Over the years, I have helped 100’s of patients recover from automobile injuries through Chiropractic Adjustments. While all cases are different, it seems the most complicated and perplexing cases are from low speed accidents. Often patients as well as their insurance companies do not understand how they could be hurt as bad as they were when there was little damage to their vehicle. In many cases, the injured had previous limitations or degeneration present before the accident and the complications from the trauma were intensified due to this.
A 2006 study published in The Personal Injury Law Journal helps explain how these injuries occur. Newton’s Law of Motion must be followed and held true by the motor vehicles and occupants. The injury in low speed accidents is caused by the acceleration after the impact. That is why even having wet pavement or an icy patch often contributes to a greater injury because acceleration will be faster, not absorbed by friction with the tires. Getting hit by a larger vehicle than yours will also increase velocity of acceleration. The study showed a change in velocity of only 5.97 MPH causes 4.7 g acceleration of the occupants chest and 8.3 g acceleration of the occupants head. That is 8.3 times the force of gravity! This can cause significant injury in many cases.
The same consequences of acceleration or deceleration come from falls off playground equipment, sports injuries, or even tripping at home. All trauma of this sort can create measurable changes in structure and function of the body.
Pain is usually the final step after a low speed injury initiates damage within the body and may occur days or even months later. Chiropractic treatment often diminishes pain before the actual solution to the injury has had time to heal and stabilize.
Chiropractic seeks to repair the damage, not cover it up with drugs or avoidance. If an injury is allowed to heal in a dysfunctional way, that is when more medication, extended chiropractic care, or surgery is required at a later time. Chiropractors understand this, research and results support this.
If you have pain and are not sure what causes it, you might look at recent minor accidents or falls as a possibility. A Chiropractic consultation and examination may help give you explanations and options to eliminate your pain. If you live in the Columbus, NE area, we would be honored to assist you in finding answers to your questions!