Back Pain From An Accident? Try Physical Therapy

Auto accidents can cause many different types of injuries. One injury frequently seen after a car accident is back pain. Even if you had surgery for your back issues after an accident, the pain may still continue. If this has happened to you, then it's time to seriously consider physical therapy for your condition. This article takes a look at car accident physical therapy in detail.

Modalities

One important type of physical therapy for treating back pain involves modalities. These are passive treatments that do not require any activity on your part. For example, a therapist may apply heat packs or ice to your skin. Heat and cold therapies can reduce inflammation in your back, which will help keep your pain under control.

Another common passive physical therapy for back pain is ultrasound. Sound waves are sent into your back, which will ease any discomfort and may also promote healing.

Active

Physical therapy also offers active treatments for your back pain. This includes a wide range of exercises that will help strengthen your back muscles. Leg lifts and pelvic tilts may be among the exercises that your physical therapist will recommend. Keep in mind that no exercise should increase your pain. If an exercise does cause your discomfort to increase, you need to move on another exercise. Always let your therapist know if any specific therapy is aggravating your pain.

Another type of active therapy is low-impact aerobics. This type of exercise increases your heart rate, which improves your blood circulation. Perhaps the simplest form of low-impact aerobics is walking. Stationary bicycling is also a good exercise that fits into this category.

An important low-impact exercise for back pain is water therapy. This therapy can take the form of simply sitting in warm water in a whirlpool bath. It may also consist of walking along the bottom of a shallow pool. Your therapist may have you perform some simple exercises, such as bringing your knee up to your chest, while you are in the pool.

Cost 

A key question that victims of auto accidents often have regarding their rehabilitation is whether their insurance will pay for physical therapy. Fortunately, most insurers, as well as Medicare and workers compensation, will cover physical therapy after an auto accident if it's deemed necessary by your healthcare provider. Many insurers will even allow you to go out of their network to obtain your physical therapy, although the amount of coverage you receive may be less than if you used an network provider.