3 Ways Active Physical Therapy Can Help With Sciatica After a Car Accident

Car accidents can leave you with much more than damage to your vehicle. For many, an accident can trigger sciatica—resulting in chronic pain and significant negative impacts on one’s daily life. So, how can you overcome this pain and get back to your regular activities?

Well, physical therapy might hold the key to paving your road toward a full recovery. In this article, we explore three important ways in which active physical therapy can help to address the root cause of your post-accident sciatic pain and work on restoring your movement. 

What is Active Physical Therapy?

Active physical therapy is a therapeutic approach in which individuals are actively involved in their own treatment. It also incorporates various movement-based stretches and exercises that aim to relieve pain and enhance strength and flexibility. 

In fact, research shows that sciatic patients engaging in physical therapy interventions show meaningful improvements in their physical health. So, below, we highlight three ways that active physical therapy can help you to recover from sciatica after a car accident. Should you seek out your local Tampa physical therapist?

1. Reduces Pain and Inflammation

Active physical therapy can help relieve pain and inflammation associated with sciatica after a car accident. By incorporating targeted exercises and stretches, active physical therapy can help strengthen and stabilize the muscles surrounding your spine and pelvis, alleviating pressure on your sciatic nerve. This pressure causes the pain and inflammation characteristic of sciatica. 

Specific exercises can strengthen the core, back, and leg muscles, supporting the spine and reducing the risk of future sciatic flare-ups. For instance, transverse abdominis exercises are commonly used to alleviate pressure on the lower back.

Active physical therapy also helps to boost circulation and promote the release of endorphins, the body's natural pain relievers. In turn, you can begin to move past pain and begin easing back into the activities you know and love.

2. Promotes Healing

When your body has suffered through the trauma of a car accident, recovery and healing are essential. Active physical therapy can support this healing process, helping to relieve the inflammation that may be contributing to sciatic pain. Targeted active exercises can help to increase localized blood flow, mobilize the sciatic nerve, and reduce the formation of scar tissue.

Active movement can also encourage your body to repair damaged tissues. In fact, physical exercise has been shown to stimulate the production of collagen, which is essential for the repair and regeneration of bodily tissues. 

3. Restores Mobility

Active physical therapy is crucial for helping to restore mobility in individuals experiencing sciatica as a result of a car accident. Targeted exercises can help to correct posture and spinal alignment issues, improving overall flexibility and strength. This increased flexibility helps to facilitate smoother, less restricted movements, helping those affected to get back to their usual daily activities quickly. 

Curious about exploring active physical therapy in Tampa? The Tampa Spine and Wellness team is here, ready, and waiting to support you on your journey. Book your appointment with us today to find out how active physical therapy can help you overcome your sciatic pain!