Is it possible to have major injuries after a small car accident? You bet. Even if the accident seems small and insignificant, you can still have major injuries and pain with a small fender bender.
Recent research has shown that there is no correlation between the amount of damage and the injuries suffered in an accident.
There is a common misunderstanding to think that you cannot be injured if the car is not obviously damaged. This has been proven false many times over.
Factors that influence injury severity after a car accident
Speed at time of impact
Difference in speed of vehicles
Size of vehicles and difference in size of vehicles
Position of head at time of impact
Wearing a seatbelt
Did the airbags go off
Flying objects within the vehicle
Expecting impact
Steel bumpers or trailer hitch
Position of headrest
Prior injury of driver or car passengers
There are quite a few factors that result in injury from a car crash. Most commonly we think of the speed of impact, the difference in speed, or the difference in the size of vehicles.
Why do I have pain from a small accident?
In the study: “Is Acceleration a Valid Proxy for Injury Risk in Minimal Damage Traffic Crashes? A Comparative Review of Volunteer, ADL and Real-World Studies” by Nolet, et. al. The researchers found that there was plenty of documented injury in low speed impact accidents.
They found a “54% risk of any cervical spine injury, a 3.6% risk of a cervical disk injury/radiculopathy, and a 6% risk of an injury persisting for more than 6 months in an 11 km/h rear impact” accident.
Pain can occur from minor accidents with little damage to cars. Pain begins because of damage to ligaments, discs, joints, or nerves.
If we look at the physics behind a car crash, we can quickly understand how damage at a low speed impact is possible.
Force = Speed x Mass
The average car weighs 4,000 lbs.
If the car is traveling at 10 miles per hour
The force is roughly 2 tons!
The average car moving at 10 mph can produce 2 tons of force in an accident.
Newer cars with safety features may bring down that force, but you can see how significant that amount of force can be on your car and your body.
In a recent study, researchers evaluated the strain imparted on the ligaments of the cervical spine during simulated frontal impacts. This study showed that even at low speeds, the ligaments can be overloaded. The force was greatest at C3-4 levels.
Studies also show that any ligament damage leads to future instability and chronic pain!
If you are involved in any car accident, even a minor one, it is important to have a full evaluation to be sure that you are not risking future instability and chronic pain!
At our Boulder office, we have chiropractic, physical therapy, and massage therapy services to help you recover from car crash injuries. In most cases in the state of Colorado, we can help you get auto insurance to pay for all of the treatment necessary. This means that you can get all the services that we offer without having to pay for anything.
Call or email our office today if you have been in a car crash.
303-444-5105