Motorcyclists lack complete protection which can make motorcycle injuries traumatic. Motorcycle accidents can be serious and injuries can leave you with mobility issues and severe pain. However, a chiropractor can help you recover.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help You With Common Motorcycle Injuries
It is important that you immediately contact a chiropractor after a motorcycle injury. Addressing the issue while your body is still healing is essential.
Here are some common motorcycle injuries and how chiropractic care can help.
1. Whiplash
A whiplash is a form of neck injury caused as a result of a forceful, back-and-forth motion resembling the cracking of a whip. It frequently happens during impacts in accidents or sudden stops. Whiplash is a soft tissue injury where the muscles and tendons of your neck get torn or stretched.
While whiplash can cause significant pain, chiropractic treatment can help reduce the pain. This is especially the case if the symptoms are treated immediately. Symptoms may include limited neck movements, stiffness, tingling or pain. Seeking the help of a chiropractor can provide relief.
Through gentle adjustments, chiropractors can realign your neck and muscle stretching can alleviate tension, restoring your range of motion. Your chiropractor might also suggest different types of exercises you can do at home to help in your recovery.
2. Hip Or Pelvic Misalignment
The pelvis consists of three primary joints which are the two sacroiliac joints on your back and the pubic joint located on the front of your body. The sacroiliac joints connect the pelvis to the spine.
When you experience a fall on your hip, it can lead to misalignment in your hip or pelvis. This type of misalignment can cause back pain which can be extremely painful. It may hinder your ability to drive and even prevent you from working.
Chiropractors can help in correcting pelvic misalignment through chiropractic manipulative therapy. As part of the care, they may recommend some exercises that you can do by yourself. Their recommendations will help in restoring proper pelvic alignment.
3. Back Injury
The spine and the muscles associated with it are highly susceptible to injuries in motorcycle accidents. Long hours spent on the road can also lead to spinal misalignment. Typical injuries as a result of this include soft tissue injuries, spinal misalignment, slipped or herniated discs, fractures and more.
Much like neck fractures, spinal fractures are considered a medical emergency. If this is the case, you must seek medical help immediately. When it comes to slipped or herniated discs or spinal misalignments, chiropractic care can help. Common treatments for these conditions involve chiropractic manipulative therapy and intersegmental traction therapies.
For soft tissue injuries, promoting relief and healing can be done through hydromassage or massage therapy. To prevent back injuries or damage when riding a motorcycle, it is essential to maintain proper posture. Chiropractors can offer guidance on maintaining correct posture and recommend exercises to improve your posture.
4. Biker’s Arm
A biker’s arm is also called a rider’s arm. It is a type of injury that affects motorcyclists. Bicycle riders are sometimes affected too. This injury happens when a rider puts their hand in front of them to reduce the impact during a fall. This action is often due to reflex and can result in various injuries to the hand, wrist, arm and shoulder.
In a biker’s arm injury, the nerves, muscles, ligaments and tendons in these areas can get seriously injured. The consequence of this can be severe. The damage can also be extensive and have a significant impact on your ability to use your arm and hand.
Therefore, riders need to be aware of this risk and take precautions to prevent such injuries. In many cases, chiropractic care can help through alignment. Recommendations by chiropractors may also include wearing protective gear and practicing safe riding techniques.
5. Leg Or Foot Injury
Motorcycle accidents often result in injuries to the arms and legs. This often affects both the legs and feet. These injuries frequently include fractures, road rash, strains and sprains. Broken bones can happen because of fractures and road rash as a result of the skin brushing the road.
These injuries can cause severe pain and, in some cases, make it difficult to move. You must visit a chiropractor if you suspect that you have a fracture so that your bone(s) can be realigned.
For soft tissue injuries like muscle or tendon damage, a chiropractor can also help. They may use treatments like massage therapy and hydromassage. They may also recommend a series of exercises. These therapies will help reduce pain and help you regain your normal range of motion.
6. Other Neck Injuries
In addition to whiplash, other neck injuries can happen due to a motorcycle injury. Sometimes, after an impact like a side collision, you might experience issues with your neck. This can include misalignment, where the neck bones are misaligned, or even fractures, which are breaks in those bones.
If you suspect a neck fracture, you must seek medical help immediately. Chiropractors can also help you recover from neck injuries. They use gentle methods like chiropractic manipulative therapy, which involves carefully adjusting your neck to improve the alignment of your neck.
These procedures will help to relieve your pain and also ensure that you regain the normal range of neck motion. Therefore, if you have injured any part of your neck during a motorcycle injury, ensure that you seek chiropractic care.
Summary:
Chiropractic care can help you recover after a motorcycle accident. From aligning the spine to addressing soft tissue injuries, chiropractors use various techniques to alleviate pain, improve mobility and support healing. Therefore, you should immediately seek chiropractic care if you suffer any of the mentioned injuries as a result of a motorcycle accident.