With the number of individuals/vehicles on the road today, automobile accidents are frequent, and even minor ones can cause damage. The most obvious is the destruction of the vehicle during and after the collision. But these crashes and accidents also cause serious damage to the body that is not immediately visible or felt. Almost every accident and crash results in injuries to one or more of the individuals involved. Vehicle collisions both great and small involve force being applied as two or more vehicles collide. The direction and amount of force can cause damage to the body from twisting, bending, slamming, and jolting in ways the body was not meant to do. There is a 1 in 5 chance of being involved in an automobile accident that causes bodily injury.

The most frequent injuries include:

Frequent Soft Tissue Injuries

Bruising/Contusions

Even a minor automobile accident can cause bruising. A collision can jerk/jolt the body from the seat belt, while it is doing its job of keeping the individual from flying out the window, and it can leave bruises for days afterward. Bruises are rarely serious injuries that require medical attention and usually heal within a week or two.

Whiplash

The physical force from an accident can cause the head to move at speeds that it should not move at. Pain or discomfort in the neck and back after a collision can indicate a sustained whiplash strain to the muscles and ligaments. These strains can be painful and take weeks for a full recovery and if left untreated could result in chronic pain.

Neck and Spinal injuries

The intense force that the body endures from a collision can cause serious damage to the body that is not immediately apparent or present with inflammation/pain letting the individual know that something is not right. Herniations or ruptures of the discs in the spine can occur. This can lead to serious injuries that cause intense pain and limit mobility and flexibility. If pain continues after several days, or there is a history of neck/back injury/s and/or condition/s, consult with an accident chiropractic specialist or spine specialist to see if there is an injury to the spine or surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Chiropractic treatment and physical therapy are important to return the body to optimal health. Surgery could be an option if there is sustained serious neck or spinal injury.

Frequent Head Injuries

Concussions

During a collision, hitting the head on the steering wheel, window, or roof is frequent and can cause a concussion. Individuals can experience problems with memory, like not remembering what happened before the collision, or feeling like brain function is not as quick. Treatment for any kind of head injury is crucial. Treatment will help alleviate headaches and help restore the brain to a healthy state.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

These injuries can cause life-altering effects. A traumatic brain injury can change:

• The way the brain functions
• Handles information
• Processes emotions

Recovery from a brain injury is possible but can take time, depending on the type and severity of the damage.

Frequent Mental and Emotional Injuries

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

When the body goes through extreme stress like an automobile accident there is the potential to develop emotional and mental conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. Symptoms can include:

• Being scared of driving or riding in a vehicle
• Avoiding or responding fearfully to certain sounds or images that are associated with auto accidents
• Sleeping problems brought on by anxiety and/or nightmares

Treatment is vital and psychologists and therapists can help individuals express their feelings, and educate individuals on techniques to deal with stresses, anxieties, and fears to get them to a healthy life.

Internal Injuries

Broken Bones

The impact of a collision can cause the body to hit various areas of the vehicle, stressing the musculoskeletal system that it can’t take. This can occur in a variety of ways, with the torso, arms, or legs getting pinned by a part of the vehicle causing fracture/s. Also, depending on the speed of the collision, the seatbelt could stop the body suddenly causing a fracture of the ribs. Broken bones are frequent in auto accidents/crashes, however, some fractures could require surgery and hardware to reset the bones to allow proper healing. Depending on the type of break, individuals could require a month or more of rest. Chiropractic care and physical therapy could help expedite recovery.

Internal Bleeding

The body’s organs are delicate and fragile. The impact forces from an auto accident can cause all kinds of damage, causing them to bleed. These are serious injuries and are quite common in high-speed collisions.

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The Road to Recovery: Chiropractic Care

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Body Positivity

Body positivity is about every individual having a psychological representation of their body or body image. This includes:

• How an individual thinks about their body shape
• Size
• Emotions attached to their perception

Fitness and fashion industries used to promote what the perfect body should look like and those with a body image that did not fit these criteria could develop a sense of inferiority. In response to this, body positivity has become a rapidly growing movement on social media. The movement’s objective is to challenge society to focus on an individual’s overall health, and not their body. It encourages acceptance of all body types, no matter the size or shape. The movement has a companion known as the Healthy at Every Size or HAES movement that focuses on health indicators other than weight. It encourages the focus on developing healthy habits that lead to improved health. HAES involves three components:

• Intuitive eating
• Encourages body acceptance
• Promotes physical activity through movement and health instead of a structured exercise regimen

These movements offer realistic and encouraging ways to recognize and achieve optimal health. They accept body and health at every stage of an individual’s fitness and health journey.

References

Duncan, G J, and R Meals. One hundred years of automobile-induced orthopedic injuries. Orthopedics vol. 18,2 (1995): 165-70.

Hamilton JB. Seat-belt injuries. Br Med J. 1968 Nov 23;4(5629):485-6. doi: 10.1136/bmj.4.5629.485. PMID: 5697665; PMCID: PMC1912721.

Sims, J K et al. Automobile accident occupant injuries. JACEP vol. 5,10 (1976): 796-808. doi:10.1016/s0361-1124(76)80313-9