Following a car accident, your doctor might recommend physical therapy in Atlanta to help you regain strength, flexibility, and function. This targeted treatment plays a crucial role in your auto accident rehabilitation therapy, helping you recover and potentially regain better function than before the accident.
It is often used alongside other treatment approaches to provide comprehensive care for car accident injuries.
After initial treatment for car accident injuries, you might notice persistent aches and pains or difficulties in participating in activities you used to enjoy. Sore, stiff muscles and frequent headaches don’t have to be something you just deal with after a car accident. Instead, physical therapy for car accident injuries can help you heal and get back to your usual routines.
Here are four benefits and reasons why you need physical therapy after a car accident:
1. Accelerate Recovery Time with Auto Accident Physical Therapy
It might surprise you to know that those who participate in physical therapy as part of their treatment plan for a car accident injury often end up recovering quicker than those who don’t. Instead of waiting for your injury to affect how you live your life and complete your daily routines, an Atlanta physical therapist will work with you from the beginning to help identify areas that need to be strengthened so you can best recover. The sooner you get started on treatment for your injury, the better your chances of a full recovery.
Physical therapy incorporates a variety of treatment options, including stretching and exercising, which help keep your blood flowing and muscles moving. While rest is important, it’s equally important to avoid resting your muscles too much to prevent pain and stiffness from setting in. Seeing a physical therapist combines treating and repairing your injured area with strengthening it for full healing.
2. Reduce Pain with Physical Therapy for Car Accident Injuries
The stretching and exercises your physical therapist will likely recommend are partly done to help reduce your pain symptoms after you have been injured in a car accident. When you start to move your body gently and with a physical therapist’s guidance after an accident, you begin to restore proper blood flow to the area, which helps bring oxygen and other nutrients to the injured area. Each type of stretch or exercise is used to target your specific type of car accident injury, whether you suffered from whiplash, injured your back, or dislocated your shoulder.
Reducing pain with physical therapy can also lower your need for strong painkillers. Many people are looking for more natural pain relief options than medications to avoid expensive medication costs and may be worried about dependence on pain medication. Physical therapy can provide pain relief by encouraging your body to heal more naturally.
3. Increase Strength Through Car Accident Physical Therapy
You may have broken your arm in a car accident and wonder how physical therapy could be beneficial for you. Truthfully, an injury to a bone doesn’t exist without affecting other parts of your arm and the rest of your body. When you have a broken bone in a cast for a long time, the temptation may be to overcompensate by using the other arm for more activities. A physical therapist can help you increase your strength on the injured side of your body so your muscles won’t be quite so sore when you get the cast off, allowing you to use both arms normally.
Strengthening injured areas also helps prevent future re-injury. Improving your strength, especially in muscles surrounding the injury, aids in returning to daily routines quickly. For instance, When you have a neck injury after a car accident like a slipped disc, a physical therapist will create a plan to strengthen the muscles supporting your head and neck, facilitating proper vertebrae healing.
4. Restore Range of Motion with Physical Therapy After Car Accident
If you have ever been stiff and sore after a particularly strenuous workout, you have likely also noticed how that can affect your range of motion for a day or two. With a car accident injury, this type of pain and discomfort can be tenfold. One of the main goals of physical therapy after a car accident is to restore and improve your range of motion after an injury. For example, a neck injury can cause pain when turning your head. A physical therapist will gradually introduce stretches and exercises to restore neck mobility.
Ignoring treatment for a car accident injury can lead to long-term stiffness and chronic issues. Rehab with a physical therapist helps you avoid these complications, ensuring you regain full mobility.
Learn more about How Long You Need Physical Therapy After a Car Accident
Discover Comprehensive Car Accident Physical Therapy at AICA Orthopedics
If you’re wondering, «Should I go to physical therapy after a car accident?», the answer is a resounding yes. AICA Orthopedics provides a comprehensive team renowned for its expertise, efficiency, and dedication to patient-focused care. With 14 conveniently located facilities throughout Atlanta, AICA offers unparalleled access to top-tier physical therapy services, specifically designed to meet your unique recovery needs.
Visit AICA Orthopedics to learn more about our specialized car accident physical therapy services and how we can help you return to your normal life. Don’t let car accident injuries hold you back—reach out to us today to start your journey to recovery.
