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PT vs Chiropractic Care for Accident Injuries

After being involved in an accident, most people look into either physical therapy or chiropractic care to treat their injuries. What is the difference, and which one is better? The Impact Medical Brandon team is here to sort it all out for you.

Common Accident Injuries

There are several things that can happen to your body when you endure an accident. Direct contact and the force of the impact alone can target various parts of the body thus leading to different symptoms and conditions, such as:

Whiplash

Being the most common type of accident injury, whiplash causes immense strain in the neck, head, and spine. If left untreated, it can lead to lasting chronic pain.

Pinched Nerves

When there is excessive pressure on a nerve, you can feel it in the form of pain, numbness, and tingling. These can all be very debilitating symptoms that can deter you from performing everyday tasks, so it’s best to get this treated sooner than later.

Herniated Discs

When a spinal disc becomes damaged, the pinching of the nerve could be enough to break open your spinal fluids and cause them to leak out. This sensation can cause pain, numbness, and weakness.

Chiropractic Care for Accident Injuries

During your appointment with a chiropractor, parts of your body will be quickly pushed back into place. This helps lessen inflammation in the tendons, ligaments, and muscles on top of restoring your body back to its natural position. Depending on the severity of your injuries, the length of your treatment plan could range from just a couple sessions to a couple months of weekly visits.

Physical Therapy for Accident Injuries

The goal of physical therapy is to improve any range of motion that may have been lost during the accident. This is done through gentle and repetitive motions to coax your body back into its original state. Physical therapy can also help you regain your lost strength since it’s considered effective exercise.

Which Is Better for Accident Injuries?

There is no debate over which method is better when it comes to recovering from an accident. Both chiropractic care and physical therapy have their own ways in providing the treatment necessary for healing your body back to normal. So, in fact, it’s advised that you look into both methods in order to hasten your recovery and feel even better. By being consistent in keeping up with all your sessions and listening to your doctor’s advice and recommendations, you can improve your chances of getting better even sooner.

Where to Go in Brandon

Impact Medical Brandon has the best chiropractors and physical therapists in the area. Our clinic is multi-disciplinary to provide you with all the treatment methods necessary for a full recovery after an accident. We are equipped with the best technology and equipment and our staff is very knowledgeable and compassionate so you can rest easy. Call us today at (813) 522-8885 to get started on your customized care plan!

Most Common Motorcycle Ejection Injuries

Riding a motorcycle is an exhilarating experience, but there are also some dangers that come with the territory. Since a motorcycle has no doors, roof, or seatbelts to contain occupants, almost any accident involving a motorcycle can cause ejection injuries. Here are some of the most common motorcycle ejection injuries riders sustain following an accident.

Lower Extremity Injuries

Victims of motorcycle accidents often sustain injuries to the lower extremities since a rider’s legs are exposed. In a crash situation, riders can be ejected from the bike and launched in the air, causing damage to legs, knees, calves, ankles, and feet. While most of these injuries aren’t fatal, they’re very painful and can cause long-term disability.

Broken bones in the lower extremities often require surgical intervention and the placement of pins, plates, rods, or screws. Sometimes, multiple surgeries are required, followed by months of physical therapy. Working with a great physical therapist improves the healing process for motorcycle victims, helping them regain their mobility while reducing pain and soreness.

Upper Extremity Injuries

When a motorcyclist is ejected from her bike, they often use their arms to brace for a fall. As a result, a hard landing can cause significant damage to the upper extremities of the body. Injuries like torn rotator cuffs; shoulder damage; and broken arms, elbows, and fingers are common. Wearing motorcycle “body armor” and gloves can reduce the chances of these types of injuries. Again, physical therapy can restore range of motion and reduce pain caused by upper extremity injuries.

Road Rash

Road rash is one of the most common motorcycle ejection injuries, and it can affect the entire body. When riders are ejected from their bike due to a collision or for any other reason, they often scrape parts of their body along the road’s hard surface. The severity of the injury often depends on the clothing riders are wearing and the speed they’re traveling, but even at low speeds, road rash causes burn-like abrasions that require treatments such as skin grafts. Road rash requires immediate medical attention—no matter the severity—because even minor abrasions can cause infection, nerve damage, and scarring.

Head

Head injuries are some of the most serious injuries that can occur after a motorcycle accident. Not only are head injuries the leading cause of death in motorcycle accidents in worst-case scenarios, but in best-case scenarios they can still cause concussions, internal hemorrhaging, and swelling. Wearing a helmet can significantly reduce the chances of major head injuries, so always wear your helmet when you head out for a ride.

Start Your Journey Toward Recovery After an Accident

If you’ve been injured in a motorcycle ejection accident, seek immediate medical attention. If your doctor recommends physical therapy to help you recover after a motorcycle accident, reach out to the compassionate staff at Impact Medical Group of Lutz. We’re here to help you restore your range of motion, reduce pain, increase strength, and accelerate recovery time. Call us today at (813) 536-0373 to get on the road to recovery.

4 Delayed Symptoms You Shouldn’t Ignore After an Accident

Accidents can be a traumatic experience, especially when delayed injuries appear. After the adrenaline from an accident subsides, several symptoms can present themselves and wreak havoc on the body. Impact Medical Group of St. Petersburg shares four delayed symptoms that shouldn’t be ignored after an accident.

1. Headaches

Did you hit your head or experience a jerking motion caused by the accident? This could be a sign of a concussion, which almost always results in delayed pain. A head injury can have serious side effects so follow up with a doctor if headaches appear after your accident.

2. Stomach Pain

If you are experiencing stomach pain after an accident, this could be a sign of serious injury. Organ damage or internal bleeding could be a delayed symptom of an accident. It’s critical to seek medical assistance immediately if you are experiencing stomach pain.

3. Back Pain

The sheer force of an accident can cause serious back injuries so don’t ignore any delayed pain. This could be a sign of a slipped disc or a spine injury. Discography tests and pain management can help determine and alleviate disc injuries.

4. Neck Pain

Delayed neck pain could be a sign of serious injury. Commonly diagnosed as whiplash, where pain is experienced as the head is quickly jerked back and forth. Whiplash can be painful but usually doesn’t appear hours or even days after an accident.

If you were involved in an accident, we recommend you consult with a personal injury patient (PIP) doctor within 14 days. Even minor car accidents can lead to delayed neck, spine, muscle, and back pain. Whether injuries are minor or significant, our team can provide pain management and solutions for patients suffering from car crash-related injuries. Call Impact Medical Group of St. Petersburg at (727) 722-8103 or send a message to speak with our team.

Most Vulnerable Body Parts During a Motorcycle Crash

Motorcycle accidents are some of the most serious types of accidents that we treat at Impact Medical Wesley Chapel. Because motorcyclists are not physically protected as they would be if they were in a vehicle, they are especially vulnerable to being seriously injured or killed during an accident. 

Our team at Impact Medical Wesley Chapel discusses the vulnerability of the body during a motorcycle crash and what to do if you are in one.

Vulnerable Body Parts During a Motorcycle Crash

Here are some of the most vulnerable body parts that can be injured during a motorcycle accident:

The Neck and Head

Even if you are wearing a helmet, you can sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or whiplash during a motorcycle accident.

Brain injuries happen when the skull slams into a hard surface like a car or the pavement. Even if the bones in the skull aren’t fractured, the delicate tissues inside the brain can get jostled around the skull, causing a concussion or even bleeding inside the brain causing permanent brain damage or death. 

Brain injuries can also be attributed to whiplash where your head whips back and forth dramatically. Even if you don’t sustain a brain injury in a motorcycle accident, you could have a neck injury like whiplash to contend with.

If you have been in a motorcycle accident, visit a doctor as soon as possible, especially if you suspect a concussion or brain injury.

Bones

Because of the severity of motorcycle accidents, there is a good chance that you will have some broken bones during a crash. Since there is nothing between you and the road, bones can often crack, split, or shatter.

While broken bones will heal over time, they can leave you with long-term consequences. Some patients may need to have surgery after a motorcycle accident where they may get temporary or permanent pins, rods, or screws, to help reset shattered bones.

Further, if your vertebrae were damaged you may suffer from chronic pain or disability.

Arms, Hands, and Fingers

It is common for motorcyclists to extend their arms and hands out to brace themselves for a fall off of their motorcycle. This rarely ends well. Common injuries include broken radius and ulna bones, and fractures to the dozens of small bones in the hand.

To prevent these kinds of injuries, it is important to wear arm and hand protection when riding a motorcycle. Heavy-duty gloves can offer protection around the hands and fingers, while palm sliders can alleviate the pressure on the arms by allowing the body to slide against the pavement in an accident.

Soft Tissues

Muscles, tendons, skin, and other soft tissues can heal themselves after an accident, but they can be harder to diagnose than broken bones.

Depending on your soft tissue injury, your doctor may refer you to a manual therapist, chiropractor, or physical therapy to help you manage your symptoms and recover your strength and mobility after a motorcycle accident.

Other Common Motorcycle Injuries

A few other types of injuries sustained in a motorcycle include:

• Crack teeth
• Damaged joints in the jaw
• Spinal cord injuries
• Neurological injuries
• Internal bruising or bleeding
• Road rash
• Scarring
• Lacerations
• Facial injuries
• Vascular injuries
• PTSD

Motorcycle Accident Care

Motorcycle accidents can become serious quickly depending on the severity of the impact and injuries sustained. If you or someone you love has been in a motorcycle accident, come visit our accident clinic at Impact Medical Wesley Chapel. Our team of physical therapists, chiropractors, doctors, and manual therapists can help you heal and recover.

Call Impact Medical Wesley Chapel today for a consultation; (813) 953-1002!