The Best Rehabilitative Exercises After a Car Accident

If you’ve been involved in a car accident, it’s important to get checked out by a doctor even if you feel okay. It’s a great idea to see a chiropractor who can provide the care you need and teach you rehabilitative exercises that will help speed your recovery. Make an appointment to see Jason Ablett, DC at Pinnacle Health Chiropractic in Kirkland, Washington, for a comprehensive post-accident assessment and recovery plan.

Benefits of chiropractic care after an accident

You may feel fine at first and then start to feel bad later. Your whole body may be sore, or you could have an injury. Chiropractic care helps you recover faster by increasing blood flow to damaged areas, preventing long-term damage, and may even help you avoid surgery.

How we can help you

Many different types of injuries occur in car accidents. Those best treated by chiropractic care include:

• Whiplash
• Stiff neck
• Headaches
• Vertigo, dizziness
• Inflammation
• Back injuries
• Soft tissue injuries like muscle sprains or strains
• Minor tendon or ligament tears
• Generalized pain, stiffness, or soreness

Some of the best rehabilitative exercises

The best rehabilitative exercises after a car accident really depend on your injuries and how bad they are. Generally, Dr. Ablett works with you to improve your strength and flexibility and decrease any pain you may be feeling. Your treatment plan may include chiropractic adjustments, heat or ice therapy, and ultrasound therapy. Here’s a look at some of the best exercises after a car accident.

Massage and foam rolling

Massage therapy helps relax muscle tension and knots, increase blood flow, and reduce inflammation. As a result, your inflammation, soreness, and stiffness will go down. Foam rolling also helps. It’s like a deep tissue massage, pinpointing a sore area. You can even do it at home.

Stretching

We don’t recommend stretching in the first 72 hours after your car accident because your body needs a chance to recover. If you stretch too soon, you could cause more trauma to a damaged area. When it’s safe to stretch, Dr. Ablett will show you what to do. Your routine may include gentle stretches for your head, neck, arms, torso, and legs. Stretching helps increase your range of motion over time and improve blood flow to speed up the healing process.

Walking

As long as you don’t have any broken bones in your lower body, walking helps improve circulation and speed up recovery. Believe it or not, sitting on the couch or lying in bed for too long isn’t the best way to recover. Sometimes rest is necessary, but if you don’t have any limitations, the sooner you start walking, the better.

Custom exercise plan

Depending on your injuries, Dr. Ablett may develop a customized exercise plan you can do at home. Exercises may include lunges, squats, toe touches, and bicep curls. If you do core exercises, they also help strengthen your lower back. He may also teach you how to use a stability ball or elastic bands.

If you’ve been in a car accident, even a minor one, there are ways to feel better without taking pain killers and lying around on the couch. Start your road to recovery by making an appointment with Dr. Ablett today. Use our convenient online booking tool, or call 425-368-5753.