How an Auto Accident Impacts Your Posture and How Chiropractic Care Can Help

A visit to the chiropractor is a must after an auto accident, even if you don't have significant injuries. The impact of a motor vehicle crash can disrupt your body's balance and cause posture issues. Without prompt treatment, you may develop chronic pain, stiffness, and flexibility issues due to poor posture. Fortunately, your chiropractor offers several treatments that will ease your pain and improve your posture.

What Happens to Your Posture After an Auto Accident

Strong forces act on your body when your car hits another car or collides with a wall, tree, or stationary object. According to a clinical review published in the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy in 2016, the forces can temporarily change the curvature of the spine immediately after impact.

These changes affect the tissues and structures of the back, neck, head, and shoulders and may damage soft tissues, like muscles and ligaments. Misalignment of the vertebrae in the spine may also occur. The vertebrae are a series of small bones that protect the spinal cord and permit easy movement of your back. Misalignments, also called "subluxations," can be painful and could cause stiffness, reduced range of motion, and poor posture.

After an auto accident, you may find it's more comfortable to change the way you walk or stand, or might notice that tilting your head reduces your neck pain. Although altering your posture may initially make you feel better, posture changes affect your body's natural balance. For example, tilting your neck may cause muscles on one side of your neck to tighten, while those on the other side become too weak. Placing more weight on one leg due to back or hip pain can also increase muscle tension and trigger pain.

Poor posture can lead to other issues, including:

• Headaches
• Jaw Pain
• Trouble Breathing
• Sluggish Circulation
• Balance Problems
• Sleep Issues

Poor posture could also cause problems with digestion, incontinence, or constipation, according to Harvard Health Publishing. Slouching increases pressure on the bladder and digestive system, causing inefficient functioning of these systems.

Signs of poor posture include:

• Rounded Shoulders
• Change in Head Position
• Uneven Hips or Shoulders
• Increased Curve in Neck or Lower Back
• Leaning to One Side When Standing

How Your Chiropractor Treats Posture Issues After an Auto Accident

Your chiropractor will perform a thorough assessment that includes posture analysis and range of motion testing. Your visit may also include X-rays or other tests that help your chiropractor determine the extent of your injuries.

Based on your examination, your chiropractor may perform one or more of these treatments:

• Spinal Manipulation. Spinal manipulation, the most well-known chiropractic treatment, realigns the vertebrae. Quick, painless pressure from the hands or a small device moves vertebrae back into place. Spinal manipulation eases pain, reduces pressure on nerves, improves mobility, and helps you maintain good posture. Manipulation also improves circulation, ensuring that healing nutrients in your blood reach injured tissues.
• Soft Tissue Therapies. Massage, trigger point therapy, myofascial release, soft tissue mobilization, and other chiropractic treatments loosen tight tissues, break up scar tissue, ease muscle spasms, and improve circulation. Keeping tissues loose offers several benefits. Tight tissues press on nerves, triggering pain and limiting the range of motion in joints, making it difficult to maintain good posture.
• Ultrasound Therapy. Ultrasound waves help deep tissues heal. The waves create a warming effect that improves blood flow and reduces pain, inflammation, and stiffness.
• Exercises. During your visit, your chiropractor will teach you exercises that stretch and strengthen your muscles. Performing these exercises supports the effects of your treatment and helps you avoid posture issues.

Have you been in an auto accident recently? Chiropractic care can help you avoid lingering pain due to poor posture. Contact our office to schedule an appointment with the chiropractor.

Sources:

Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy: Mechanisms and Mitigation of Head and Spinal Injuries Due to Motor Vehicle Crashes, 9/30/2016

https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/jospt.2016.6716

Harvard Health Publishing: 3 Surprising Risks of Poor Posture, 7/20/2023

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/3-surprising-risks-of-poor-posture

Mayo Clinic: Whiplash, 2/17/2024

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/whiplash/symptoms-causes/syc-20378921

WebMD: What to Know About Ultrasound Physical Therapy, 7/21/2025

https://www.webmd.com/pain-management/what-to-know-about-Ultrasound-physical-therapy

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