Why Is Physical Therapy Necessary After a Car Accident?

Following a car accident, it’s common to have a significant amount of adrenaline coursing through your body. This hormonal response can dull the pain you feel and make you less likely to notice the injuries you sustained in the crash.

Physical therapy after car accidents is an essential part of the recovery process because it allows you to get relief from the immediate pain you’re experiencing while also promoting healing. Learn more about why physical therapy for car accident injury issues is vital.

Why Pain Might Not Be Immediate After a Car Accident

During an accident, the human body releases large amounts of adrenaline into the bloodstream. This is part of the well-known “fight or flight” response, and it serves the evolutionary purpose of diminishing pain, so you can protect yourself. It could take hours or even days before your injuries become apparent.

Shock is also a potential reason why you may not feel pain. The shock response sends as much blood to your vital organs as possible while constricting the blood vessels in less critical areas, like your skin. If you were to suffer a muscle tear, for example, you might not feel it until the shock wore off.

Another problem is that inflammation is often what alerts you that you’re hurt, but swelling can take time to commence. Soft tissue injuries, for example, often only become noticeable when inflammation starts.

If you only focus on your immediate pain after a car accident, you could delay getting treated for other serious issues. Some symptoms that could indicate that you need physical therapy include headaches, muscle stiffness, and pain that radiates outward from the injury site.

The Crucial Role and Core Benefits of Physical Therapy

Car injury treatments usually involve physical therapy because of their effectiveness for pain management. Manual therapy stimulates blood flow in the targeted areas, which serves to reduce inflammation by bringing oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to the damaged tissue.

Stretching exercises can increase mobility and your range of motion. It can also help you rebuild strength in affected muscles, so they can better support the injured areas and prevent you from injuring yourself again.

Additionally, physical therapy improves muscle coordination, joint movement, and overall balance. After experiencing a head injury or whiplash, you may struggle with balance problems that leave you unable to go about your day-to-day life.

Physical therapy can enhance your posture and take some of the weight off your spine. It teaches you how to better gauge your body’s position, allowing you to prevent falls or further injuries.

Another major benefit physical therapy offers is the management of scars. Manual therapies, like massage and myofascial release, can help break down scar tissue and increase circulation to encourage the growth of new, healthy tissue and prevent the formation of scar tissue as you heal.

Furthermore, physical therapy can help you avoid long-term complications, like chronic pain or mobility issues. It does this by targeting the root of the problem, such as swelling or muscle weakness. By strengthening the affected area, your risk of suffering long-term issues diminishes.

Common Car Accident Injuries Physical Therapy Can Address

There are a number of common injuries treated with physical therapy after a car accident. Here are a few examples of the injuries that can benefit from physical therapy:

Whiplash (Neck Strains and Sprains)

Heat therapy and manual therapy can help reduce muscle spasms and joint stiffness and increase range of motion.

Back Pain (Herniated Discs, Lumbar Sprains)

Stretching exercises can augment your posture and strengthen your core muscles, so your spine isn’t under as much pressure. If nerve compression is causing pain, physical therapy can reduce irritation to the nerves in the problematic region.

Shoulder Injuries (Rotator Cuff Tears, Impingement)

Techniques, like joint mobilization, manual therapy, and stretching exercises, can improve movement and promote blood flow to the area. For example, scapular squeezes and pendulum exercises serve to reduce stiffness and discomfort.

Knee Injuries (Ligament Sprains, Meniscus Tears)

Electrical stimulation, manual therapy, and hot and cold therapy can all improve circulation around the knee joint while also restoring range of motion. Strengthening exercises, such as squats and leg extensions, can help you rebuild muscle to support your knees.

Headaches and Concussions (Vestibular Rehabilitation)

Physical therapy for concussions often includes vestibular exercises that alleviate dizziness and improve balance. If your eye movement and coordination have been impacted, you may also benefit from oculomotor exercises.

Soft Tissue Injuries (Muscle Strains, Ligament Sprains)

Manual therapy is highly useful for soft tissue injuries, as it improves blood flow to the site of damage, reduces inflammation, and boosts the healing process.

Fractures (Post-Immobilization Rehabilitation)

Restoring strength and movement is the goal of physical therapy after breaking a bone. Manual therapy can accelerate tissue regeneration, while progressive weight therapy will allow you to put manageable stress on the affected part to fortify it.

If you’ve sustained an injury in a collision that requires physical therapy, a Tampa car accident lawyer can guide you through the process of filing a claim and finding a therapist who suits your needs.

What To Expect During Your Physical Therapy Sessions

Knowing what to expect in physical therapy following a car accident can relieve some of the stress you’re likely under.

It all begins with the initial assessment. Your therapist will get your full medical history, including any medications you’re on, and perform a thorough physical examination to understand what the problem is.

Using this information, they can put together an individualized treatment plan that addresses your needs. They’ll consider the type of injury you’ve suffered, its severity, and any other physical limitations you may have to offer targeted support.

Your therapist may rely on a variety of exercises to treat your injury.

Manual therapy, which helps mobilize soft tissues and joints with the use of massage and manipulation, is a common intervention. Your therapist may also prescribe strength exercises involving weights or resistance bands or range-of-motion exercises, like heel-toe walks to improve your mobility.

Stretching is crucial for regaining and improving flexibility, while low-impact cardio can strengthen your muscles while sending oxygen-rich blood throughout your body.

Heat and cold therapy can be highly effective for some patients. This type of therapy induces drastic changes in body temperature to reduce pain and prompt healing. Similarly, ultrasound therapy can be used to stimulate massage-like vibrations within tissues.

Electrical stimulation (e-stim) has become more popular in recent years because it can block pain signals in targeted nerves while forcing beneficial muscle contractions. Since it also increases circulation to the injured area, e-stim often speeds up healing.

Even if you’re attending regular therapy sessions, it’s your responsibility to continue performing certain exercises and stretches at home.

Follow your therapist’s instructions to the letter and stick closely to the schedule they recommend. Your therapist will determine whether to make adjustments to your treatment plan during follow-up sessions.

How Long Should You Go to Physical Therapy?

If you’ve wondered, “How long should I go to physical therapy after a car accident?” The answer may not be as straightforward as you think.

The time you’ll need to be in therapy depends on many factors, including the type of injury you suffered and its location and severity. Everyone heals at a different speed, and you may have other health issues that could impact the therapies you’ll receive.

Whether you adhere fully to your therapist’s recommendations is another consideration. If you don’t do your physical therapy exercises every day, for example, the healing process can take longer and require additional sessions.

A common problem that can delay recovery is halting the therapy as soon as the pain starts to get better and mobility improves. Although it can be tempting to jump back into your regular life and set physical therapy aside, you could ultimately be setting yourself back.

How Physical Therapy Affects Your Car Accident Settlement

To receive a fair car accident physical therapy settlement, you must demonstrate the severity of your injury. You can do this by producing your medical records, including those involving the physical therapy you’ve received.

Getting physical therapy means that your injury was serious enough to interfere with your life. By maintaining detailed medical records, you can convey a clear idea of the expenses you’ve incurred because of the collision, how often you’ve missed work to get treatment, and whether you’ll require future therapy.

Every time you attend a session, no matter how short, make sure there’s a record of the visit. You should also make a note of expenses, like parking fees, if you need to go to the hospital for your therapy, as these and other costs can be factored into your losses. 

Your lawyer can benefit from these records as well. A lawyer from Jack Bernstein, Injury Attorneys, can use the information you’ve gathered to calculate your losses and give you an idea of what you can expect in terms of damages. If you’re not sure what records will make the biggest difference, ask your attorney.

How To Find the Right Physical Therapist After a Car Accident in Tampa

If you’ve recently found yourself searching “car accident physical therapy near me,” one option you have is to ask your doctor for a referral. They’ve likely worked with physical therapists in the past and know who can offer the right services.

Make sure the professional you choose has experience helping people who have been injured in car accidents. Some physical therapists only work with athletes or other specific groups and therefore, may not fully understand the damage that a collision can cause.

Read client testimonials and online reviews to get an idea of the therapist’s expertise and schedule a consultation if you think they’d be a good choice.

You must be able to communicate effectively with your physical therapist. If you feel that they aren’t addressing your concerns, find another professional. Working with the right therapist can make a big difference, so you shouldn’t rush to make this decision.

To learn more and initiate your case before the car accident injury claim deadline, contact the skilled team at Jack Bernstein, Injury Attorneys.

FAQ

Citations:

Adrenal Hormones. (2022).

In Brief: Physical Therapy. (2024).

Matthews, M., et al. (2023). Ultrasound Therapy.