Hurt in a Car Accident? You're More Likely to be in Pain Longer Than Other Types of Accidents

Of all the "accidents" you can have, the one that leaves you in pain for the longest is a car accident.  That's according to a new study from the university of Aberdeen School of Medicine and Dentistry.

Car Accident Victims In Pain Longer

The link between long term pain and car accidents may seem obvious since it's a physically traumatic experience, but it's a really important correlation. Often car accident victims suddenly experience pain weeks or months after the crash but they don't put the two events together.

Physical therapists see this happen all the time.  A patient has what they consider a minor accident, they don't have any immediate pain, but sometime later on their body responds to the trauma.  The time between the accident and the pain can be misleading.

The accident may be over and your auto insurance has probably covered all the costs of fixing your car, but the long term effects on your body may be just beginning.

For more information on how physical therapy can help you recover from a car accident injury, contact our office at (941) 922-9312 or you can visit the Sarasota Physical Medicine website for more information.

A Fender Bender for Your Car can be a Major Injury for Your Body

Let's say you're in a car accident.  Someone rear ends you at a stoplight.  When you look at the damage to your car's back end, it's pretty minor.  A pushed in bumper, maybe some dings and paint scrapes.  "Great news," says your insurance agent.  "That means you weren't badly hurt either!"  Wrong.

Don't assume there's a relationship between vehicle damage and bodily injury in an accident.  A car is built out of solid materials. It absorbs the energy of an impact in a different way than your body.  You may have serious head and neck injuries even though your car only shows a dented fender.  It really doesn't matter which way you hit a car.  The damage you can expect is pretty much based on physics.  But when you're sitting in the car and moving about, the position of your head, the direction of the impact, the forces on your spine all affect how badly you'll be hurt.    

Don't underestimate your injuries in a car accident.  Often people in fender benders refuse medical treatment because they feel fine in the minutes after a crash.  That feeling often goes away as the hours count down and the pain sets in.  Never ever assume that you can predict how badly you're hurt from how badly your car is damaged.

For more information on the impact of vehicle accidents on your body and how physical therapy can help you recover faster, contact Sarasota Physical Medicine or call us at (941) 922-9312.