Over 2 million car accidents result in injuries annually in the United States.
These injuries range from minor bumps and bruises to life-changing injuries that result in months of rehabilitation or even paralysis. Most moderate injury types, such as broken bones, joint damage, and minor spinal damage, require extended physical therapy to ensure proper healing occurs.
If you were involved in a car accident that has negatively impacted your day-to-day functionality, you must find better ways to help your body heal.
Regaining health and fitness following a traumatic injury can be tough – but it is possible if you follow these seven steps below:
- Hire A Personal Trainer
If you have suffered moderate to severe injuries, the faster you can find a reputable physical therapist, the better! These are trained professionals, and they can work together with your physical therapist to come up with a routine based on your unique requirements.
Once your doctor advises you to start exercising, work consistently with your trainer to help you regain flexibility and improve the fitness levels you lost due to the accident. Never be ashamed to ask for help when you need it.
- Trust Your Doctor
Resting is the number one thing most doctors prescribe following a car accident. Your doctor will recommend certain activities, procedures, and treatment, particularly if you suffered serious injuries in the accident.
While some of these things may seem superfluous, or hard at first, you mustn’t skip them. Your doctor will have worked out a holistic treatment plan for your recovery process, and each step will have a significant role in the outcome of your journey.
- Be Patient
Depending on multiple factors, such as age, medical conditions, and the severity of your injuries, your recovery process could be longer than expected. Take time to prepare yourself mentally for this at the beginning of your healing journey.
As you begin to heal, you will quickly realize how to manage your expectations. At first, this won’t be easy. You will want to push as hard as you can to get the life you were used to back. You must stay patient with both you and the people who are trying to help you.
- Pursue Compensation
Car accident injuries can take months to recover from and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Treatments and procedure bills will rack up quickly, so you need to ensure that you get adequately compensated if someone else was to blame.
Pursue compensation with the help of a Phoenix Personal Injury Lawyer, they will give you the best advice and help ensure that your medical needs are well taken care of. The legal process of filing a claim should be the last thing you have to worry about, so do your best to get the right team to help from the start.
- Stretch
Mobility issues are commonplace following a car accident. There is typically some form of pain that inhibits your ability to move like you used to. These pains can include but are not limited to muscle stiffness, spasms, or prolonged swelling.
Engage in a low-intensity exercise like stretching – that will help fast-track your recovery and give you improved mobility before you know it.
You should also consider going for massage therapy, which will stimulate circulation and healing in the injured area by increasing the supply of oxygen to the affected places.
- Mental Recovery
Being involved in a car accident can be a traumatic experience to deal with. It is wise to seek help and guidance from a professional therapist to assist with navigating through your journey back to health.
Everyone is different, which means we all respond differently to traumas and triggers. It is perfectly natural to experience stress and anxiety, and you will need help to process those complex emotions. One of the most natural responses to trauma of this magnitude is PTSD.
Talk to your therapist if you experience sleep disorders, nightmares, or flashbacks. They will be able to help you through this challenging time.
- Light Exercise
Once your body is well on its way to recovery, begin incorporating light exercises into your daily routine. Getting your fitness levels back to where they used to be before the accident will take time, but mostly it will take patience.
Walking is one of the best exercises to facilitate faster healing and recovery. Start with short walks on a flat route and gradually increase the distance as your fitness levels increase. Long-term recovery should be your priority, so don’t push your body too hard too quickly – slow and steady wins the race.