Knee & Leg Injury From Car Accidents: Treatment & Recovery

At Pro-Care, our team of specialists and experts offer world-class medical care for Knee & Leg injuries from car accidents.

Protect your knees and legs from further injury when you visit Pro-Care Medical Center after a car accident. Unfortunately, knee and leg injuries are common in car accidents. From hitting your knees on the dashboard to getting your leg stuck under the steering wheel, car accident injuries can leave you with pain and reduced mobility. You depend on your legs and knees for everything from standing up and sitting down to walking around town. An injury to your leg or knee can disrupt your regular routines and, if left untreated, can leave you with chronic pain and discomfort. You always want to get checked out by a car accident doctor after you’ve been in a wreck to make sure you won’t be dealing with any lasting damage.

At Pro-Care Medical Centers, our team of car accident doctors provides comprehensive treatment and care for all types of car accident injuries. From a thorough diagnostic process to an individualized treatment plan, we make sure you get the care you deserve. Treatment for knee and leg injuries after a car accident will depend on the type, location, and severity of the injury. Our car accident doctors have access to state-of-the-art diagnostic tools to diagnose your specific injury and determine the best course of treatment for you. Our car accident doctors include auto accident chiropractors, medical doctors, orthopedists, and pain management specialists in San Antonio, Austin, and Round Rock.

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Who Needs To Get Checked For Knee & Leg Injuries?

A car accident can lead to a knee injury or leg injury that might keep you off your feet for a certain period of time. Active people like regular runners or weekend warriors can also suffer knee and leg injuries that require time and patience to heal. No matter the cause of your injuries, you always want to get checked for any knee or leg injuries as soon as possible. If you start noticing pain and discomfort that wasn’t there before, then talk to your doctor about this change. If you catch an injury soon after it happens, you can get started on effective treatment options and reduce the risk of chronic pain or other issues. People who have been in a car accident should always get a thorough examination immediately after a wreck to prevent further damage. Car accident doctors and chiropractors know how to spot the signs and symptoms of knee and leg injuries before they turn into a more serious issue with complications. Nobody wants to deal with an injury that causes pain and reduced mobility in your knees or legs.

Here are some signs and symptoms of knee or leg injuries to check for after a car accident:

Pain when bending or straightening your knee
Pain when trying to put weight on your leg
Inability to bear weight or stand up
Tingling and numbness that spreads in the body
Swelling or bruising in the painful area

If you notice your knee or leg appears deformed or not in its normal shape, you should get emergency medical treatment as soon as possible. If you develop a fever along with redness and swelling around the injury, call your doctor immediately.

Our Approach To Leg & Knee Injury Treatment

At Pro-Care Medical Centers, our car accident doctors will provide you with a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses your specific type of injury and symptoms. Our approach to treating leg and knee injuries involves an accurate diagnosis and individualized plan of care to alleviate your symptoms and support long-term healing. From managing your pain to improving your mobility, we will help you recover faster and stronger than you were before the accident.

Common car accident injuries that affect the legs and knees include damage to the knee joint, leg bones, muscles, and other soft tissues that support these areas. Common knee injuries from a car accident include a kneecap fracture, knee dislocation, or damage to the ligaments that support your knee joint. You may have heard of a professional athlete suffering a torn ACL or MCL. This can also happen to you during a car accident. Knee injuries from a car accident can range from mild to severe, but they should always be checked out by a professional. Treatment for a common knee injury after a car accident may include hot and cold therapy, soft tissue mobilization, physio taping, chiropractic care, and physical therapy.
When it comes to treating leg and knee injuries after a car accident, prompt medical attention significantly increases your chances for a full recovery. Immediately after the injury, your doctor will work with you to manage pain and swelling in the area. In the days and weeks after the accident, your car accident doctor will provide you with treatment techniques to reduce your pain and help increase your strength and mobility. Car accident doctors work with you to recover and rehabilitate so you can get back to your regular routines and activities as soon as possible. Call or visit a Pro-Care Medical Center near you, or book online.

How Are Knee & Leg Injuries From Accidents Diagnosed?

When you get prompt medical care for a knee or leg injury after a car accident, you will receive a detailed diagnosis. Your car accident doctor will typically perform a physical examination of the area and talk to you about your symptoms and how the accident occurred. This is a great time to let your doctor know about what level of pain you have been experiencing and if any movements or activities have made your pain worse. They will also want to know whether your injury has impacted your ability to complete common tasks, like standing, sitting, or walking. Car accident doctors will assess you for any instability in your knees and legs that might put you at risk for a fall or further damage.

Along with physically examining the area, your car accident doctor may also ask you to perform certain movements. For example, to test for a possible knee injury, a car accident may ask you to bend and straighten the injured leg while they feel for any dislocation or soft tissue damage. They may also have you bend and straighten the non-injured leg to compare your mobility and range of motion. This can help your doctor get a better idea of how the car accident may have caused damage to your knee.

Diagnostic imaging tools may also be necessary to confirm a car accident injury. An X-ray will provide a detailed look at the bones and joints in your leg, which can reveal injuries like a bone fracture or dislocated knee joint. To diagnose soft tissue damage, your car accident doctor may request a CT scan or an MRI to get a better look at the muscles, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage in the area. Your doctor may also request diagnostic imaging tools to help rule out another type of injury with similar symptoms.

Treatment & Recovery For Injuries To The Leg And Knee

Treatment for a knee or leg injury after a car accident will depend on the location, type, and severity of your injury. Here are some examples of what your treatment and recovery plan might include depending on your specific injury and symptoms:

Hot and Cold Therapy

Applying ice and heat to an injured area can help with a variety of symptoms. A cold pack or wrapped bag of ice can provide a temporary numbing sensation that can help with your pain. Cold temperature applied to the injured area also helps reduce swelling and inflammation in the area. Once the swelling has gone down, you may also alternate with a heating pad or warm compress to soothe aching muscles and reduce tension. Applying heat to the area helps improve blood flow so that the damaged area receives blood rich with oxygen and nutrients needed for healing.

Pain Management

Talk to your doctor about your options for pain management to help with your symptoms after a car accident. Your doctor may recommend over-the-counter medications to treat pain and inflammation along with other treatment approaches. In the case of a severe injury, your doctor may prescribe medications to help with the pain. Car accident chiropractors also offer drug-free approaches to pain management for a variety of injuries.

Assistive Devices

You may need help getting around after a knee or leg injury from a car accident. Crutches can help take weight and pressure off the affected leg and knee so you can move around safely. Your doctor may also recommend a leg or knee brace to help stabilize the area while it heals. In some cases, you may need to wear a cast for a certain period of time while a fracture or other serious injury heals.

Soft Tissue Mobilization

Your car accident doctor may utilize soft tissue mobilization for a hands-on approach to support better functioning as you recover from a knee or leg injury. Therapeutic massage helps restore normal functioning to the injured area by gently reducing swelling, lengthening muscles and tendons, and breaking down adhesions in your soft tissues.

Chiropractic Care

Car accident chiropractors can also help you recover from a knee or leg injury after a wreck. A car accident puts a lot of pressure on your bones and joints in your whole body. Chiropractors identify areas where your bones and joints have become misaligned and help gently and naturally resolve those misalignments. Visit a chiropractor for knee pain and get comprehensive and drug-free treatment after a car accident.

Visit us to learn more about our ProCare rehab and mobility protocols to help you recover from a car accident as safely and swiftly as possible.

Our List Of Accepted Insurance And Patients Seen Under a Letter of Protection (Personal Injury)

We accept a wide range of insurance for car accident victims. Here are the major insurances accepted at Pro-Care Medical Centers in Texas:

Aetna
BlueCross BlueShield
Cigna
Great-West Healthcare
Humana
Medicare
MultiPlan
Oscar
PHCS
TriCare
United Healthcare

Contact your Pro-Care office to speak with our team for additional information about insurance providers and personal injury claims.

Frequently Asked Questions On Leg & Knee Injuries

Many knee and leg injuries occur during a car accident when part of your body collides with part of the vehicle. Even if you wear a seatbelt and follow all the traffic rules, you can still suffer an injury when you least expect it. A rear-end collision might cause you to jolt forward, and your knee may collide with the dashboard or hit the side of the car. If another car collides with the front of your vehicle, it could cause heavy debris that may put pressure on or crush your legs and knees.

A mild injury like scrapes or bruising may go away on its own, but most knee and leg injuries will require some type of medical intervention. Car accident doctors can assess you for any injuries and determine whether you can manage your pain and symptoms at home or whether you need further treatment.

The length of time it takes for a knee or leg injury to heal will depend on the severity of the injury. A mild knee or leg injury after a car accident might heal in a matter of days or weeks, while a severe injury to the knee or leg may require months of treatment and physical therapy before you regain your full range of motion and get your strength back.

You should always air on the side of caution and get checked out by a doctor after a car accident. Knee and leg injuries can cause chronic pain and other issues that impact your mobility, especially if left untreated. It is important to get prompt medical attention after a car accident. Don’t wait until the pain gets worse before you go into the doctor; visit Pro-Care car accident doctors immediately to get the treatment and care you need.