ClickCease
+1-915-850-0900 spinedoctors@gmail.com
Select Page
Vehicle Crash Hip Injury: El Paso Back Clinic

Vehicle Crash Hip Injury: El Paso Back Clinic

As one of the most load-bearing joints in the body, the hips nearly affect every movement. If the hip joint is involved in a vehicle crash, the space in the joint/hip capsule can fill with fluid, causing joint effusion or swelling, inflammation, dull-immobilizing pain, and stiffness. Hip pain is a common injury symptom reported after a vehicle crash. This pain can range from mild to severe and may be short-term or last for months. No matter the level of pain being experienced, action must be taken quickly to avoid long-term damage. Individuals need high-quality, patient-focused care from experienced specialists as soon as possible to get on the road to recovery.

Vehicle Crash Hip Injury: EP Chiropractic Rehabilitation Team

Vehicle Crash Hip Injury

The hip joints must be healthy and work as effectively as possible to stay active. Arthritis, hip fractures, bursitis, tendonitis, injuries from falls, and automobile collisions are the most common causes of chronic hip pain. Depending upon the type of injury, individuals may experience pain symptoms in the thigh, groin, inside of the hip joint, or buttocks.

Associated Injuries

The most common injuries that cause pain in the hip after a collision include:

Hip Ligament Sprains or Strains

  • A hip ligament sprain or strain is caused by overstretched or torn ligaments.
  • These tissues attach bones to other bones and provide stability to the joints.
  • These injuries may only require rest and ice to heal, depending on the severity.
  • Chiropractic, decompression, and physical massage therapies may be necessary for realignment and to keep muscles flexible and relaxed.

Bursitis

  • Bursitis is an inflammation of the bursa, or the fluid-filled sac providing cushioning/material between bones and muscles.
  • It is one of the main causes of hip pain after an automobile collision and requires immediate medical attention.

Tendonitis

  • Tendonitis is a type of injury that affects soft tissues like tendons and ligaments, as opposed to bone and muscle.
  • Tendonitis can result in chronic pain and various discomfort symptoms in and around the hip area if left untreated.

Hip Labral Tear

  • A hip labral tear is a type of joint damage in which the soft tissue/labrum that covers the hip’s socket gets torn.
  • The tissue ensures that the thighbone head moves smoothly within the joint.
  • Damage to the labrum can lead to severe pain symptoms and affect mobility.

Hip Dislocation

  • A hip dislocation means the femur ball has popped out of the socket, causing the upper leg bone to slide out of place.
  • Hip dislocations can cause avascular necrosis, which is the death of bone tissue from a blockage in the blood supply.

Hip Fractures

  • The hip bones can be broken down into three parts:
  • Ilium
  • Pubis
  • Ischium
  • A hip fracture, or broken hip, occurs whenever a break, crack, or crush happens to any one of these parts of the hip.

Acetabular Fracture

  • An acetabular fracture is a break or a crack outside the hip socket that holds the hip and thigh bones together.
  • A fracture to this body part is not as common because of the location.
  • Significant force and impact are often necessary to cause this type of fracture.

Symptoms

If any of the following symptoms after a vehicle crash are experienced, it could be a hip injury and should be examined by a medical professional. These include:

  • Soreness or tenderness at the site of injury.
  • Bruising.
  • Swelling.
  • Difficulty moving the hip/s.
  • Intense pain when walking.
  • Limping.
  • Loss of muscle strength.
  • Abdominal pain.
  • Knee pain.
  • Groin pain.

Treatment and  Rehabilitation

A doctor or specialist should always evaluate hip problems and pain symptoms. With the help of a physical examination and diagnostics like X-rays, CT Scans, or an MRI, a physician can diagnose and recommend treatment options. Treatment after a vehicle crash depends on the severity of the damage. For example, hip fractures often require immediate surgery, while other injuries may only necessitate medication, rest, and rehabilitation. Possible treatment plans include:

  • Rest
  • Pain, muscle relaxants, and anti-inflammatory medication.
  • Physical therapy
  • Massage therapy
  • Chiropractic realignment
  • Spinal decompression
  • Exercise therapy
  • Steroid injections
  • Surgery – after surgery, a physical therapist can help stretch and work on muscles around the hip to gain mobility and flexibility for a complete recovery.
  • Total hip replacement

Our team collaborates with the necessary specialists to provide the complete care needed to experience full recovery and healing for long-term relief. The team will work together to form a comprehensive treatment plan to strengthen the hip muscles for better support and increased range of motion.


Movement as Medicine


References

Cooper, Joseph, et al. “Hip dislocations and concurrent injuries in motor vehicle collisions.” Injury vol. 49,7 (2018): 1297-1301. doi:10.1016/j.injury.2018.04.023

Fadl, Shaimaa A, and Claire K Sandstrom. “Pattern Recognition: A Mechanism-based Approach to Injury Detection after Motor Vehicle Collisions.” Radiographics: a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc vol. 39,3 (2019): 857-876. doi:10.1148/rg.2019180063

Frank, C J et al. “Acetabular fractures.” The Nebraska medical journal vol. 80,5 (1995): 118-23.

Masiewicz, Spencer, et al. “Posterior Hip Dislocation.” StatPearls, StatPearls Publishing, 22 April 2023.

Monma, H, and T Sugita. “Is the mechanism of traumatic posterior dislocation of the hip a brake pedal injury rather than a dashboard injury?.” Injury vol. 32,3 (2001): 221-2. doi:10.1016/s0020-1383(00)00183-2

Patel, Vijal, et al. “The association between knee airbag deployment and knee-thigh-hip fracture injury risk in motor vehicle collisions: A matched cohort study.” Accident; Analysis and Prevention vol. 50 (2013): 964-7. doi:10.1016/j.aap.2012.07.023

Knee and Ankle Automobile Collision Injuries: EP Back Clinic

Knee and Ankle Automobile Collision Injuries: EP Back Clinic

Automobile accidents and collisions can cause knee and ankle injuries in various ways. Automobile crashes are considered high-energy collisions versus slip and fall traumas which are generally low-energy. However, a 30mph or under-collision can have serious and detrimental effects on the knees and ankles. The sudden forces can cause the knees to collide with the dashboard or push the feet and legs into the body, generating intense pressure and compressing the bones, muscles, and ligaments damaging soft tissues and bone structures from the impact. The Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic Team can rehabilitate, realign, strengthen, and restore function to individuals with minor to severe auto collision injuries.

Knee and Ankle Automobile Collision Injuries: EP Chiropractic Team

Knee and Ankle Injuries

Musculoskeletal motor vehicle crash/collision injuries affect the body’s movement. The impact can pull, tear, crush, and smash bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, discs, and nerves. These injuries restrict the range of motion and can cause pain and sensation symptoms. The National Accident Sampling System reports 33% of injuries sustained during vehicle collisions are to the lower extremities.

  • Despite the knees and ankles having soft tissues that absorb and distribute the energy’s impact, the forces from the collision often happen instantly and unexpectedly, causing the individual to tense up, which overwhelms the structures.
  • Even panic stepping on the brake pedal can cause injury to the ankle and foot.
  • A passenger’s reflex of trying to resist forces can experience foot, ankle, and knee injuries from bracing off the vehicle’s floorboard.
  • Automobile collisions can cause strains, sprains, fractures, and dislocations.

Torn, Strained, or Sprained Knee

  • If the foot becomes planted on the floorboard while the body continues to move forward or sideways, the force can travel into the knee, causing twisting or shearing.
  • Depending on the injury type, the impact strength can damage different ligaments.
  • The ligaments resist forces that push the knee inwards/medially and outwards/laterally and slightly resist rotational forces.
  • When any of these ligaments are damaged, swelling, pain, and limited ranges of motion can result.
  • Putting weight on the affected leg can be difficult.
  • In some cases, the ligaments tear completely, necessitating surgical repair.
  • Once the individual can engage in mild activity, they can begin a rehabilitation program to restore function.
  • Recovery times vary based on the location and severity of the injury.

Fractured Knee or Ankle

  • When a fracture occurs in a joint, like the knees or ankles, surgical procedures may be necessary to repair the broken bone/s.
  • Broken bones can result in simultaneous damage and/or inflammation of the connective tissues that can cause the muscles to contract/tighten or atrophy during the recovery and healing phases.
  • Joints and bones are kept healthy with moderate movement and weight-bearing.
  • Fractures require immobilization of the affected area.
  • A physical therapy rehabilitation program can begin when the brace or cast comes off.
  • Targeted exercises and resistance will strengthen and stretch the joint to improve flexibility and promote healing through improved circulation.

Torn Meniscus

  • The meniscus is a C-shaped area of cartilage that rests between the thigh and shin bones.
  • It acts as a shock absorber.
  • The meniscus can become torn, resulting in pain, stiffness, and loss of motion.
  • This injury can heal independently with the right rest and therapeutic exercises.
  • A chiropractic auto collision specialist can diagnose the severity of the tear and provide the recommendations needed to rehabilitate and strengthen the knee.
  • If the tear is severe enough, surgery may be required.

Strained or Sprained Ankle

  • Strained tendons and sprained ligaments can result from the ankle being subject to tremendous force.
  • Strains and sprains vary in severity.
  • Both indicate that the connective tissue has been damaged or stretched beyond normal limits.
  • They can present with pain, inflammation, and problems moving the affected area.
  • With proper medical attention and rehabilitation, recovery is possible.

Torn Achilles Tendon

  • The Achilles tendon connects the calf muscle to the heel and is necessary for walking, running, physical activity, and bearing weight.
  • If the tendon gets torn, surgery will be required to reattach the muscle and tendon.
  • After recovery, the individual can begin physical therapy to work the tendon and muscle, slowly building strength and range of motion.
  • It is critical to do this with the supervision of an expert in musculoskeletal rehabilitation to avoid re-injury or developing new injuries.

Chiropractic Treatment

Any musculoskeletal motor vehicle injuries can result in intense pain that worsens with activity, inflammation, swelling, redness, and/or heat in the affected area. This is why correctly diagnosing the injury is essential if the condition is to be properly and thoroughly treated. A physical examination will vary based on the individual’s state and can include:

  • Strength assessment
  • Range of motion
  • Reflexes
  • Other variables to determine the underlying issues.
  • Diagnostic imaging such as X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans can help identify and clarify injuries’ extent, nature, and location and rule out problems.

A qualified healthcare professional will combine the data with medical history to develop an accurate diagnosis. Our ability to effectively treat accident individuals is based on applying clinical expertise in musculoskeletal diagnosis and care. Our medical team takes a practical approach to help individuals quickly heal from musculoskeletal injuries using the latest treatments possible. When you meet with one of our professionals, you will feel relaxed and confident that you have come to the right place.


From Injury To Recovery


References

Dischinger, P C et al. “Consequences and costs of lower extremity injuries.” Annual proceedings. Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine vol. 48 (2004): 339-53.

Fildes, B et al. “Lower limb injuries to passenger car occupants.” Accident; analysis and prevention vol. 29,6 (1997): 785-91. doi:10.1016/s0001-4575(97)00047-x

Gane, Elise M et al. “The impact of musculoskeletal injuries sustained in road traffic crashes on work-related outcomes: a protocol for a systematic review.” Systematic reviews vol. 7,1 202. 20 Nov. 2018, doi:10.1186/s13643-018-0869-4

Hardin, E C et al. “Foot and ankle forces during an automobile collision: the influence of muscles.” Journal of biomechanics vol. 37,5 (2004): 637-44. doi:10.1016/j.jbiomech.2003.09.030

Li, Wen-Wei, and Cheng-Chang Lu. “Knee deformity following a motor vehicle accident.” Emergency medicine journal: EMJ vol. 38,6 (2021): 449-473. doi:10.1136/emermed-2020-210054

M, Asgari, and Keyvanian Sh S. “Crash Injury Analysis of Knee Joint Considering Pedestrian Safety.” Journal of biomedical physics & Engineering vol. 9,5 569-578. 1 Oct. 2019, doi:10.31661/jbpe.v0i0.424

Torry, Michael R et al. “Relationship of knee shear force and extensor moment on knee translations in females performing drop landings: a biplane fluoroscopy study.” Clinical biomechanics (Bristol, Avon) vol. 26,10 (2011): 1019-24. doi:10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2011.06.010

T-Bone Side Impact Vehicle Collision Injuries Chiropractic

T-Bone Side Impact Vehicle Collision Injuries Chiropractic

T-bone accidents/collisions, also known as side-impact or broadside collisions where the front end of one car slams into the side of another, can result in severe injuries and tend to have a more devastating effect on the body. Side impact collisions account for 24% of driver or passenger deaths; even at 30 mph, side-impacts regularly cause injuries to the occupants of the struck car. Modern vehicles have many safety features, including safety belt features, airbags, and collision avoidance systems that protect drivers and passengers from front and rear collisions; however, when it comes to side-impact, occupants tend to remain unprotected.

T-Bone Side Impact Car Collision Injuries Chiropractor

T-Bone Side Collision Causes

T-bone accidents usually happen at intersections. Usual Causes of T-bone accidents involve someone failing to yield the right of way. The most common causes include:

  • A driver makes a risky left turn at an intersection, believing the other car/s will stop.
  • A driver decides to run a red light crashing into a vehicle making a left turn.
  • A driver runs through a stop sign, slams into a vehicle, or gets slammed.
  • Distracted driving.
  • Defective automotive equipment like faulty brakes.

Injuries

T-bone collision-related injuries include the head, neck, arms, shoulders, chest, ribs, abdominalspelvis, legs, and feet:

  • Abrasions
  • Bruising
  • Cuts
  • Gashes
  • Soft tissue strains
  • Whiplash
  • Nerve damage
  • Dislocations
  • Fractures
  • Internal damage to the organs
  • Concussions
  • Brain trauma
  • Partial or complete paralysis

Back injuries can damage the spinal cord causing herniated discs, sciatica, and chronic pain that can radiate to the rest of the body.

Treatment and Recovery

Individuals have different recovery times and depend on the severity of the injury and on any pre-existing conditions. Brain injuries and spinal issues can take months to recover fully. Fractures placed in a hard or soft cast to heal for weeks or months can lead to muscle atrophy. Chiropractic therapeutic massage and decompression strengthens muscle weakness, resets and realigns the spinal column,  improves range of motion/movement, strengthens grip, and relieves pain.


Neurosurgeon Explains DRX9000


References

Gierczycka, Donata, and Duane Cronin. “Importance of impact boundary conditions and pre-crash arm position for the prediction of thoracic response to pendulum, side sled, and near side vehicle impacts.” Computer methods in biomechanics and biomedical engineering vol. 24,14 (2021): 1531-1544. doi:10.1080/10255842.2021.1900132

Hu, JunMei, et al. “Chronic widespread pain after motor vehicle collision typically occurs through immediate development and nonrecovery: results of an emergency department-based cohort study.” Pain vol. 157,2 (2016): 438-444. doi:10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000388

Lidbe, Abhay, et al. “Do NHTSA vehicle safety ratings affect side impact crash outcomes?.” Journal of safety research vol. 73 (2020): 1-7. doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2020.02.001

Mikhail, J N. “Side impact motor vehicular crashes: patterns of injury.” International journal of trauma nursing vol. 1,3 (1995): 64-9. doi:10.1016/s1075-4210(05)80041-0

Shaw, Greg et al. “Side impact PMHS thoracic response with a large-volume airbag.” Traffic injury prevention vol. 15,1 (2014): 40-7. doi:10.1080/15389588.2013.792109

Spine Disc Herniation Decompression: Automobile Crash-Accident

Spine Disc Herniation Decompression: Automobile Crash-Accident

When the body goes through intense trauma like a car, truck, crash, or accident, the trauma can slip, bulge, herniate, or rupture the spinal fluid-filled discs that can extrude from the disc space, causing the nucleus pulposus to tear through the annulus fibrosus and compress the nerve roots causing pain. Depending on the severity and force of the crash or accident, a herniated disc can cause the vertebrae to push into the spinal canal, where it can compress, irritate, and/or injure the spinal cord, which can lead to other health issues. Nerve impingement from a herniated disc can also cause numbness and tingling in the hands, arms, legs, and feet. A chiropractic spine disc herniation decompression treatment plan can heal the herniation, realign the spine, stretch the muscles and joints, and rehabilitate the body back to top form.

Car-Truck-Crash-Accident: Spine Disc Herniation Decompression

Spine Disc Herniation

Symptoms of Herniation

Signs and symptoms depend on the spinal area and whether the disc is rubbing or compressing a nerve. Pain is often described as a sharp or burning sensation. A herniated disc usually affects one side of the body.

Pain Presents When Sitting Down – sitting causes a significant strain on the lower spinal discs. When sitting, the pain experienced can worsen.

Arm or leg pain – Depending on the herniated disc, pain can spread to other surrounding areas.

  • For a lower herniation, this could be the buttock, thigh, calf, and foot.
  • For a herniated disc in the neck region, pain can be felt in the shoulder and arm.

Pain can present in the arm or leg when coughing, sneezing, or moving into certain positions.

Numbness or tingling – presents from the compressed nerves and spreads as the average blood/energy flow is disrupted.

Muscle Weakness –  the affected nerves that support the spinal muscles can lose normal strength causing awkward postures and fatigue.

A herniated disc can be present without symptoms – individuals won’t know unless spinal imaging is ordered.

Sciatica Sensations – the damaged nerve roots affect the ability to function correctly and can cause burning pain, numbness, weakness, and tingling along the front and/or back of the thigh, leg, and/or foot. This can result from direct compression or chemical irritation from a leaked out herniated disc that causes inflammation around the nerve root area.

Chiropractic Injury Care

When a disc herniates, it inhibits the body from communicating and healing itself. To activate proper communication from the brain to the rest of the body, chiropractors perform spine disc herniation decompression which clears the neural system and opens the lines of communication.

Spine Disc Herniation Decompression

Nonsurgical spinal decompression gently stretches the spine to relieve pressure and heal the herniated disc. It is a safe procedure considered a natural alternative compared to surgery or pharmaceutical approaches. Spinal decompression therapy:

  • It is safe for all ages
  • It is non-invasive
  • Sessions take between 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the individual and the injury that could require multiple sessions.
  • Offers a quicker recovery time
  • It is performed on a computer-controlled table customized to the individual’s specific needs and injuries.

A treatment plan can expedite the recovery process, rehabilitate and strengthen the whole body, and help avoid minimally invasive spine surgery.


Neurosurgeon DRX9000


References

Atlas, Steven J et al. “The impact of disability compensation on long-term treatment outcomes of patients with sciatica due to a lumbar disc herniation.” Spine vol. 31,26 (2006): 3061-9. doi:10.1097/01.brs.0000250325.87083.8d

Dydyk AM, Ngnitewe Massa R, Mesfin FB. Disc Herniation. [Updated 2022 Jan 18]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441822/

Gane, Elise M et al. “The Impact of Musculoskeletal Injuries Sustained in Road Traffic Crashes on Work-Related Outcomes: A Systematic Review.” International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 18,21 11504. 1 Nov. 2021, doi:10.3390/ijerph182111504

Scuderi, Gaetano J et al. “Symptomatic cervical disc herniation following a motor vehicle collision: return to work comparative study of workers’ compensation versus personal injury insurance status.” The spine journal: official journal of the North American Spine Society vol. 5,6 (2005): 639-44; discussion 644. doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2005.04.007

Delayed Injury Symptoms

Delayed Injury Symptoms

Automobile accidents and crashes can cause all kinds of damage to the body even when the accident/crash is not severe. Physical symptoms might not present at all for several days, even weeks. This is known as having delayed injury symptoms. These can include:

  • Swelling.
  • Stiffness.
  • Aching.
  • Pain that radiates all over the body.
  • Sleep problems.
  • Headaches.
  • Brain fog.
  • Disorientation.
  • Memory problems.

Chiropractic and physical therapy rehabilitation can restore the body’s alignment, stop inflammation, loosen, stretch and strengthen the musculoskeletal system restoring optimal health.

Delayed Injury Symptoms

Adrenaline

When the body is involved in a dangerous physical situation, it protects itself by releasing a surge of adrenaline. This hormone protects the body, causing the fight or flight response when in danger. Adrenaline causes several preservation responses that include:

  • Intense increase in energy.
  • Little or no pain.
  • Enlarged blood vessels and airways increase oxygen flow.
  • Increased strength from increased blood flow to the muscles.
  • Changes in vision and hearing that focus on sights and sounds all around.
  • Endorphins are released that make the body feel calm and in control.
  • Endorphins affect the way the body responds to pain and stress.

Individuals don’t start feeling aches and pains until the adrenaline and endorphins wear off. However, because everybody is different and the emergency response has turned off, the body still might not feel the injury symptoms. These are delayed injury symptoms.

Rate of Speed

When riding in a vehicle, the body moves at the same speed as the vehicle. During an impact, the vehicle stops, but the body continues moving until it stops, typically with a lot of force from the seatbelt, airbag, or other barriers. The intense momentum change can cause soft tissue damage and ligament or muscle strains from the stretching, pulling, contracting, and tearing. Also, the intervertebral discs can tear, bulge, or herniate over time, creating pressure on nerves and the surrounding tissues.

Delayed Injury Symptoms

Headaches

  • Headaches that develop days after an accident/crash are common.
  • They can signal a possible injury to the neck or head, a blood clot on the brain, or a concussion.

Numbness

  • Loss of feeling in arms and hands could indicate a whiplash-associated disorder.
  • The loss of feeling/sensation results from damage to the neck or spinal column.
  • Around 20 percent of individuals impacted by a rear-end crash develop some whiplash symptoms.

Neck or Shoulder Pain and/or Stiffness

  • Whiplash is a classic delayed symptom injury associated with accidents.
  • Most delayed whiplash injuries are caused by rear-end vehicle collisions at speeds of less than 14 miles an hour.
  • Whiplash injuries usually require x-rays, CT scans, or MRIs for proper diagnosis.

Abdominal Pain or Swelling

  • This could indicate internal bleeding.
  • Internal bleeding can remain undiscovered for hours or days.
  • This can be a life-threatening condition that needs to be diagnosed and treated by emergency medical personnel.
  • Other symptoms include:
  • Large areas of deep bruising.
  • Dizziness.
  • Fainting.

Back Aches and Pains

  • Back pain can be caused by injury to the muscles, ligaments, nerves, or damage to the vertebrae.
  • Low back pain occurs in more than half of rear-impact collisions and almost three-quarters of side-impact crashes.

Chiropractic Rehabilitation

After an accident, soft tissues can sustain minimal damage; however, the minimal damage left untreated can start to worsen and turn into a painful condition. Emergency room visits are to rule out major injuries like brain/nerve injuries, bleeding, punctures, lacerated organs, fractures that require emergency stabilization. Chiropractors look for other symptoms and mechanisms that indicate damage to the body’s soft tissues and nerves to see if they have been stretched or torn and dysfunction in the nervous system.


Body Composition


Calorie Counting

Counting calories can be a stepping stone to change behavior towards food. Tracking what foods are being taken into the body promotes mindfulness of dietary habits. Studies on the subject reveal a significant association between self-monitoring and weight loss. Takeaways include:

References

Burke, Lora E et al. “Self-monitoring in weight loss: a systematic review of the literature.” Journal of the American Dietetic Association vol. 111,1 (2011): 92-102. doi:10.1016/j.jada.2010.10.008

D’Elia, Michael A et al. “Motor vehicle collision with seatbelt sign and traumatic abdominal wall hernia should raise suspicion for hollow viscus injury.” Trauma case reports vol. 22 100206. 25 May. 2019, doi:10.1016/j.tcr.2019.100206

Kacprzynski, Gregory, and Joshua Bucher. “Delayed vertebral artery dissection after mild trauma in a motor vehicle collision.” The American Journal of emergency medicine vol. 45 (2021): 678.e1-678.e2. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2020.11.028

Olinger, Catherine, and Richard Bransford. “Upper Cervical Trauma.” The Orthopedic clinics of North America vol. 52,4 (2021): 451-479. doi:10.1016/j.ocl.2021.05.013

Sterling, Michele. “Whiplash-associated disorder: musculoskeletal pain and related clinical findings.” The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy vol. 19,4 (2011): 194-200. doi:10.1179/106698111X13129729551949

Sciatica Motor Vehicle Crash

Sciatica Motor Vehicle Crash

Sciatica motor vehicle crash. After an automobile crash/accident, symptoms of pain and discomfort can immediately follow the force of impact, indicating an injury. Many injuries and symptoms appear right away, like:

  • Pain from high-impact trauma and cuts.
  • Bone fractures.
  • Dislocations.
  • Neck whiplash.
  • Back pain.

The sciatic nerve is the largest in the body, and any damage can cause pain in one or both sides of the body. Pressure and compression on the nerves, ligaments, and muscles accompanied by weakness or numbness in the lower back, legs, or feet could cause delayed sciatica symptoms hours, days, even weeks later. It is critical to meet with a doctor and auto accident chiropractor after any type of accident, large or small, to develop a thorough personalized treatment plan.

Sciatica Motor Vehicle Crash

Sciatica Motor Vehicle Crash

Sciatica can be brought on by a pinched nerve, which is often the result of the spine shifting out of place, causing herniation and compression on the sciatic nerve. The trauma from a motor vehicle accident can cause the spinal discs to be knocked out of place, rupture, and leak out, irritating the surrounding tissue and nerve endings. Back injuries are among the most common forms of damage/injury resulting from a motor vehicle accident/crash that can lead to sciatica. Broken and/or fractured vertebral, hip, or pelvis bone fragments can compress the sciatic nerve. Even when the initial result of the impact does not result in sciatica, over time, an untreated back injury could lead to sciatica symptoms.

Symptoms

Motor vehicle crashes often activate or aggravate pre-existing conditions like asymptomatic degenerative disc disease, affecting the sciatic nerve causing discomfort and pain. Common symptoms include:

  • Mild discomfort or achiness.
  • Tingling sensations from the lower back and down the back of the leg.
  • Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg and foot.
  • Inability to bend the foot upward at the ankle- known as foot drop.
  • Constant pain in one side of the buttocks or leg.
  • Sharp pain that makes it difficult to stand up and walk
  • Difficulty sitting.
  • Burning or tingling in one leg can worsen when sitting.
  • Intense pain.
  • Sharp burning and/or what feels like shooting electricity pain.

Diagnosis

A spine doctor and chiropractor will use diagnostic imaging tools like X-rays, and CT scans to see the scope of the injured area.

  • An X-ray will show a detailed image of the spine and affected bones in the area.
  • A CT scan will include a 3D image that shows the surrounding musculature, tissues, and nerves that could be damaged/injured.

Treatment

The doctor and chiropractor will then develop an appropriate and personalized treatment plan that could utilize various methods and techniques.

  • Chiropractic is commonly the first treatment to realign the spine and relieve pressure on the nerve.
  • A pain management specialist or physical therapist will be brought in for rehabilitation/recovery as adjustments progress.
  • Orthopedists and neurologists may be brought in for less conservative treatment in more severe cases, including surgical options.
  • Other treatments can include steroid injections or anti-inflammatory medicines to relieve nerve pressure.

Body Composition


Injury Rehabilitation Phase

Current in-clinic methods of measuring the composition of an injured body are indirect, while medically advanced techniques limit the frequency of testing. InBody provides cost-effective, comprehensive, and timely measurements that identify areas of weakness from damage, injury, or recent surgery and develop a customized rehabilitation program to improve functional status.

During the rehabilitation phase, increased sedentary behavior and/or immobilization causes muscle loss in the injured or operated region. By independently evaluating lean mass in each segment of the arms, legs, and torso, a chiropractor or physical therapist gathers baseline information on the body segments with restricted mobility.

InBody can help provide further insight into an individual’s body composition to analyze long-term health risks and develop a personalized exercise intervention to improve overall health and reduce health risks. This provides beneficial information for identifying potential imbalances related to muscle loss post-injury/surgery that can be targeted and improved. Identifying these imbalances allows the therapists to increase functional fitness and mobility, helping the individual reduce the risk of re-injury or new injuries.

References

Defouilloux, B et al. “A propos de trois observations chez des polytraumatisées de la route présentag une fracture du bassin associée à des signes neurologiques” [Apropos of 3 cases of multiple traffic injuries presenting pelvic fractures associated with neurologic signs]. Journal de radiologie, d’electrologie, et de medecine nucleaire vol. 48,8 (1967): 505-6.

Noble, J et al. “Analysis of upper and lower extremity peripheral nerve injuries in a population of patients with multiple injuries.” The Journal of trauma vol. 45,1 (1998): 116-22. doi:10.1097/00005373-199807000-00025

Walsh, K et al. “Risk of low back pain in people admitted to hospital for traffic accidents and falls.” Journal of epidemiology and community health vol. 46,3 (1992): 231-3. doi:10.1136/jech.46.3.231

Types of Vehicle Accidents and Crashes

Types of Vehicle Accidents and Crashes

Common Types of vehicle/automobile crashes and accidents. Most accidents and crashes are caused by driving errors, recklessness, distraction, or disregard of traffic laws. Some accidents are caused by safety system failure or defective parts on the vehicle. Individuals can suffer severe and/or permanent injuries, even death.

Types of Vehicle Accidents and Crashes

Types of Accident/Crashes

Single Vehicle Accident

This type of road, highway traffic accident where only one vehicle is involved. Most of these types of crashes are:

  • Run-off-road collisions
  • Collisions with fallen debris
  • Rollovers
  • Collisions with animals

Side Impact/T-bone Collision

These accidents, also known as broadside or T-bone collisions, impact the side of one or more vehicles. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, these crashes and accidents often happen at:

  • Busy intersections
  • Parking lots
  • When a vehicle runs a red light, and a driver that has the green light gets slammed.
  • These types of collisions account for a quarter of passenger vehicle occupant deaths.
  • Injuries from a side-impact collision can be severe but vary depending on where the vehicle was struck.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end collisions account for around a fourth of all collisions. These accidents and crashes happen because of:

  • Driver inattention
  • Distraction – Driver distraction has become a common factor in many rear-end crashes.
  • Tailgating – When a driver tailgates, they reduce the reaction time to come to a safe stop.
  • Panic stops
  • Reduced wheel traction because of damaged roads/highways or dangerous road conditions caused by weather.

Head-on Collision

Head-on collisions are often fatal road and highway accidents and crashes. This can be caused by drivers not seeing or paying attention to:

  • Wrong-way signs
  • New construction
  • Construction detour directions
  • Street conditions
  • Staying in the proper lane
  • Impaired driving and going the wrong way have become common factors in head-on collisions.

Vehicle Rollover

These types of accidents and crashes can be complex and violent. Rollovers happen from:

  • Drivers speeding, making sharp turns, cutting across lanes to exit
  • Road conditions
  • Construction
  • Vehicle dysfunctions like an accelerator that gets stuck, loss of brakes,
  • Weather and environmental factors
  • Impaired driving
  • According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration or NHTSA, research shows that around 85% of rollover-related fatalities result from a single-vehicle accident or crash.

When involved in a car crash or accident, the force of the collision can shift the spine and body’s joints out of alignment causing all types of injuries. Adjustments and realignment can help alleviate the pain and help heal the injury/s. Chiropractic treatment following a crash or accident is an important step that can benefit the body’s health.


Body Composition


Benefits of Dairy Intake

Packed Nutrient Profile

Dairy foods have an impressive nutrition label, and dairy is considered a healthy source of many essential nutrients.

  • A cup of cow’s milk provides close to 8 grams of protein. This exceeds the protein content of most non-dairy milk alternatives.
  • There are also essential micronutrients.
  • Increasing dairy consumption can significantly improve under-consumed nutrients like:
  • Calcium
  • Magnesium
  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin D

Bone Health

A glass of milk has seven of the eight nutrients considered essential for bone maintenance. This includes:

  • Protein
  • Calcium
  • Phosphorus
  • Magnesium
  • Zinc
  • Vitamin K
  • Studies have found that milk and dairy intake increases bone formation and bone mineral content during childhood and adolescence.
  • This means that the bones are stronger and are at less risk of fractures.
References

Christ, Daniel. “Simulating the relative influence of tire, vehicle and driver factors on forward collision accident rates.” Journal of safety research vol. 73 (2020): 253-262. doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2020.03.009

Texas DOT: 2017 Crash Statistics

Texas DOT: Total and DUI Fatal and Injury Crashes Comparison

Thorning, Tanja Kongerslev et al. “Milk and dairy products: good or bad for human health? An assessment of the totality of scientific evidence.” Food & nutrition research vol. 60 32527. 22 Nov. 2016, doi:10.3402/fnr.v60.32527