Getting injured in a car crash can often lead to long-term pain and physical problems that seem almost impossible to recover from. But thanks to the wonderful treatment of physiotherapists, there are many ways to manage, alleviate, or overcome the pain of a car accident injury. Here are a few ways physiotherapists can help.

1 – Helping with recovery

Stiffness, pain, reduced range of motion, headaches – these are all common problems suffered after being injured in a car accident. A physiotherapist can help with these problems by designing therapy and exercise treatments that can help improve the strength and flexibility of tissues in the injured area. The treatments can also alleviate pain and help you understand what is happening with your body and its recovery.

2 – Preventing further damage

Sometimes, injured people don’t always know just how severe their injury is and in other cases, the real pain and trauma show up sometime after the accident. A physiotherapist can help with identifying problem areas that may arise in the future and provide treatment that may help prevent smaller injuries from developing into long-term problems. The sooner you start your recovery treatment the better off you’ll be in the long run.

3 – Activities to reduce pain

If you’ve been severely hurt, moving around may seem like the last thing you want to do. But in many cases, physical activity can help reduce your pain and help the recovery process. Our bodies are amazing machines that work best when they are actually working. A physiotherapist can prescribe treatments to keep you active, mobile and on track for recovery while minimizing your pain.

4 – Cutting down the need for surgery

In some cases, surgery is inevitable, but in other cases, surgery may be avoided by the efforts of an experienced physiotherapist. By strengthening the muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the affected area, a physiotherapist may be able to help you find a recovery solution that avoids surgery.

No matter the severity of your injury, always talk to your doctor first. While physiotherapy offers many benefits to some injury patients, other methods may be more suitable to your needs. Your doctor will know what is best for your situation. If he or she recommends physiotherapy as part of your treatment and recovery, our team can help provide a list of qualified practitioners and supply other resources to help you.

For more information

• The Value of Physiotherapy, Canadian Physiotherapy Association
• Too few physiotherapists to tackle pain in northern B.C., Vancouver Sun