People navigating their lives after a serious car accident have a long road ahead of them. From insurance claims to car repairs, the amount of stress impacts anyone’s regular routine. This compounds more if a person suffers from a serious injury as a result.
A serious injury may lead to long weeks of recovery and, if recovery requires bed rest, long weeks of lost wages. Approaching physical therapy with a patient and knowledgeable determination is key to a faster recovery.
How does physical therapy help?
Physical therapists work on the musculoskeletal aspect of injuries. Sudden traumas like a car accident tend to cause underlying injuries that may lead to long-lasting pain or discomfort. As Therapydia explains, physical therapists design their routines to include techniques like:
- Exercises to address pain or dysfunction in major parts of the body
- Posture training to resolve pains in the neck and shoulders from common injuries like whiplash
- Activities that strengthen and stabilize any areas weakened by an accident
Everyone has unique hurdles after a car accident and so therapists try to match PT routines to a victim’s needs.
How long does physical therapy take?
As every personal injury in a car accident is unique, so too is the timeline. But physical therapists may evaluate a victim’s injuries to determine a relative schedule. Mount Prospect Health Center discusses how the type of injury and severity might significantly impact recovery times.
From soft tissue injuries or muscle strains like whiplash, physical therapy may take between two and three months depending on individual recovery progress whereas broken bones may take weeks to heal and weeks after to strengthen.
Physical therapy is one cost among many in a person’s healing, but that value may be worth more if dealt with quickly after an accident and pursued diligently until full recovery.
