Patients undergo physical therapy after accidents to help them recover and get back to their normal daily activities. Car accidents often cause injuries that, without physical therapy, would take longer to recover.
If you've been in a car accident and suffered injuries, here are some tips to help you decide if auto injury therapy is right for you.
What Types of Injuries Require Physical Therapy?
Injuries sustained in car accidents typically affect joints or the spine. These injuries lead to ongoing pain, reduced range of motion and even chronic pain, like migraines.
Other issues caused by car accidents are also addressed during auto injury therapy.
- Blurred vision
- Memory issues
- Tingling and numbness
- Whiplash
Many injuries from automobile accidents involve soft tissues including ligaments, muscles and tendons. Physical therapists are trained to help patients reduce pain, regain normal function and get their lives back sooner than without therapy.
How Long Does it Take to Recover?
There isn't a timeframe for recovery that fits each patient. The type of injury and severity varies, and so does the time it takes to recover.
Your therapist works on a plan to get you well, and the time it takes to do so involves various factors. The time frame could be a couple of weeks up to two months. However, other injuries can take longer.
Physical therapists evaluate the patient's progress to determine when therapy is no longer needed. The patient is made aware of the treatment plan and length once the therapist conducts an evaluation.
The evaluations include the following.
- Flexibility
- Strength
- Mobility
As patients regain strength and progress the therapist continues to evaluate, so the patient only undergoes therapy for as long as is necessary.
Does Physical Therapy Affect Settlement Cases?
If a person is injured through no fault of their own, he or she can file a claim to help pay for expenses. This includes payments for physical therapy, time off work, and even compensation for personal injury.
Working with the physical therapist and other medical professionals helps you prove your claim. You'll have documented medical records of your injuries and the expected outcome for recovery.
Physical therapy for auto injuries is an effective way for the injured to regain and also understand the long-term effects of injuries so that he or she can get the compensation they deserve.
Car injury therapy has several benefits to the injured person after an automobile accident. If you've been injured, you and your doctor can decide if auto injury therapy is right for you.
