There’s an old expression that forewarned is forearmed. Many people might not think that this expression applies to car accidents, but it should. 

You might go through your entire life and never be in a car accident. However, that would be quite a feat. The reality is that many people are in car accidents. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation reports that more than 32,000 people were injured in a car accident in this state in 2020. Preparing yourself for a car accident injury can help you deal with one more effectively if it happens. That’s one reason why physical therapists want people to be aware of the most common types of car accident injuries.

The four most common car accident injuries

Physical therapists commonly treat car accident injuries, and they know that educating yourself about common car accident injuries can be beneficial. For instance, your knowledge can keep you from waiting to get help with an injury. Some injuries physical therapists knowing something about include: 

1. Soft tissue injuries — Muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia. These are all prominent types of soft tissue, and they’re often injured during a motor vehicle accident. A common type of soft tissue injury is a muscle or tendon strain. These injuries are often linked to whiplash when they occur in the neck. 

2. Head injuries — Concussions and other head injuries are also known as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and they commonly happen during car accidents. One CDC report reveals that 17% of nonfatal TBIs were the result of car accident injuries. Concussions often lead to symptoms like dizziness, blurred vision and headaches. 

3. Leg or arm injuries — The impact during a car crash can cause your arms and legs to move involuntarily. This can lead to your extremities being injured. Fractures can result from an arm or leg striking a hard surface in your vehicle. Strains and sprains can occur if the involuntary movements overstretch ligaments, muscles or tendons. 

4. Back injuries — A car accident can also lead to a back injury. A medical study on back pain found that 63% of chronic lower back pain can be linked to a past car accident injury. For instance, back muscles could be strained or torn during your accident. They can then continue to cause pain if they aren’t treated properly. Pinched spinal nerves are another common car accident injury, as are herniated spinal discs. Both issues can also lead to future pain. 

Franklin Rehab stands ready to treat common car accident injuries

Think you have one of these common car accident injuries? Our Franklin Rehabilitation physical therapists can help you find out for sure. They can do a comprehensive free screening to determine what type of injury your accident has caused. Our physical therapists can then use this information to build you a unique treatment plan that’s focused on: 

• Reducing pain. 
• Improving function. 
• Increasing your ability to perform normal activities. 
• Cutting your risk of developing chronic symptoms. 

Contact our team today for more information about how we can help you address a car accident injury or to schedule your initial appointment with us.