Treatment of a Torn Muscle in a Car Accident
A torn muscle is a painful injury that can lead to a long recovery process. Like other parts of the body, the muscles are prone to damage. While muscles are meant to extend and contract, sudden or excessive movements could lead to tearing of the muscle fibers. This could occur in an auto accident. The sudden changes in momentum and direction could stretch the muscles past their breaking point. Some of the symptoms of a severe muscle tear include:
- Bruising and swelling at the site of the injury.
- Pain at the location of the injury that gets worse when that extremity is used.
- Limitations in the range of motion of the injured body part.
- A feeling of weakness at the injury site, particularly when compared to the same muscle on the other half of the body.
These symptoms could indicate that the muscle has been torn. Depending on how large the tear is, the treatment option for a torn muscle could include anything from rest to surgery.
The Treatment of a Torn Muscle
There are many different treatments of muscle tears which will vary depending on the size of the injury. If a muscle is stretched too far, the fibers will start to tear. The farther the fibers are extended, the more of them will tear. For minor muscle tears, there are several treatment options. These include:
- Taking anti-inflammatory medications such as Tylenol and Motrin.
- Resting the injured muscle for several days to weeks.
- Alternating between ice (to quench the inflammatory process) and heat (to relax the damaged muscle).
- Immobilizing the muscle using a brace or a sling.
- Elevating the injured muscle to relieve some of the swellings.
If the muscle tear is relatively small, the fibers are likely to still in contact with each other even if they are torn. With time, the fibers will heal, and the injured muscle will be restored. If the muscle tear is large, surgery might be needed.
Surgery Might be Needed
In a serious motor vehicle collision, the muscle tears can be extreme. If an extremity is pinned while the rest of the body is twisted, the entire muscle could be shredded. Large muscle tears such as those involving the quadriceps (in the thigh) or the biceps (in the arm) might not respond to the conservative treatment options. Furthermore, if the torn muscle fibers are not in physical contact with each other, they might never heal. In this situation, surgery could be needed to sew the injured muscle back together. A trained surgeon will use surgical stitching to bring the muscle fibers back together. After this, the recovery process is long and will involve rest followed by physical therapy.
Watch YouTube Video: Why Do Muscles Tear? This video explains the causes of muscle tears and provides four tips on what you can do to prevent it from happening.
Contacting an Auto Accident Attorney
During the recovery process, other issues could arise. Families could have questions about the circumstances of the accident and might be under a significant amount of financial stress. In these scenarios, speaking with a Sacramento car accident lawyer can be helpful. An injury attorney can help a family:
- Seek damages related to the car accident, its injuries, and the complications.
- Review the details from the accident to make sure that every aspect has been considered.
- Move a case to trial when required.
Finally, families should always remember that help is available. Speak to an experienced auto accident lawyer in Sacramento. You may be able to recover financial compensation for your losses.
Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a car accident lawyer in Sacramento. The treatment of a torn muscle will vary depending on the severity of the injury. If your loved one has struggled to rehabilitate a muscle tear, please reach out to me today at (800) 404-5400 or (916) 921-6400 for free, friendly legal advice.
I am honored to be an attorney in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and in the Top One Percent, a National Association of Distinguished Counsel.
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