Here's Why Your Muscles Are Still Tight Weeks After A Car Accident

Being in a car accident can be extremely traumatic for the body on all sorts of levels. It's psychologically nerve-wracking, and everything from your soft tissues to your bones can be severely injured. Even if you walked away from your car accident, if you're still experiencing muscular pain, you may still need help. Here are three potential reasons why your muscles remain in pain long after an accident.

Anxiety's Effect on the Body

Anxiety can do a lot to hurt your body. If you knew you were going to crash before it happened, chances are you tensed up all over in anticipation of the accident. This is the body trying to brace itself. However, this tenseness can last for ages after the accident if anxiety isn't addressed.

When you're anxious, your body goes into a fight or flight response. You either want to run or stay and fight for your life. In either case, the body's muscles stiffen so you can react quickly. Whether it's sprinting away or throwing a punch, that's what your body is ready to do. Of course, this isn't a good way to live in the long-term. In most cases, a fight or flight response ends as soon as the event is over. Unfortunately, the PTSD you may be experiencing after the accident can put you right back in this mode.

Underlying Injuries

Many people experience injuries in car accidents that don't manifest symptoms until much later on, or they went untreated and ignored under the assumption that it's simple bumps or bruises. It's possible that you could have experienced torn muscles, ligaments, or even tendons in the car accident. These injuries can typically be detected either with a skilled masseuse or with computer-aided medical scans.

Treatment

The best way to treat your body right now is to visit with a skilled masseuse. Massage therapists have a strong understanding of the underlying anatomy of the body and how to encourage muscles to calm down, stop spasming, and relax. In addition to resolving your injuries and muscle tension, massage can also be extremely effective for reducing stress. If fear and anxiety are triggering your muscles to stay tight or to spasm, then reducing that anxiety is the best method for feeling better.

Surviving a car accident doesn't mean that you're completely out of the woods just yet. It's entirely possible for the body to only start experiencing problems after the fact, so don't ignore any pain you may be having. For more information, contact your local auto accident physical therapy center.