Rear-Ended and You’re Ok, But Are You? 5 Common, Yet Hidden Issues
Nearly 2.5 million rear end collisions are reported in the United States every year and are responsible for 28% of all crashes – making this type of collision the most common type of crash.
You were rear-ended. You walked away, but don’t feel quite right.
Getting hit from behind at moderate to high speed is a big deal! You likely weren’t visibly hurt, but don’t feel quite right either.
We’ve seen quite a few people recently where a rear-end auto accident ends up being the primary factor impacting their movement and ability to feel calm.
5 common issues related to rear-end collision
These are the most common lingering issues that we find with people: (these are noted for a driver on left side of vehicle.)
- Tight, jammed left shoulder and neck
- Difficulty turning head
- Upper back or rib sensitivity in the right side chest
- Lower back or abdominal sensitivity
- Right elbow pain
If you’ve had any of these, you’ve likely tried chiropractic or physical therapy, but with limited results. Time to try another approach.
Understanding how your body absorbed the forces from the accident is key to finding a lasting solution. This analysis is fundamental within the Bridging® process.
What really happens to your body in a rear-end accident?
In order to understand what happens to you, we need to think about what happens to the vehicle. Let’s step back and look at how vehicle safety is designed to protect you:
- You have crumple zones and air bags for front collisions.
- You have side air bags for side impacts.
- You have a 3-point seatbelt that secures you within the vehicle.
In a rear-end collision only the seatbelt provides significant protection. The three-point design of the seatbelt, however, still allows movement and this is behind most of your lingering issues.
Why the five issues specifically?
Let’s look at each of the five typical issues and break down what happens, and how Bridging® uniquely provides relief.
Left shoulder/neck: The clamp on the seatbelt mechanism is mounted on the vehicle frame. When the sensors detect a quick change in force they lock in the seatbelt to protect you. This also means that the impact from the rear just got transferred into your shoulder and neck. The compression does not go away on its own, although Bridging® is able to fluff it out quickly and reintegrate the micromovements within the affected area.
Neck stiff or limited range of motion: Often you are looking in the rearview mirror when hit. Your eyes fixate which fixates your head. Because only one shoulder is secured, your other shoulder rotates around your head with the force of the impact. The whip-lash type effect disrupts the intricate pairing of the many muscles controlling your head. Bridging® supports the affected muscles and the gentle stretches re-establish the paired muscle function initially developed in childhood.
Right chest stiffness or sensitivity: The seatbelt does not secure the driver’s right shoulder. The force from a rear collision causes a torque to the right upper body. In addition, the force from the torque plays out in a diagonal line across the upper body. The muscles are not designed to work this way, and this causes you vexing symptoms. Bridging® re-establishes the correct right/left movements in the upper body and re-integrates to the overall core, shoulder and neck.
Lower back or abdominal sensitivity: The force from the rear impact transfers to your body and slams it into the seatbelt. The seatbelt across the abdomen keeps you from flying through the windshield, but it also transfers a huge amount of force into your pelvis and abdomen. The Bridging® process of gentle stretches and micromovements allows the affected muscle relationships to relax and reintegrate into the overall core function of the body.
Right elbow pain: If you commonly drive holding the steering wheel with your right hand, there is a good chance your elbow got jammed when your vehicle was hit from behind. Your shoulder was thrust forward by the force, but your hand is anchored on the wheel. That leaves the elbow to take the brunt of it all, and elbows naturally torque. Bridging® restores the correct relationships to muscles connecting across the elbow allowing the torque and stress to disappear.
More to your full recovery …
At The Bridging® Institute our clients are often surprised by how fast they improve. Uniquely, our approach goes back to early development as the secret.
Re-creating early layers of muscle and joint interconnections is the roadmap for sustainably resetting you or your child’s body after accidents, illness or growth. Bridging® rebuilds the original movement foundation; your daily activity reinforces the better function.
Wondering if Bridging® can help you or your child feel and function better? Fill out our intake form and we’ll get back to you with insights on how Bridging® can help. Virtual or in-office sessions are two options we offer to get you back to feeling your best.