Many motorists are unaware that hand, wrist, and arm injuries are common in car crashes. They happen for varied reasons and in different ways for anyone in the auto.
Usually, with the person behind the wheel, they either grip the wheel too tightly when they realize they are about to crash or reach to hold onto an object to brace themselves from the impact. Often this involves pushing against the dashboard. That can jolt the arm, hand, and wrist back when the vehicle strikes.
The arm can also flail once the impact happens, making contact with part of the interior, like the window glass, the door, the dash, or the steering wheel, with great force. The wrist and hand consist of twenty-seven relatively fragile bones that can be broken when along with countless tendons, ligaments, nerves, and muscles.
Let us look at what sort of hand and wrist injuries can occur when involved in a motor vehicle crash.
Can A Car Crash Result in Hand Pain
The hand pain after an accident can often be delayed due to the shock of the crash. An auto accident can be responsible for a variety of hand, wrist, finger, and arm injuries. Car accident lawyers will help clients claim damages to muscles, ligaments, tendons, broken bones, bruising, pain, and so on.
Following a crash, it is essential to have a medical professional examine you for injuries. You might feel okay but not sense the pain immediately following the incident. Some common symptoms associated with hurting the hand or wrist or both include the following:
1. Wrist burning/tingling,
2. Swelling/stiffness,
3. Soreness/pain in the wrist,
4. Bruising or discoloration,
5. Hand burning/tingling,
6. Numbness,
7. Hand or finger pain,
8. Difficulty with straightening/flexing/moving the wrist or fingers,
9. Grip strength is reduced,
10. Hands, wrists, or fingers are warm to the touch.
Surgery can be required within the first 24 hours for immediate correction, depending on the type of hand injury. Other sorts of treatments can include pins/wires/plates, splinting/casting, ice packs, and rest.
Go to https://www.marietta-chiropractor.com/we-treat/pain/hand/ and learn about hand injuries from vehicle accidents and how these are treated.
Down the road, physical therapy treatment will be a solution for complete recovery if there are breaks or tears. Without appropriate treatment at the right time, motorists can be left with a permanent injury or disability.
Some common injuries you can anticipate in the hand and arm following an auto accident include the following:
• Bone fractures
The fragile bones in the hands and wrists readily break under the pressure of impact when bracing yourself by holding onto either the steering wheel or dash to prevent being hurt.
The problem when breaking bones in the dominant hand is this creates difficulty with working and performing daily activities for an extended period.
It is of great importance to see a medical professional immediately following the crash to report any symptomatology in the hands, fingers, wrists, or arms so these can be x-rayed right away, and treatment can begin.
• Torn ligaments
The hand, forearm, and elbow ligaments can tear or become sprained in an accident. A mild sprain will present with swelling, pain, and discomfort. In a severe case, the motorist can sustain long-term effects with mobility and stability with the hand or arm.
Determining the severity upfront can prevent the driver from having possible use issues in the future.
• Joint dislocations
Joints, whether it be the elbows, the knuckles of the fingers, or possibly the shoulder, have the potential for dislocation following blunt-force trauma in a crash. In most cases, drivers and passengers who see an impact about to happen will grab something to brace themselves.
Dislocations can result in swelling, severe pain, and a decrease in range of motion. When left untreated, the damage can become permanent.
• Injuries to the rotator cuff
Tendons and muscles holding the arm in place at the shoulder are referred to as the rotator cuff. This group can be torn or damaged when experiencing a violent impact like an auto crash. The outcome will be swelling, reduced range of motion, and pain.
Final Thought
Whether you experience instant pain following a car crash or even a dull ache, it is vital to have a medical professional examine you to ensure there are no issues, including hand, finger, wrist, and arm injuries that require immediate attention.
Go here for details on the pain often delayed post-auto accident.
Delayed pain is common following an auto accident. Sometimes you will not know the true effects of the crash for a day or even weeks later. Being checked right away, plus speaking with an accident attorney can prepare you if your consequences are more severe than you realize.
That is especially true if the injuries affect your dominant hand leaving you unable to work or perform regular activities of daily living for an extended time.
Comments
Post a Comment