Work and Auto Accidents
Doctors Kristina and Nathan Coppock look at work and auto accident injuries much like sports injuries. Work injuries are typically due to either a single traumatic event such as a fall, or due to repetitive micro trauma that can be from any action that is performed repeatedly such as hours of typing or lifting and twisting. Furthermore, auto accidents are high impact for the human body regardless of how slow the vehicle may have been traveling. These high impact collisions often result in unnatural forces being imposed onto the victim in a variety of different directions. This can cause a many types of tissue damage, even in what seemed to be a minor accident. Considering the mechanics of these injuries, they can be viewed very similarly to that of sports injuries. (For more information see the Sports Injuries page)
For example, consider the long distance runner who has tight hamstrings on one side. This person, after miles of pounding, day in and day out, may create unnatural torque in their low back creating pain, and a mechanism of injury very similar to a person who has been working on an assembly line for 40 hours per week lifting and twisting.
Let's also consider a football or hockey player that is moving in one direction at full speed, and is blindsided by an opposing player. This is much like being T-boned in an auto accident. Both are unprepared for impact, wind up with a whiplash type of action in their neck, and are not only hit by the player or car, but are then suddenly stopped by the ground or seatbelt respectively.
Based upon the similarities in work, auto accident, and sports injuries, Drs. Kristina and Nathan Coppock utilize many of the same techniques in work and auto accident injury cases that they do in sports injury cases. First and foremost, the doctors attempt to determine all of the facts of the accident so they can accurately estimate what tissues are sustaining damage. From there they use this information to guide their examination, and eventually the therapy. Therapy may include soft tissue manipulation, chiropractic manipulative therapy, massage, taping, and therapeutic exercise. (For more information on therapies see the Services Provided page)
As with our sports injury cases, our goal for work and auto accident injuries is to help the patient maintain as much of their daily activities as possible during care and to get the patient out of pain and back to pre-injury status as soon as they can. Additionally, the doctors at Active Life Chiropractic firmly believe that a high level of patient awareness and participation in care is key to a fast and complete recovery. Because of this belief, we provide exercises and stretches that we expect our patients to complete as homework.
If you have any questions about our services, please feel free to call today. One of the members of the Active life Chiropractic team will be more than happy to answer your questions.
