A car accident can cause injuries that end up keeping you from participating in the activities you used to enjoy. There are many car accident injuries that can affect your mobility, strength, and range of motion while you heal and recover. If you skip out on seeing a doctor after a car accident, you run the risk of reducing your quality of life and developing complications like chronic pain and limited mobility. A car accident doctor can help you improve your strength, mobility, and range of motion after you’ve been in a wreck. Receiving the most accurate diagnosis is key to getting the treatment you need to get back on your feet and back to doing what you love.
How a Car Accident Can Affect Your Range of Motion
There are a wide variety of car accident injuries that can cause temporary and lasting physical damage. Here are three examples of common car accident injuries that can affect your range of motion:
Joint Injuries
Damage to joints from a car accident frequently affects shoulders, wrists, hips, knees, and the spine. Your spine is made up of joints called vertebrae that hold up your back and allow your brain to communicate through the nervous system to the rest of the body. Damage to any of these joints in your spine, arms, and legs can impact your range of motion and prevent you from moving around like you normally would. A wrist fracture can cause swelling and inflammation, and it can take weeks for the broken bone to heal, which limits your ability to use that hand and wrist with daily tasks like buttoning your shirt or opening a jar.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues can also become injured due to a car accident. Soft tissue injuries can cause pain, stiffness, soreness, and inflammation that can impact your range of motion. Whiplash is a common soft tissue injury that can cause pain and discomfort in your head, neck, and upper back. When the force of the impact sends your head and neck in a violent forward and backward motion, it can cause your muscles and tendons to stretch out of their normal range. This can cause muscle strains and even tears, which make it difficult to turn your head and neck in certain directions.
Injury Recovery
As you recover from an injury from a car accident, you may also have a restricted range of motion in areas that were not directly injured. For example, a dislocated shoulder might mean you need to avoid lifting your arm or moving your hand and wrist as much as you normally would. As you go through the healing process, you may need to regain some range of motion in that affected shoulder and arm.
How Chiropractic Care Improves Range of Motion
A car accident chiropractor can help you improve the range of motion affected by car accident injuries to the musculoskeletal system. The following include ways chiropractic care is beneficial as you recover from car accident injuries:
Resolve Misalignments
Misalignments in your spine and joints can disrupt healthy functioning, which includes your typical range of motion. A stiff, sore neck after a car accident may be related to strained neck muscles, but it may also be caused by a misalignment of vertebrae in your spine. This type of misalignment can make certain movements feel uncomfortable. Chiropractors use gentle and safe adjustment techniques to resolve misalignments and restore healthy functioning. A dislocation of a joint like the shoulder or hip can also affect your mobility and range of motion. Your car accident chiropractor can help you regain movement in the area by ensuring the joint is functioning properly.
Restore Blood Flow
Improving healthy functioning in an injured area also involves restoring blood flow. Chiropractic adjustments, therapeutic massage, and other techniques help promote the flow of oxygen, nutrients, and blood to damaged tissues. When blood flow is restored to the area, it engages the body’s natural healing responses and abilities.
Reduce Inflammation
Your car accident chiropractor can also help to reduce any swelling and inflammation that may occur due to your car accident injury. Inflammation can cause pain and discomfort that makes certain movements more uncomfortable. Your chiropractor may also recommend applying ice to the area to help reduce swelling and inflammation of the injured area.
Visit Pro-Care Medical Center to learn more about how our team of car accident chiropractors can help you improve your range of motion after suffering a car accident injury.
