Physical therapy following a car accident

A serious accident can lead to some life-changing injuries, many of which will require surgery and other measures to help victims heal. Doctors often recommend physical therapy following a serious surgery. Physical therapy is a series of treatments meant to help improve mobility, restore function, and relieve pain. According to WebMD, the goal of physical therapy is to help make daily tasks easier. Examples might include walking, going up a flight of stairs, or getting out of bed. A physical therapist will work to help increase strength, endurance, flexibility, and balance.

The recommendation for physical therapy should be taken very seriously. Physical therapy will play a crucial role in both the speed and success of a victim's recovery. Studies reported by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) have demonstrated that therapy and exercise before and after surgery can improve functional status and reduce complications and mortality rates of surgery. Obviously, following surgery, physical therapy can be necessary to help in the recovery process: however, the majority of victims of a car accident do not require surgery.

Although a car accident can present a range of injuries from minor to extremely serious, there are some injuries that are more common than others. For example, neck, back, and shoulder injuries are all very common as are broken bones in the arms and legs or other areas. Each of these injuries responds well to physical therapy. Physical therapy can recover movement from before your accident. It can help ease the pain of these injuries while they heal and you return to your normal lifestyle.

For example, whiplash can be effectively treated using physical therapy. In a study reported by Science Direct, a group of people suffering from whiplash following a motor vehicle collision felt significantly less pain than those using standard treatment methods (use of a soft collar brace) after only six weeks of treatment. The researchers concluded that a physical therapy regimen is superior in reducing pain than current standard treatments.

If you have been involved in a car accident and are suffering because of your injuries, consider physical therapy as a method of treatment. It could decrease the pain you are currently feeling. For other questions you might have following a car accident, consider speaking with a personal injury attorney. They can help resolve many of the questions you might have. They usually offer free consultations and will be able to advise how you should proceed after your accident.