It is imperative that anyone who has been in a car accident seek immediate medical attention to have their physical health evaluated. If the symptoms of a whiplash or back injury are ignored or untreated, chronic pain, reduced mobility, and post-traumatic stress disorder could develop.

Are you wondering whether or not you should seek out physical therapy treatment after an auto accident? Here are a few reasons to consider having physical therapy.

1) Preventing Long-Term Damage

Minor injuries are often the most difficult to detect and the most likely to cause pain and discomfort later on. Some of the most common injuries associated with a car crash include:

• Whiplash
• Spinal strain
• Sprains
• Strains
• Dislocation
• Joint and/or muscle sprain

These injuries can cause long-term damage if they are not addressed immediately, and they can lead to chronic pain, fatigue, and other symptoms. Having the injuries treated immediately can reduce the risk of long-term problems.

2) Decreasing the Risk of Chronic Pain

Pain can either be acute or chronic. Acute pain is temporary, and it would go away once the injury has healed. Chronic pain, on the other hand, may not go away. Even after the injury has already healed, your body may still react as if the injury is still present, which can lead to pain.

There are many physiotherapy interventions that can alleviate chronic pain. If the injury is addressed and the healing process is started early enough, then the risk of chronic pain is decreased.

3) Reduces Pain

Many people don’t know that when you experience a whiplash injury, microscopic tears in the tissue occur. The tissues may heal in a manner that causes pain and discomfort. If these tissues are treated immediately, then the healing process is improved leading less pain.

4) Improves Mobility

Any time you suffer an injury, your body will go through a healing process. Once the body has healed, you may experience some limitations in your mobility. For example, if you injured your knee, then you could experience limited mobility.

Physical therapy is a great treatment program for injured patients because it increases your body’s mobility. With more mobile muscles and joints, you will have less pain than you would with limited mobility.

5) Avoid Surgery 

If you have been in a car accident, then you may be worried about your risk of surgery. You may be wondering whether or not you will need surgery to correct injuries that were caused by your accident.

If the injuries are not addressed properly and you experience long-term symptoms, you may be at risk of undergoing surgery that could have been avoided.

Conclusion

If a patient waits too long to seek medical attention, the symptoms of an injury may worsen and become more difficult to treat. When you have been in a car accident, it is important that you seek medical attention as soon as you can.

Find a reliable orthopedic physiotherapist in Whitehorse, YT. At Whitehorse Physiotherapy, we offer physical therapy services to help you improve mobility and heal from injuries. Get in touch with us today to get started.