If you've recently been in a car accident, and you're stiff and sore, your doctor might recommend you go to a rehabilitation clinic for physical therapy. Physical therapy could help reduce your pain and return you to normal functioning so you can work and maintain an active social life again.
Here are five ways physical rehabilitation is useful after you've been injured in an accident.
1. Help With Pain Relief
You might get treatments, such as ultrasound therapy, that deliver deep heat to your injured tissues. If you have less pain, you may have an improved range of motion and tolerance for movement. This can help you stick to your exercise and stretching routine at home so you recover from your injuries quicker.
2. Improve Flexibility
A physical therapist can teach you ways to stretch that reduce stiffness and improve circulation through your muscles. Stretching is important to maintain flexibility and optimal range of motion.
It's natural to compensate for pain by restricting movement, but that can lead to muscle imbalance and muscle strain. Keeping your body flexible also helps you maintain your balance so you can avoid falls and further injuries.
3. Teach Adaptive Strategies
A physical therapist can teach you the proper ways to use stairs, sit, or stand when you have pain. Rather than put strain on nearby weak muscles, you can learn how to adapt to your limitations while you're healing. You might also need to use equipment such as a walker or cane, and a therapist can help you learn to do it safely.
You might even need a brace or tape to help with pain, stability, and movement while you heal. One of the goals of physical therapy is to help you heal properly so you can avoid long-term consequences of your injury.
4. Improve And Maintain Muscle Strength
If you've become sedentary due to pain and stiffness after your accident, you may start to lose muscle mass. A physical therapist will assess your condition and select the right exercises for you to do at home and in the clinic so you can maintain muscle mass and even develop stronger muscles as you heal. This could make your core muscles stronger to help with back pain and prevent further injury.
5. Provide Massages
You might receive massages at the rehabilitation clinic. Massages can improve circulation to injured tissues and break up scar tissue that causes pain. A massage is also relaxing, and being able to release tension in your muscles can also be helpful for reducing pain and encouraging healing.
Reach out to a local rehabilitation clinic to learn more.
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