It is important to understand that not all physical therapy clinics are created equal. When looking for a place to recover, don't just go with anyone! Find a clinic that is one on one with the doctor for the entire session and focuses on manual therapy. Read below to find out why.
Why You Need Physical Therapy after a MVA
As you likely already know, a motor vehicle accident (MVA) is very traumatizing and cause a lot of pain. Even in the lightest of accidents, the spine and surrounding muscles are jolted causing soreness. While this might not seem like much at first, these small injuries can compound to make bigger problems down the road. It is important to take care of it now rather than pay for it later.
Why a One on One Clinic is Important
At a typical insurance based clinic, you will be seen for 10-15 min with the physical therapist and then handed off to a tech to do exercises. While there is a time for exercises and you eventually want to get back to moving, right after the accident manual treatment is important to correct any joint problems, decrease muscle tightness, and calm down the system. A clinic that is one on one is typically more outcome based and will focus the initial treatments on manual work (dry needling, mobilization, adjustments, soft tissue work) to help decrease your pain and start moving pain free quicker.
Typical Injuries from a Car Accident?
Injuries from a car accident are typical and need to be addressed: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), neck pain from whiplash, disc pathology, shoulder sprain, back sprain, spasms, and disc pathologies, and other soft tissue injuries just to name a few. While most will want you to just take some pain medication or take some injections, we feel and research backs that it is much more important to receive conservative care that includes manual therapy (soft tissue work, dry needling, mobilization/manipulations, cupping therapy, etc.) as well as progressive corrective work to help you start moving again pain free. This care should always trump pain medication, injections, and surgery due to the negative side effects that precede after.
Having Headaches?
Headaches and neck pain are typical after a car accident. It is important to find out if these headaches are concussion in nature or cervicogenic (headache is coming from the neck). If the headache is cervicogenic, it is important to have a Physical Therapist who specializes in these injuries. This means it is typically coming from the upper cervical joints. This means joint mobilizations are needing and possibly adjustments.
You Have a Choice!
When it comes to where you receive you physical therapy it is important to know you have a choice. Your lawyer or medical doctor will likely refer you to people they have worked with in the past. But do your homework! Ideally you will find someone that is one on one and provides manual therapy with the goal of getting back to moving work exercising without symptoms. Have questions? Let us know, we would love to help!
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