Back pain, neck pain, body aches and more — injuries from slip and fall accidents are no joke. Fortunately, chiropractic care is here to help. Here are the steps we suggest you take after a slip and fall.
How Serious Are Your Injuries?
Slip and fall injuries might seem minor, but the aftermath can be serious. If you are in extreme pain or are having difficulty moving, seek immediate medical attention.
If your injuries don’t require immediate medical care, they can still be more serious than you realize. It is important to see your chiropractor (like us here at Healthy Life Chiropractic!) after a slip and fall, even if your spine didn’t take a direct hit. Your spine carries the weight of your entire body. Any changes, even slight ones, to the biomechanics of how you move due to a banged up hip or knee can cause your spine to overcompensate. That added stress often leads to greater issues.
With our training and expertise, we will create a custom treatment plan based on the severity of your bruising and pain to get you back on your feet!
Where To Start
First things first: after a slip and fall, take a deep breath. Before you rush to get up off the ground, breathe and allow your body to adjust to what just happening. By taking that extra moment, you allow your body to center itself, making you more stable when you get back up.
Once you’ve gone back to your day-to-day routine, you may find you need to adjust some of your movements. Maybe you take a few days of from the gym until stiffness and inflammation have subsided. You may continue with your regular routine, but use lighter weights or less reps.
The main point to take away here is to listen to your body. Many patients we see rush back into their regular routine with taking into account that the body needs to heal. It is true that pain is not the main indicator of your overall health, but you should still listen to it. Taking it easy for a few days may prevent more serious injuries down the road.
Heal Naturally
Inflammation and swelling are a natural part of healing. Rather than eliminate that part of the healing process, modify it. In the days following your fall, try using ice therapy. Put ice on your injury for about 15 minutes, remove it for an hour or so, and then repeat as needed. You can also use natural anti-inflammatories like ginger, garlic, and turmeric. Chiropractic care is also an excellent treatment plan for slip and fall injuries, as it can help speed up your body’s ability to heal.
No matter how careful and cautious you are, slip and falls just happen. You can be the most agile person in the world, and you’ve probably gotten tripped up before. Fortunately there are steps you can take to reduce and even eliminate negative effects while also improve the body’s ability to heal. For more information about how we can help your slip and fall injuries, contact us!