3 Types of Accidents that Require Physical Therapy

According to Web MD, many people can benefit from physical therapy; for example, those who suffer from the most common sports injury, an ankle sprain. At healthcare facilities like Kingston physical therapy, many different types of injuries related to accidents are treated every day.

Going to a physical therapist after suffering from an injury can help restore flexibility while reducing pain. It may also help avoid surgery or the need for prescription medications that can come with all sorts of side effects. When injured on the job, physical therapy is typically covered by workers' compensation, and if you're in a car accident, the responsible person's car insurance, or your own car insurance in no-fault states, is likely to cover it.

While there are a wide range of accidents that require physical therapy, these are three of the most common.

Motor Vehicle Accident

Millions of motor vehicle accidents occur in the U.S. every year, with drivers and passengers sustaining injuries that can range from minor to severe, such as cuts, fractures, whiplash, and other neck injuries, as well as brain trauma. For most of those injuries, physical therapy is essential to increase the odds of optimal recovery, reduce pain, and prevent permanent disability. While the pain that often accompanies car accident injuries can last for quite some time, through physical therapy, you may be able to avoid becoming dependent on painkillers that bring a whole new set of other unwanted problems.

While car accidents most often happen during an individual's personal time, when on the job, driving to deliver a product, for example, any injuries may also be covered through worker's comp, provided it didn't happen during a diversion to take care of a personal errand. When it comes to workers' compensation coverage, when it does apply, it doesn't matter who is at fault.

Falls

If you slip and fall on an icy sidewalk or experience any other situation that occurs after dropping from a certain height, often due to inclement weather or an oily surface, physical therapy may be required due to head, back, neck, and other severe injuries. In this case, a physical therapist will often analyze the situation in conjunction with your doctor's recommendations to prescribe a program that will help you recover as quickly as possible. These injuries frequently occur at home when walking to and from your car, for example, but slippery floors in a workplace resulting in falls are common too.

A Sports Injury

A sports injury can occur among professional and casual athletes who occasionally participate in friendly competitions, run, or participate in other activities. While some only require rest and ice, others need medical attention, particularly a hamstring injury, ACL tear, or groin pull, among others. More than half of sports injuries occur in the knees, often during sports like baseball, basketball, swimming, tennis, and volleyball. Shin splints, an injury that causes shooting pain down the front of your leg, are commonly seen in runners. No matter what the injury, the sooner the injured gets care through a physical therapist, the better to ensure the fastest possible recovery.

This is a guest blog entry.