Where To Find a No-Fault Physical Therapist
After an auto accident, a no-fault medical provider is your best option when seeking treatment. These professionals are specialists in dealing with the injuries most commonly sustained in an auto accident:
- Back injuries
- Bruises and contusion
- Concussions
- Road rash
- Whiplash
- Broken bones
- Internal bleeding
What No-Fault Coverage Means
New York and New Jersey are no-fault states regarding auto accidents. This means that your insurance should cover any injuries, even if the accident were your fault. It’s essential that you get specific information about your coverage from your insurance provider and that you seek medical attention as soon as possible after your accident. When you work with a top-rated physical therapist in New York and New Jersey, you get the treatment you need without unnecessary delays or complications.
How Physical Therapy Improves Your Recovery
Your quick recovery is crucial to returning to your normal daily activities, and car accident physical therapy is an integral part of a speedy, full recovery:
- Proper therapy reduces the possibility of long-term injuries and prevents further physical damage.
- Targeted physical therapy improves your range of motion and strengthens muscles.
- As part of your treatment, physical therapy speeds up the recovery process and improves your physical and emotional well-being.
Crash-related injuries can cause a lot of pain, and physical therapy may help you reduce or avoid the use of painkillers.
Even if you don’t recognize any pain right after the crash, it’s essential to seek medical attention. Your adrenaline levels may be very high and could mask your symptoms, but any hidden injuries can lead to lost work and long-term pain. If they aren’t identified and treated right away, you may also find it challenging to get your insurance to cover treatment. Don’t risk further pain and injury by delaying proper treatment because you don’t have a physical therapist in mind.
Why You Need a No-Fault Treatment Provider
In many states, no-fault insurance is required by law. This coverage limits your liability for anyone who was injured in a car crash. It also ensures that you can get appropriate medical care without requiring a lot of out-of-pocket money, even if you received a citation following the accident. However, to receive this coverage, you must obtain treatment from a provider who works with your insurance company.
How To Find the Right Treatment Provider
Finding the right physical therapist or no-fault medical provider can be frustrating, however. Choosing a treatment provider is a decision that directly impacts your chances of a successful recovery, but it can be hard to obtain reliable information about specialists in your area. Ideally, this professional will have several valuable qualities:
- Board certification
- Experience
- A clean record, free from numerous malpractice claims
- Open appointment times
Reviewing possible doctors and physical therapists can take a lot of time in the best of circumstances. When you’re suffering from injuries and pain after an accident, the situation is even more challenging. Even if your insurance requires you to get a referral from your primary care doctor, you should have an idea of your options. A no-fault physical therapy and medical services provider can help you find relief from your pain and complete your recovery plan so that you can get back to work and your other daily activities.
At No-Fault Doctors, we offer a comprehensive list of top-rated specialists in New York and New Jersey. Don’t put off your treatment because you don’t know who to call. Contact Us Today!
The Importance of Physical Therapy After a Car Accident
Car accidents involve three separate collisions: the vehicle striking another object, your body connecting with an outside force, and the internal collision of your organs impacting bones and other organs.
Because of this trauma, car accidents can lead to a variety of injuries that cause significant pain and limit your range of motion, making everyday tasks challenging. This is where you may need a physical therapist in New York. Physical therapy after a car accident is not just a luxury but a necessity for many individuals.
According to a report by the National Safety Council, there were 4.8 million car accident injuries in 2020 that patients visited doctors to treat. These injuries ranged from minor sprains and strains to severe traumatic brain injuries.
Physical therapy can help treat these injuries, speed up recovery time, improve mobility and function, and regain strength and balance, without relying solely on pain management medication or surgery.
When To See a Physical Therapist After a Car Accident
It’s crucial to recognize the signs that you may need physical therapy after a car accident. The signs that you may have a delayed injury and should see a physical therapist include:
- Lingering pain: This could be a sign of soft tissue injuries, such as sprains and strains, or more serious conditions like fractures.
- Trouble sleeping: This could be due to pain or discomfort from injuries.
- Difficulty concentrating: This could be a sign of a concussion or other types of traumatic brain injury.
- Limited range of motion: This could indicate joint injuries or muscle stiffness, which physical therapy can improve.
- General weakness or fatigue: This could be a result of your body diverting energy to heal, or it could indicate a more serious condition like a spinal cord injury.
- Chronic headaches or migraines: These could be a sign of a concussion, whiplash, or neck injury.
- Stiff or sore muscles or joints: This could indicate soft tissue injuries or be a sign of whiplash.
- Unexplained numbness or tingling: This could signify nerve damage or a spinal cord injury.
These symptoms could indicate common car accident injuries like whiplash, concussions, and sprains. Without treatment, these injuries can worsen over time, leading to chronic pain and disability.
The Benefits of Physical Therapy for Car Accident Injuries
Physical therapy offers numerous benefits for individuals recovering from car accident injuries, including:
Accelerate Recovery
Physical therapy after a car accident is not just about managing pain; it’s about healing faster and getting back to your life. It strengthens your muscles and improves your range of motion, reducing the time it takes to recover from your injuries.
According to a study in the Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal, patients who received clinical physical therapy saw an improvement in pain, stiffness, and function, which was twice the magnitude of the improvement observed in a group that only performed home exercises for one month.
Improve Outcomes
Physical therapy for car accident injuries enhances the quality of your recovery. It can reduce or even prevent the long-term effects of your injuries, helping you regain full movement and functionality to the greatest extent possible.
Preventing Further Damage
Physical therapy after a car crash can also help prevent secondary injuries. In a weakened state, you might be more susceptible to falls or strains. Physical therapy addresses this risk by keeping you active and strengthening your muscles with help from a trained physical therapist, so you can avoid additional harm.
Reducing Reliance on Painkillers
One of the significant benefits of physical therapy is its potential to reduce reliance on painkillers. While painkillers can provide temporary relief, they do not address the root cause of the pain. Physical therapy, on the other hand, helps build natural strength and can reduce or eliminate the use of painkillers in the recovery process, according to research conducted at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
By building your natural strength, you can manage your pain more effectively, reducing or even eliminating the need for painkillers.
Avoid Surgery
With prompt physical therapy after a car accident, your doctor may be able to treat your injury while it is still minor and avoid invasive and expensive surgery.
Establish a Pattern of Care
Attending regular physical therapy sessions can help establish a pattern of care, which can be crucial if you have long-lasting injuries and need to determine the cost of future care for your compensation claim.
Demonstrate the Seriousness of Your Injuries
Physical therapy sessions can also serve as evidence that you’re not overstating your injuries, a common defense that insurance companies try to use in accident cases. Attending physical therapy shows that you’re serious about your recovery and are following your doctor’s orders. This can be important for your personal injury claim to collect compensation.
Is Physical Therapy Covered by Insurance?
The costs of physical therapy can be included in your claim for compensation after a car accident. At No-Fault Doctors, our doctors accept most insurance plans, including workers’ compensation, no-fault, and PIP (personal injury protection). Same-day appointments may be available.
Whether you’re dealing with a head injury after a car accident or a sprained ankle, our team of professionals is here to guide you through your recovery process.
How Long Should You Go to Physical Therapy After a Car Accident?
Car crashes are often very serious and cause lasting injury. As such, one of your first priorities should be establishing appropriate treatment and physical therapy after a car accident. This article will cover car accident therapy timelines and how quality physical therapy can address your injuries and help you heal.
Contact No-Fault Doctors today to schedule car accident physical therapy in New York.
How Often Do I Need Physical Therapy After a Car Accident?
Everyone is different and needs car accident physical therapy treatment tailored to their individual needs and capabilities. However, several general factors can affect recovery timelines and the amount of necessary therapy.
- Injury type and severity. Injury type and severity will most likely have the largest effect on your recovery timeline. If you are involved in a car accident and sustain serious injuries, it can take several months to even years to completely recover. Deep tissue injuries, broken bones, and lacerations are all car accident injuries that may require several months of physical therapy.
- Session frequency. Physical therapists will tailor session frequency to your current condition and physical capabilities. Generally, you will have more sessions earlier in treatment and reduce treatment as you regain strength and functionality. The severity of your injury will affect how frequently you can engage in physical therapy.
- Previous injuries. Compounded injuries are more serious and take longer to heal. If you are in a car accident and reinjure your body, physical therapy will have to address the original injury and any new injury from the accident. Old injuries may also make physical therapy on specific parts of the body harder to perform.
- Health goals. Physical therapy also depends on your specific treatment and health goals. The more expansive your goals, the longer therapy will take. Recovery goals might include reducing acute or chronic pain, increasing mobility, and restoring full functionality. For example, returning to full athletic performance will take longer than just regaining functionality.
Before beginning treatment, your physical therapist should put together a tentative recovery timeline and modify it based on your performance. According to data from the NIH, most people with common injuries will see their physical therapist for about 10 to 12 sessions, although more serious injuries will require more rehabilitation time.
Physical Therapy Treatments for Car Accident Injuries
Physical therapy is not just a single thing but encompasses a wide range of techniques for strengthening muscles, improving flexibility, and reducing pain. Over 50 million Americans seek out physical therapy services per year. Below are some of the most common techniques that physical therapists employ to help their patients heal.
Joint Mobilization
Joint mobilization is a technique that involves moving joints in specific ways to reduce inflammation and pain. Joint mobilization targets specific joints, such as the knee joint, and seeks to restore their full range of motion. More specifically, joint mobilization uses five different ‘grades’ of motion that correspond to a specific range of motion.
One study from 2018 found that regular joint mobilization techniques can increase the range of motion in the shoulder by as much as 26.90 degrees. Physical therapists can tailor joint mobilization to match your strength level, current mobility, and overall physical therapy goals.
Strength Training
Physical therapy may also involve strength training. Strength training improves musculature and can prevent future occurrence of injury. It might include body weight exercises, or it could involve weight and resistance training. By improving your strength and endurance, you can better manage daily tasks. Physical therapists also offer targeted strength training for athletes to restore them to pre-injury performance.
Electric Muscle Stimulation
With electric muscle stimulation, the therapist passes a small current through affected muscles using a set of special diodes. The mild electrical current stimulates blood flow and healing factors in the injured area. EMS also stimulates muscle contractions, so it can be used as a method to retain muscle tone during healing when regular exercise and strength training is not an option.
Temperature Therapy
Temperature therapy uses repeated applications of hot and cold compresses to relax muscles and stop the production of toxins that contribute to pain. For example, hot compress treatments relax muscle tension and stimulate blood flow, while cold compress treatments can reduce inflammation and swelling.
Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massages involve physical manipulation of muscle tissues around injured areas. Deep tissue massages activate connective tissues to reduce tension, reduce pain, and enhance range of motion. They also have mental benefits. Relaxation from massages lowers anxiety, which is connected with pain, muscle tension, and headaches.
Physical Therapists Near Me in New York
Doctors listed in our directory accept most insurance plans, including workers’ compensation, no-fault, and PIP (personal injury protection). Same-day appointments may be available. If you need immediate car accident injury treatment, contact the team at No-Fault Doctors online or call (888) 970-5065 today to schedule an appointment for car accident physical therapy.
Car Accident Physical Therapy FAQ
Below are some of the most common questions we receive about physical therapy after a car crash
Common injuries that may require physical therapy include whiplash, sprains, strains, and concussions.
Physical therapy after a car accident can help strengthen muscles, improve range of motion, and enhance balance, all of which can contribute to a faster recovery.
Yes, the costs of physical therapy are often covered by insurance as part of your compensation after a car accident if your claim is successful.
Yes, physical therapy can also improve your mental health after a car accident in addition to treating your physical car accident injury. The process of attending physical therapy after a car accident and seeing your progress can improve your mood, aiding in your overall recovery.
Yes, most physical therapy exercises you learn can be performed at home on your own. This will help you stay on top of your physical rehabilitation and ensure that you heal as quickly as possible.
It depends on your specific injury, but most physical therapy appointments take between a half hour and one hour.
After physical therapy appointments, you should avoid strenuous activity that engages the affected area. It is very possible to overexert yourself and exacerbate your injury if you are too active after therapy. Your doctor will also provide nutritional guidance on which foods to avoid.
Physical therapy should not hurt, but it might be challenging and cause discomfort. You may also be sore after a physical therapy appointment, but you should not feel any pain in the injured area.