Back Injuries After a Car Accident: Evaluated and Treated Within 14 Days

In a rear-end crash the seat drives the pelvis and lower spine forward while the upper body lags behind. The lumbar spine is compressed and then flexed hard against the lap belt. The load falls on the discs and on the facet joints at the back of each segment. A disc already worn from years of sitting and driving is more likely to bulge or herniate.

Side impacts, common at the signalized intersections along Atlantic Boulevard and Copans Road, bend the spine sideways in a way it is not built to handle. Front-end collisions push the driver into the lap belt and compress the lower back. Any of these can strain muscles, sprain ligaments, or injure a disc.

Dr. Carol McNamara-Krauss is a Florida-licensed chiropractic physician (DC), license CH5281. Her initial examination covers the mechanism of the crash, an orthopedic exam of the lumbar and thoracic spine, neurological testing of the legs for reflexes, strength, and sensation, and range-of-motion measurement in flexion, extension, side bending, and rotation. Straight-leg raise and related tests tell us whether a disc is involved. Everything is recorded the same day.

When the exam suggests a disc herniation, a fracture, or nerve compression, we refer for imaging before treatment starts. X-rays rule out a compression fracture; an MRI shows discs and nerves. Our imaging and referral process sends the report to us and to your attorney.

For a disc injury, the primary tool is spinal decompression on the Antalgic-Trac system. The table applies a controlled pull that lowers pressure inside the disc and gives the bulge room to retract. Dr. McNamara-Krauss sets the angle to match the injured level and pairs it with Class IV laser therapy on the LightForce system to reduce inflammation around the nerve root.

For strains and facet sprains, chiropractic adjustments restore motion to the locked segments. Electrical stimulation and therapeutic ultrasound calm spasm in the paraspinal muscles. Massage therapy with Dawn Marie Teufel, LMT, addresses the muscles that have been guarding since the crash. We never use shockwave on the spine.

A lumbar strain usually improves over a few weeks. A disc injury takes longer, and we say so at the start. Leg symptoms typically resolve before the back pain does, a good sign that the nerve is decompressing. We re-examine and re-measure at set intervals so the chart shows the trend.

For the claim, the file contains the initial orthopedic and neurological findings, range-of-motion numbers, imaging results, the treatments used on each visit including decompression settings, and your reported pain and function, in a proprietary case documentation system built in consultation with personal injury attorneys. Narrative reports are available on request and records go out as one PDF through Janelle Deal, our Attorney-Patient Case Coordinator. See medical documentation for attorneys.