Millions of Americans are severely injured by car crashes each year—six million, to be exact. Many of these people have medical complications that can last for months or years, depending on the severity of their injuries and the care they get.
Various types of doctors and medical professionals can help car accident victims, but they sometimes overlook the musculoskeletal effects of their injuries. This is dangerous because a victim may have nerve damage and crippled biomechanical areas that can affect their quality of life if unaddressed.
For example, a victim may have external leg wounds that have already healed, but their damaged nerve endings are not assessed, restricting their mobility. That is why car accident victims require the professional assessment and care of chiropractors.
This article will delve deeper into the four factors concerning your body’s musculoskeletal system when involved in a car accident.
The location of the impact and your body’s position
Your chiropractor can determine the severity of the musculoskeletal damage if you know where the car’s impact was. You need to see whether the car was hit on the side, front, or rear and where you were seated to determine what areas of your body are affected.
You also need to remember how you were seated in the car during the car accident since you may have injured other musculoskeletal areas that you aren’t aware of but need assessment and care.
For example, you may have been sitting in your car’s front seat, and the impact location was in front, which crushed your legs. The chiropractor can assess which nerve endings need realignment to ensure that you can still rely on your mobility despite the car accident.
The speed of the collision and the airbags
How fast your car and the other car was going can help you and your chiropractor determine how severe the collision was on your musculoskeletal system. You also have to note how quickly the airbags deployed because they may have prevented further damage to your body.
Whether you were wearing a seatbelt
We cannot stress the importance of wearing seatbelts enough since it can prevent you from getting more severely injured during a car crash. The CDC confirms that wearing seatbelts can reduce the severity of car crash injuries by half or fifty percent.
If you weren’t wearing a seatbelt, your body’s internal and external injuries are likely more severe because the collision force can propel your body in different directions. For example, you may have been seated in the front during the car crash, and you weren’t wearing a seatbelt. The sheer force of the impact can propel your body forward and damage your skull.
Head and neck injuries
You may have more severe musculoskeletal complications when your head and neck are injured because these parts of your body have more nerve endings and are more fragile. They are also near the brain, meaning you may need more long-term care and assessment to ensure that your body can move normally after the wounds are fully healed.
Conclusion
Car accidents are common, but you can prepare for them by remembering the safety protocols, like wearing your seatbelt and driving carefully. You also need to ensure that you are getting your musculoskeletal system assessed by a chiropractor to guarantee that you can move naturally even after your accident.
Remember all the previously mentioned factors concerning car accidents and your musculoskeletal health. Don’t forget to drive and ride safely!
West Michigan Chiropractic can provide you with the best chiropractor in Kalamazoo. We are determined to provide you with long-term relief and the preventive health care you need. Consult with us today to keep your musculoskeletal health and well-being in check.