but worsening pain should signal you that it’s time to see a doctor.
Your physical therapist can come up with a routine that will combat your ongoing pain. They may work in tandem with your doctor, too, to make sure everything’s okay. And that’s peace of mind you wouldn’t have without seeking out Tampa physical therapy in the first place.
Try Physical Therapy
The right physical therapist will work with you to soothe the pain you feel after your car accident. With that, you can return to your day-to-day life with comfort and confidence.
All you have to do is make an appointment with us and get on the path to healing.
Car Accident
Have you been injured in a car accident? Maybe you needed surgery or you had to wear a cast. If so, it’s likely you’re going to need physical therapy in order to improve your function.
If you’ve never visited one before, you might wonder what a physical therapist professional does. Below, we look at the physical therapy role and how it can get you moving again.
Physical Therapist Professional Defined
If you’re wondering what do physical therapists do, the answer is… a lot. They are trained professionals who help treat many problems related to physical function.
The role of a physical therapist is to identify your problem and then determine a treatment plan to reduce pain and give you greater freedom of movement.
6 Key Areas of Concentration
There are several ways in which someone in the physical therapy profession can help you resume your life. Let’s look at 6 common treatment therapies.
1. Rehabilitation
A serious car accident can result in extensive injuries to your limbs, back, and neck. Physical therapists are able to design a rehabilitation plan that will loosen stiff muscles, improve range of motion, and ensure that you heal and regain complete function.
2. Loosening Muscles and Joints
If you don’t use certain muscles for a period of time, they can get stiff. Sometimes, scar tissue forms over an injury or surgical area. This can also cause pain and stiffness. If you don’t go to therapy – or you don’t follow the doctor’s protocol – you risk permanent damage.
Stretching helps improve your range of motion and flexibility.
3. Strength Exercises
Your physical therapy plan will most likely include strengthening or therapeutic exercises for the specific area. These are movements that help improve the function of your muscles as well as your endurance and range of motion.
4. Core Strengthening
Your core – basically the middle of your body or your torso – is what provides mobility and strength so you can move. It’s sort of like the foundation of a house. Without a strong core, the house is in danger of collapsing.
A weak core can put you at greater risk of a fall or further injury. Core strengthening is designed to improve your balance and muscle strength to provide more stability.
5. Ice and Heat Therapy
Applying ice and heat are extremely beneficial in warming up and cooling off muscles. Heat relaxes stiff muscles and stimulates blood flow, which is essential for healing. Ice helps reduce swelling, inflammation, and pain.
6. Electrical Stimulation
With this type of treatment, an electrical current is passed through the affected area. While this might sound strange, it can be very beneficial. The current actually alters the region and the muscles where it’s applied.
It can also help increase blood flow and reduce pain.
Physical Therapy for Healing
If you’ve experienced the trauma of an injury due to a car accident, it’s time to get your life back. A physical therapist professional can help you regain normal function, reduce pain, and ensure your full recovery.
If you’re in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area and you’ve received a referral for therapy, contact us to schedule a consultation. We can help you move on from your injuries.
Car Accident
Have you recently been in a car accident and suffered serious injuries? Do you want to use the best practices possible so that you don’t deal with long-term health problems?
If so, then we recommend seeking physical therapy in addition to whatever treatments you would normally take for your injuries. This practice involves massages, exercise, heat treatment, and similar methods to get your body back into shape.
With our knowledge of medical treatments, you will be able to heal and keep injuries from affecting your professional and personal lives.
This guide aims to show you why you should seek physical therapy immediately after a car accident.
1. Boosted Recovery
Those wondering “Where is physical therapy near me?” should know that it can improve how well and quickly you recover. Physical therapy after car accidents comes in handy for those who have a physically demanding job that they want to get back to right away.
With the right car accident doctor, you can make sure that you avoid long-term injuries by healing correctly. By seeking physical therapy during recovery, you can keep your muscles and bones functioning for as long as possible.
2. Avoiding Further Damage
Your recovery from a car accident depends on how quickly you address broken bones, broken ribs, physical trauma, and other injuries. These problems can lead to secondary injuries if you don’t take advantage of services such as physical therapy in Tampa.
Injuries to the back, legs, or head can get worse with a simple fall or strain months after the accident if doctors don’t analyze them fully right away. The more appointments you make for your injuries, the better chance you have at avoiding injuries in the future.
3. Taking Care of Invisible Injuries
Physical therapy doesn’t just help heal broken bones and fractures. Massages and heat treatments can address headaches, numbness, and pain in the neck and back caused by whiplash.
Ultrasound therapy and similar treatments can help heal scar tissue and micro-tears on your muscles, which sometimes can’t be detected by an x-ray. You can also use this therapy to reduce stiffness and feel comfortable in the long-term.
4. Improving Mental Health
Healing emotionally and mentally after a car accident can be just as challenging as doing so physically. That’s where services such as physical therapy in St. Petersburg come in, as improving relaxation can keep you in a better mood on a regular basis.
This treatment can also help you tackle concussions and similar brain injuries that can affect your mood and mental functions in the long term. Report to your therapist in the weeks following your initial treatment to see how your mood has changed before and after the accident.
5. Saving Money
Seeking physical therapy also gives you the opportunity to improve your finances. You can avoid spending money on painkillers and similar medications that may not work as well or even becoming addicting.
We suggest including the cost of physical therapy in your compensation claim to avoid expensive medical bills. A car accident physical therapy settlement can also put more money in your pocket in case the accident was the other driver’s fault and not your own.
Our Take on Physical Therapy After a Car Accident
We recommend seeking physical therapy within two weeks after your car accident. This will give you a better chance of taking care of injuries that can get worse over time.
This treatment will allow you to address issues on the outside and inside of your body. You can also use this therapy to save money on expenses and preserve your emotional and mental health.
By using physical therapy immediately after an accident, you can return to a healthy life with friends and family.
For more or our medical expertise, make an appointment with us today to learn how to recover from injuries as quickly as possible.
Car Accident
Are you involved with any sports? Perhaps you play volleyball? Well, keep it up!
If anything, it’s a great way to develop your speed, balance, and flexibility. Not to mention that it also reduces stress!
You just have to be careful of one thing—injuries. After all, accidents happen. Take ankle sprains, for example—they’re the most common injury in the sport! Knee injuries are common as well.
Did you recently hurt your ankle? Want to know how you can manage a lateral ankle sprain? If so, you’re on the right page. Keep reading to learn more!
What is a Lateral Ankle Sprain?
A sprained ankle occurs when you overstretch the ligaments surrounding the bone. Depending on how you twisted or turned your foot, they can either stretch or tear.
The word “lateral” refers to the type of ankle sprain—that is, it affects the lateral side of the foot. To be more specific, it happens when the foot rolls inwards; this causes damage to the ligaments of the outer ankle.
Symptoms of an Ankle Sprain
Ankle sprains can lead to a variety of symptoms. For example, there might be swelling, bruising, tenderness, pain, or stiffness. In some cases, you might not be able to put any weight on the foot.
Consider calling a doctor if you suspect that you have a sprain—they will be able to determine whether it’s actually a sprain or if it’s a different type of injury.
Treating an Ankle Sprain
There are a few things that you can do to treat your sprain. First and foremost, you want to apply ice to the area—that will help to reduce swelling. Repeat every two to three hours for 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
Similarly, you can reduce swelling by elevating your foot. For example, you can prop it up with a few pillows.
Avoid putting weight on the injured ankle during the recovery process. If necessary, use crutches. Over-the-counter painkillers are also an option if pain is an issue.
Preventing Ankle Sprains
Ankle sprains are preventable. For one thing, it’s a good idea to warm up before you exercise—that’ll lower your risk of injury.
For those who’ve injured their ankle previously, consider wearing a support brace. You can also wrap an elastic bandage over the area.
Last but not least, make sure that you’re wearing proper shoes. It’s also important to pay attention to the surface that you’re walking on—you never know when there might be uneven ground!
Potential Complications
Failing to treat a sprained ankle can result in complications. For example, it can lead to chronic ankle pain. In some cases, it can even cause arthritis!
For this reason, it’s important to stay off your ankle while it heals. The last thing that you want to do is to engage in activities too soon!
Managing an Ankle Sprain
Hopefully, that gives you a better understanding of what a lateral ankle sprain is and how to treat it. If anything, you want to let it heal properly before resuming your activities!
Looking for a physical therapist in the Tampa area? Feel free to contact us to set up an appointment!
