Over 236,000 people were injured in car accidents in Florida in 2018. If they were lucky, they came out of the accident with minor cuts and bruises. Others may have needed some physical therapy before recovering. But what happens when you get in a car accident and come out with serious, life-changing injuries?
One option for those who find themselves seriously injured after an auto accident is a therapy called neuromuscular reeducation. What is neuromuscular reeducation? Read on to find out!
The Brain-Body Connection
The brain and the body have an intimate connection. Everything that your body does is controlled by your brain. Think of your brain as a complex computer. It enables your body to do everything from breathing to walking to writing.
When you want to do something like go for a walk, your brain sends signals through a complex system of nerves that tell the muscles in your legs to move. It also tells your muscles how fast to move and how much force to use.
Those pathways are not indestructible, however, and can be damaged or permanently severed when you’re in an auto accident. When that happens, you might think you would like to walk, but the brain cannot effectively send signals to your muscles to accomplish the task.
What Is Neuromuscular Reeducation?
Neuromuscular reeducation helps retrain the nerve connections between your brain and your soft tissues so that they effectively communicate with each other to accomplish everyday movements like walking or waving.
To accomplish this task, physical therapists utilize a number of techniques and exercises. For example, a physical therapist may put pressure on impaired areas to help restore muscle activation. This is known as active release and trigger point therapy.
Physical therapists may also have you complete certain exercises that encourage your muscles to regain strength, balance, and coordination to help retrain the connection between your brain and muscles.
What Are Its Benefits?
The main benefit of neuromuscular reeducation is that it helps restore the connection between the brain and impaired muscles. The goal is to give you a wider range of motion. It can also help relieve pain by releasing pressure on impinged nerves, giving you better balance, and strengthening your muscles.
The ultimate goal of this therapy is to give patients a superior quality of life without having to endure invasive surgeries.
Ready for Relief?
What is neuromuscular reeducation? It’s a life-changing therapy that helps reform the connection between your brain and your soft tissues so they function normally and without pain. With a little time and work, neuromuscular reeducation will have you back on track and living a better life!
Ready to stop living with pain and mobility restrictions after getting injured in an auto accident in Florida? We can help you get there. Schedule an appointment at one of our Florida physical therapy centers today!