Seat Belt Injuries & Treatment

Seat Belt Injuries & Treatment
Focus Physiotherapy is family of physiotherapist owned clinics, our registered physiotherapists understand all the different types of injuries that result from car accidents.

We decided to devote a page to seatbelt injuries since most people have difficulty recognizing why they have so much pain following a car accident if their body did not hit the windshield or the dash.

It is understood and proven that the seatbelt saves lives. Yet seatbelts do cause injuries in their role as life savers.

Focus Physiotherapy is different from other clinics

The team of registered physiotherapists at Focus Physiotherapy understands what to look for and what questions to ask to ensure nothing is overlooked in creating a treatment plan for your recovery.

As a physiotherapist owned clinic we employ full time registered physiotherapists.  We practice patient centred care and our goal is to assist you in reaching maximum possible physical recovery.

We know that there are many places that say they offer “physiotherapy”.  Take a closer look and you will see many do not have registered physiotherapists on staff and if they do, often they only employ them part time.

Registered Physiotherapists are the most appropriate health professionals to deliver the profession of physiotherapy.  Registered with the College of Physiotherapists they are bound by a duty of care to deliver the best possible service they can.

A registered physiotherapist operating within a physiotherapist owned clinic we believe is the foundation for the best possible setting for recovery from traumatic injuries.

Our caring assessments by registered physiotherapists will look at all aspects of your trauma and we will determine the most appropriate treatment plan to address you injuries.

Focus Physiotherapy understands seat belt injuries may not always seem immediately obvious. The following are symptoms to watch for after an accident that can indicate further damages from the seat belt.

Bleeding

Blood in the urine or stools can indicate internal damage caused by the pressure of the seat belt. The organs can become compressed and create urinary tract or bladder damage. In addition to bleeding when voiding, accident victims should also watch for any changes in bowel movements or urination. Endometriosis or colon obstruction can result from seat belt trauma causing bleeding and constipation, report doctors at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Coughing up or vomiting blood could indicate lung damage, respiratory tract injury or stomach problems.

Weakness

Weakness in the legs can result from damage to the lower back, the abdomen or spinal nerves. The weakness may appear in one or both legs. General feelings of dizziness or weakness could indicate symptoms of shock or internal organ damage.

Bruising

When the seat belt is pulled in a crash, bruising and muscle strains can occur in the area over which the seat belt was tugged. Swelling and skin discoloration can commonly result and usually dissipates in a couple days.

Breathing Difficulties

When a person has trouble breathing following an accident, they may have sustained damage to the organs in their chest from the pressure of the set belt. Heart or lung damage can make breathing difficult.

Stiff Neck

While a person may become sore from the pressure of the seat belt, lingering signs of more serious damage to the neck should be monitored. A whiplash injury results when the torso is held in place and the head snaps. Increasing stiffness or pain in the neck may result if a spinal injury occurred because of whiplash.

Abdominal Pain

When the seat belt crosses the kidneys and delivers a serious blunt force, the first symptoms include abdominal pain and pain in the area between the hips and ribs, report doctors at Merck. Low blood pressure and anemia can result from the blood loss. Untreated, kidney damage can lead to delayed bleeding, infections and kidney failure.

If you present with these symptoms following a car accident we can help.

We believe Registered Physiotherapists are best suited to run physiotherapy clinics and provide the service of physiotherapy to injured patients. They are the only professionals who have studied the profession of physiotherapy for years and obtained a degree in physiotherapy. Clinics owned by registered physiotherapist have ethical standards and obligations to their regulatory colleges. They must adhere to practices outlined to protect the public. These standards provide added safeguards to the public from injury and abuses.
This is true, there are a lot of places offerring “physiotherapy services”. Some are small tiny places and some are located in gyms in a remote corner. The term “physiotherapy” is not a reserved act. As a result anyone can say they offer the service. It’s a loophole in the legislation that many registered physiotherapists who work in private practice are frustrated with. We hope that someday this will change, yet for now we educate our patients on the value of obtaining the physiotherapy service from a registered physiotherapist.
Part of the reason is due to the first two answers above, but it’s also because the management continually monitors what is out there to bring to our patients to enable them to recover better and more completely. Focus Physiotherapy is on a mission to be the best clinic we haves taken our successes and other experiences as opportunities for self reflection, and to continually improve. Over the years we been driven to improve, and while other clinics come and go, we hope to continue delivering more advanced services and helping more people recover from their injuries.
Contact us today to book your appointment. It’s the first step on your road to recovery.

Mississauga: 416-961-2001
Brampton: 416-961-2001
Etobicoke Kingsway: 416-961-2001
Bolton: 416-961-2001
North York: 416-961-2001
York: 416-961-2001

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The road to recovery starts with one step, and that step starts with contacting us at Focus Physiotherapy.