The Benefits of Rehabilitation Therapy After a Car Accident Injury

Did you know that around 3 million people are injured in car accidents every single year? Even if you don’t initially think you’ve suffered a serious injury, it’s important to visit a doctor immediately after an auto accident. They’ll evaluate you and see if there are potential injuries that could get worse if left untreated.

In many cases, after a car accident injury, your doctor will recommend that you participate in some type of injury rehab. This will help you heal up as quickly as possible.

But is rehabilitation therapy right for you? We’re here to help you decide! Keep reading to learn about the benefits of rehabilitation therapy after suffering an injury from a car accident.

It Can Be Tailored Specifically to Your Needs

Since the circumstances of each car accident are unique, a “one size fits all” approach doesn’t work during the treatment process. There are three main types of rehabilitation therapy. They are physical therapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy.

During your car accident rehab treatment, your doctor will work with you to determine the best plan to meet your needs. For example, if you broke your arm in a car accident, you’ll need a much different rehabilitation plan than someone who suffered a spinal injury and has to relearn how to walk.

By getting a tailored plan for your needs, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you’re getting the exact help that your body needs.

It Can Help Prevent Future Injuries

When you first suffer an injury after a car accident, you may not realize how bad it actually is. You might be in shock after the initial impact, which causes your adrenaline to soar so that you momentarily block out the pain. Or, you might consider your injury to be a minor one, which you think you can “work off” on your own.

The unfortunate reality is that, if left untreated, these injuries will likely only get worse. This can lead to even more injuries down the road or even chronic pain issues for the rest of your life.

Going to physical therapy can help prevent more serious issues later on. This helps you stay healthy and feeling good well after the accident.

It Can Provide Pain Relief

While it might sound counterintuitive, moving around and staying active is one of the best things you can do to help reduce pain. Of course, you want to do this movement under the supervision of a professional.

A pain rehabilitation specialist can show you how to move mindfully, in ways that support your body without further aggravating your injuries. They’ll teach you unique stretches and exercises to help reduce pain, heal your injury, and improve your mobility.

If you find yourself in pain in the first few weeks after a car accident, that’s a sign that you should consider rehabilitation therapy for treatment.

It Can Prevent the Need for Surgery

Depending on the nature of your injuries, your doctor may recommend that you eventually need surgery to help repair the wear and tear on your body after suffering a non-life-threatening injury.

However, if you’re hoping to prevent surgery, then physical therapy is one of the best things you can do for your body. Physical therapy can help strengthen your muscles and ligaments, which provides a solid foundation for your body. As a result, you may be able to avoid “maintenance” surgery following a minor car accident injury.

Of course, if your injury is more serious, surgery may be unavoidable. Your doctor and physical therapist will help you decide the right treatment path for you.

It Can Help Speed Up Your Recovery

After getting in a car accident, it can feel like your road to recovery is a long one. However, physical therapy is one way to get back to feeling like your old self much faster.

Since the goal of physical therapy is to restore function and mobility, your therapist will put you on a recovery plan to help improve your strength and range of motion. They’ll know how to put together a plan that you can do quickly while putting an emphasis on safety, so you don’t overdo it and make your injury worse.

It Can Help You Scale Back on Pain Medication

It’s common to receive prescription pain medications after you’re injured in a car accident, but many people don’t want to take them for too long. Whether you have a history of addiction, and you’re worried medication could cause you to relapse, or you just don’t like the way you feel when you take them, finding alternative solutions to pain medication isn’t a bad idea.

Rehabilitation therapy can help you feel pain relief, which can help you to scale back on either the amount or the type of pain medication you need. In the best cases, it can help you get to the point where you no longer need pain medication at all.

It Helps You Build Strength

One of the best things you can do to prevent further injury to your muscles or ligaments is to build strength. Of course, that doesn’t help you if you’ve already been injured, but the good news is that physical therapy helps you build strength to not only heal your current injury but also prevent new ones in the future.

Throughout your rehabilitation therapy, you might find yourself moving your body in new ways, working out new groups of muscles, and helping you feel stronger as you heal. This gives your body a great foundation to help prevent future injuries as you get older.

Get Treatment for Your Car Accident Injury

If you suffer a car accident injury, don’t delay getting treatment. Talk to your doctor today about rehabilitation therapy. As you’ve learned by reading through this article, there are plenty of benefits to it for your overall health.

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