After a car crash, there’s a lot you need to deal with. There’s insurance, car repairs, potential lawsuits, and, of course, injuries. Even after minor car accidents, you can experience pain, injury, or soreness.
In major crashes, you might suffer broken bones, lacerations, and scratches. Taking care of your body and properly healing may take some time after a crash, but there are steps you can take to ease the pain and help get yourself feeling good again.
Why Injuries Happen, Even in Minor Accidents
Even if you’re just in a fender bender, you might find yourself suffering from a sore neck or back pain for days to come. It’s partially due to how your body reacts during a collision.
When you anticipate a crash, your body will tense to brace itself for impact. This means your muscles will tighten and can tear. Oftentimes, the adrenaline of the crash will make it so you don’t notice the pain right away and may not feel your injuries until days later.
Even if you don’t feel pain immediately after impact, you might want to make an appointment with a medical professional, especially if you plan on filing any insurance claims. According to law firm Zavodnick, Zavodnick & Lasky, it’s better to have as much paperwork and documentation of your injuries at the time of the crash as possible.
Start With the Basics
If you are dealing with sore muscles after an accident, there are lots of steps you can take at home to help yourself heal. First of all, it’s important to stay hydrated. While this is true every day, it’s especially true when you’re worried about your muscles.
Dehydration causes muscle tightening and cramps, which can cause even more pain. It’s also important to make sure you rest so that your body has enough time to recuperate from your injuries.
Try Massage Therapy
A common practice after an injury is to try massage therapy. You can opt for a general massage, deep tissue, or even stone massage. This will get deep into your body and help relax those tightened muscles.
It’s important to research your masseuse carefully before going, to ensure you are seeing someone with the proper skills for your specific needs. You might want to make sure you are seeing a licensed RMT (registered massage therapist), especially for insurance reasons.
See a Physical Therapist
If your injuries seem like they won’t just go away on their own, you may want to try physiotherapy. You will have a consultation with a therapist who will then create a routine of stretches and exercise designed for your specific needs. You will start small and work your way up to larger exercises, gradually strengthening your muscles along the way.
Take Up Yoga
Yoga is a great way to stretch your muscles! Yoga requires you to move your body while focusing on deep breathing and relaxation, which can help give your muscles a gentle workout and increase healing. It’s important not to push yourself too hard, especially if you are working out without the supervision of a physical therapist. You don’t want to exacerbate your injury in any way.
The most important thing to remember is that injuries take time to heal. Make sure to rest and let your body recover from your accident. You should always seek medical advice after a car crash and take the time to let yourself heal.
