What Helps Sore Muscles After A Car Accident?

Have you recently been involved in a motor vehicle accident? If so, you are probably dealing with a lot of aches and pains. Even though it is important to seek medical care as quickly as possible, you may still have some sore muscles after you receive initial treatment. It can be frustrating to deal with sore muscles because they can make it hard for you to go to work, go to school, or even get out of bed in the morning. Fortunately, there are a few key tips you can follow to deal with sore muscles following a motor vehicle accident.

sore muscles

Resting Your Muscles Is the Most Important Thing

The most important thing you need to do after a motor vehicle accident is to give your muscles time to recover. If you feel sore, your body needs to heal. Therefore, do everything you can to avoid putting too much stress on those muscles. If you are dealing with a sore shoulder following a motor vehicle accident, you may want to avoid lifting items over your head. If you have a sore calf muscle following a motor vehicle accident, you should try to avoid putting too much stress on it. Even though you do not need to avoid using that muscle group entirely, you do need to avoid overloading it. Otherwise, you could complicate the recovery process and face a setback.

Stretch Your Muscles

Next, you should stretch your muscles regularly. There is a difference between stretching your muscles and using them too much. During a stretch, you will encourage the muscles to be loose, flexible, and pliable. Therefore, consider stretches that can help you remove lactic acid from your muscles, restore flexibility, and improve your range of motion. For example, if you are dealing with a sore hamstring, you may want to bend over and touch your toes from time to time. If you are dealing with a sore bicep, you may want to pull your arm across your chest to stretch out that muscle. You can also put your arm over your head if you want to stretch out your triceps. If you need help figuring out stretches that can loosen up sore muscles, you may want to talk to a local physical therapist or chiropractor who can help you.

Alternate with Ice and Heat

Another way you can expedite the recovery process is to quench inflammation in your muscles with ice and heat. First, you should apply ice if you have sore muscles. Ice is important for stopping inflammation. It can also slightly numb your muscles if they are sore. Then, after you have used ice, you can apply heat. Heat is important for loosening up your muscles and getting them to relax.

If you use ice and heat on your muscles, it is important to avoid putting the ice pack or heat pack directly on the surface of your skin. Otherwise, you could burn yourself. You do not want to give your skin frostbite, and you do not want to deal with a burn on your skin. Try to wrap the ice or heat pack in an ace bandage. Then, put the ace bandage on top of your body. That way, you can protect your skin while still treating sore muscles.

Get Plenty of Sleep

You should also make sure you get plenty of sleep following a motor vehicle accident. Sleep is important because it gives your body time to recover. You might have a difficult time falling asleep after a car accident. A few tips you may want to follow include:

  • Try to avoid watching TV, working on the computer, or playing on your phone before bed.
  • Stay away from caffeine in the afternoon.
  • Try to put your body on a regular sleep schedule to take advantage of circadian rhythm.

If you can improve your sleep hygiene, you can expedite the recovery process. Remember that the average adult requires between seven and eight hours of sleep every night.

Consider Over the Counter Anti-Inflammatory Medications

If you still feel sore, you may want to use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications. The two most common examples are Tylenol and Motrin. These medications can lead to side effects, so you should try to use them sparingly. On the other hand, if you are in a significant amount of discomfort, you may want to give these medications a try. Make sure you look at the package to avoid overdosing.

Massage Therapy

Massage therapy can also help you work out sore muscles. A massage therapist will use manual therapy to remove knots, break up sore muscle tissues, and eliminate lactic acid from your body. A massage therapist can also work on a specific part of your body that is particularly sore. Massage therapy can be a great stress relief, so you may want to talk to a local massage therapist. Remember to drink plenty of water after your visit to the massage parlor.

See a Local Chiropractor

Finally, if you really want to deal with sore muscles, you should try to see a local chiropractor. A chiropractor uses manual therapy to perform adjustments that can ensure your body is properly aligned. That way, your body will have an easier time recovering. If you have sore muscles, a chiropractor can use adjustments to make sure that your muscles, ligaments, and tendons are properly aligned. A chiropractor can also free a pinched nerve that could contribute to muscle soreness. A chiropractor can get to the root cause of your sore muscles, treating that issue. That way, you can not only treat the symptoms on the surface but also prevent them from coming back. Rely on a local chiropractor to help you recover following a motor vehicle accident.

Contact Dr. Wagner for Help Following a Motor Vehicle Accident

These are a few of the most important tips you should keep in mind if you are looking for ways to deal with sore muscles following a motor vehicle accident. It can be incredibly frustrating if your muscles are sore following a car crash. Fortunately, this is not something you need to go through alone. Remember that you need to get plenty of sleep and give your muscles time to recover.

Then, even if you have gone to the emergency room after a motor vehicle accident, you should visit a local chiropractor who can help you with the recovery process. At Dr. Wagner, we have a tremendous amount of experience helping people who have been involved in a car accident. We would be happy to leverage our skills to help you as well. Contact us today to make an appointment with a member of our team.

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