Car crashes can be daunting – in many ways. 

Post all that immediate aftermath, you may hear plenty of "Just rest it out." While resting up is nice indeed (think Netflix and chill), your injury is going to need more than just that to heal better. That's where physical therapy steps in. 

Everyone talks about it. But how exactly does it help?  

Recover Faster

Let's start with a survey result: About 92% of the respondents rated their physical therapy experience as either very (63%) or somewhat (29%) beneficial. 

Like we said, while you may hear plenty of "Just rest it out", after 3-5 days, your injured area needs more than just that: a green light for a comeback of fresh blood and lymph. The treatment options laid out in physical therapy helps kickstart this. Seeing a physical therapist helps not just fix your injured area but also strengthens it, which means you can heal – sooner and better! 

Move Better, Feel Freer

Struggling tying your fav shoes or reaching for that high shelf after a car crash? Post-accident stiffness and immobility are to blame. That's where manual therapy steps in. Therapists use gentle, hands-on techniques (think joint mobilization, positional release and active release therapies, myofascial release, dry needling, among others) to unlock your body's natural mobility and ease pain. 

Don't Have to Rely on Meds All The Time

Car accidents often bring unwelcome pain. Physical therapists use an array of treatments, from hot and cold therapies to therapeutic exercises that dial down pain. They can even teach you at-home exercises to keep pain at bay between sessions. These gentle moves boost blood flow, sending in oxygen and nutrients to the injured area – be it a sore back, dislocated shoulders, or an achy neck from whiplash.

The best part is: this prompts the body to heal naturally, so you won't need to rely on strong painkillers all the time. 

Might Just Skip Surgery

It's a smart move to consider physical therapy before jumping straight into surgery. Strengthening and mobility improvement can be your allies, thanks to physical therapy, and you might just dodge the operating room. So yeah, physical therapy can be the surgery substitute in many cases.