When you think of car crashes, you probably imagine those who have been though the worst. They may have brain damage or spinal injuries. They may have an incredibly different life ahead of them.
You shouldn’t overlook the damage that soft-tissue injuries can cause, either, though. These injuries may not always be permanent, but they can cause lasting and significant pain and suffering for the victim. Even those who heal may take many months or years to get back to the same state they were in prior to the crash.
Some common kinds of soft-tissue injuries include:
- Stress fractures
- Bursitis
- Tendinitis
These three soft-tissue injuries can become serious enough to require surgery or specialized treatments. Let’s learn more about why these are devastating to victims as well.
1. Stress fractures
Stress fractures are actually small breaks or cracks in a bone. They tend to happen in weight-bearing bones, such as those in the hips or legs. They can be caused by trauma, though they are usually caused by overuse.
Stress fractures generally get better with rest, a reduction of weight-bearing activities, cast immobilization or special medical attire, like shoe inserts or braces. Unfortunately, some do worsen, leading to cracks that extend even further over time. In those cases, surgery may be recommended to stop the break from continuing.
2. Bursitis
Bursitis is the inflammation of a fluid-filled sac called the bursa. This bursa sac is located between the bones, muscles and tendons. Though this inflammation tends to be caused by overuse, trauma can lead to inflammation as well. Like with other injuries, rest, elevation and compression work well during the healing process, but some cases may require injections for pain and to treat swelling. There is also the possibility of infection, which would then need to be treated with antibiotics.
3. Tendinitis
Finally, there is tendinitis. This is an injury caused by the inflammation of the tendon in an area of the body. Sudden injuries, like rotating a shoulder too far, could lead to tendinitis, as can overuse.
Treatment, like with other soft-tissue injuries, starts slow with rest, ice, compression and elevation. However, if chronic pain continues or the tendon was torn in the incident, then surgery or steroid injections may be required.
All of these injuries can have long-term consequences. Those who are injured with potential long-term ramifications should be able to seek medical care and know that their care will be covered by the party responsible for harming them.