Four Myths About Motor Vehicle Injuries (And What To Do Instead)

This is one of the more common myths we see. While a day or two of lighter activity may help, prolonged rest can actually hinder your recovery. When you avoid movement entirely, you may start to experience:

• Stiff joints and reduced range of motion
• Weaker stabilizing muscles
• Higher sensitivity to normal movement

What To Do Instead

Start with guided, gradual movement as soon as possible after your injury. Physiotherapy at South Sherbrook Therapy can help you do so safely with gentle mobility exercises, progressive strength training, and guidance on how to do enough activity to improve without worsening your symptoms.

Our chiropractors can also incorporate joint-specific assessments and manual techniques to enhance comfortable motion. And if you’re really in pain, acupuncture can reduce discomfort and muscle guarding, so exercise feels easier.

Pain is real, but it doesn’t always indicate an ongoing injury.  After a car accident, the nervous system can become overprotective, which causes sharp pain, burning, or tightness even as tissues heal. 

This is especially common with whiplash-related disorders, which occur when your head is whipped back and forth during a collision.

What To Do About It

In these cases, you want to treat both the affected tissues and your body’s pain system. Our team can assess your symptoms and help you understand what’s happening in your body and which movements are safe for you. We can:

• Help you rebuild tolerance to painful movements through graded exposure
• Reduce stiffness and improve mobility through manual therapy and chiropractic adjustments
• Help lower pain sensitivity through light aerobic exercises

Actually, most neck and back pain after an MVA does not need immediate scans, meaning you can begin care without waiting to schedule an imaging appointment. Furthermore, certain injuries (like disc issues) might not even cause pain.

What To Do Instead

You’re better off scheduling a thorough physical exam with the South Sherbrook Therapy team, rather than trying to get imaging done first. We can screen for red flags and let you know if imaging is required. If it’s not, you’ll be free to begin care sooner.

Our assessments include:

• Movement testing to find what triggers symptoms
• Strength, balance, and posture checks
• Nerve screening for radiating symptoms (pain, tingling, numbness)
• Concussion screening if you have dizziness, nausea, light sensitivity, or brain fog

Hands-on care plays a crucial role in our treatment plans, particularly in the early stages of your care. However, long-term improvements typically occur thanks to active strategies that rebuild capacity and confidence. 

How We Approach It at South Sherbrook Therapy

We take an integrated approach that combines physiotherapy, chiropractic care, and acupuncture into a comprehensive care plan. Each treatment plan has its own role in helping you feel better:

• Acupuncture focuses on pain reduction and preparing your body for rehabilitation
• Chiropractic care uses adjustments and hands-on care to make movement easier
• Physiotherapy restores strength, endurance, and coordination so you can return to your favorite activities