By Dr. Javier J. Ibarra, DPT, OCS, COMT, CSCS

“The first six to twelve weeks after an auto accident is a critical window. Getting early treatment can prevent a slow or incomplete recovery.” ­ –Dr. Javier J. Ibarra

 1.Get screened by an expert. A physical therapist should be a trusted part of your medical team because they are experts in human movement and an expert in the musculoskeletal system (i.e., muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons -- the very tissues affected in most car accidents). Thus, your physical therapist is in a primed position to screen you for injury after a car accident. A physical therapist will complete a detailed and thorough assessment on your initial visit and determine whether to start treatment, refer out to another medical expert, or both. In addition, a physical therapist will know what red flags to look for that would warrant a referral to the emergency department or back to your referring physician.

 2. Physical therapy is a viable pain management tool. Medication is a tool but not the only option when it comes to managing pain. There are several reasons why someone may not want to take pain medication, not to mention the potential risks of taking certain medications. Physical therapy has long been proven to effectively decrease pain; specifically, pain related to car accidents. A good physical therapist will key in on problem areas and show you specific and targeted movements to reduce and ideally eliminate your pain.

Stiffness decreased range of motion, and weakness can significantly reduce your quality of life and affect your ability to live life to your fullest potential.

3. Pain isn’t the only issue after a car accident. Sure, pain can be debilitating and is an excellent reason to seek medical care. However, so is stiffness, decreased range of motion, and weakness. These issues can significantly reduce your quality of life and affect your ability to live life to your fullest potential. Physical therapists are uniquely qualified to treat these types of impairments and work with you on getting back to the things you enjoy doing.

 4. Avoid surgery. Research has shown that treatment from a physical therapist can match or outperform surgical treatment for various conditions, including those sustained during a car accident. Physical therapy provides a generally safe, low-risk, high reward treatment option without worrying about anesthesia, wound healing, infection, or worse from spinal pain, shoulder or knee injuries, and more. Sometimes surgery is necessary but physical therapy can be a powerful tool in avoiding, preventing, or prolonging surgical intervention.

 Sometimes surgery is necessary but physical therapy can be a powerful tool in avoiding, preventing, or prolonging surgical intervention.

5. Decrease the chance of disability. The most common injury after a car accident is whiplash, or whiplash associated disorders (WAD). Unfortunately, WAD can lead to long-term or permanent disability in some instances. We know that the first six to twelve weeks after an accident are a critical window and getting early treatment can prevent a slow or incomplete recovery. A physical therapist will educate you on the recovery process. Plus, they can provide safe and effective treatment to get you moving as soon as possible to prevent chronic disability and allow you to put your accident in the rearview.