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Low Speed Impact Accident Injury

What is a Low Speed Impact?

The definition of a low-impact, or low-speed, collision is a car accident that occurs while traveling under 10 miles per hour.

Common Injuries Caused by a Low Speed Impact Accident

  • Whiplash: small tears in the soft tissue of the neck caused by the abrupt movement of the head forward and then backward

  • Broken or fractured bones: usually present in the extremities 

  • Lacerations: small cuts to the skin

  • Concussion: a mild form of traumatic brain injury caused by a forceful bump, blow, or jolt to the head

  • Traumatic brain injury: a sudden and serious injury to the head that causes damage to the brain

  • Lower back or sciatica injury: sciatica injuries include herniated disc, bone spurs, and a narrowing of the spine called spinal stenosis

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People get injured in low impact collisions, but I can also tell you that not everyone gets injured in low impact collisions. Not all patients get injured in high impact collisions. Although people get injured in high impact collisions there’s others that not all do.​There is no science to support the idea that low impact means no injury

 

If you want to determine the damage to the car, we have to evaluate the car. If you want to determine the damage to the patient, we have to evaluate the patient. We can’t evaluate the patient and determine how much damage there was to the car. Just as we can’t determine the damage to the patient by looking at the car. We can’t evaluate a patient and determine how much damage there was to the car.

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During a motor vehicle collision, a vehicle that is struck from behind will quickly move forward. As the vehicle moves forward, so do the passenger seats in the vehicle. As the passenger seat moves forward, so does the trunk of the passenger sitting in the seat. However, the head of the passenger in the seat does not move forward because the head has a separate inertia from the trunk. As the vehicle, the seat, and the trunk move forward from the collision, the head remains at rest, forcing the neck backwards. The result is an inertial injury to the soft tissues of the vertebral joints of the cervical spine. Importantly, the neck does not hit anything; it sustains an inertial injury, similar to that seen in shaken baby syndrome.

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These inertial acceleration injuries to the cervical spine are proportional to the acceleration achieved by the struck vehicle. The greater the acceleration of the struck vehicle, the greater the acceleration injuries to the cervical spine structures. Importantly, sufficient vehicle acceleration to cause cervical spine inertial acceleration injuries can occur with no or minimal vehicle structural damage. This concept is adequately explained by Robbins (Journal of the Society of Automotive Engineers, 1997)

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 Does No Property Damage = No Injuries? 

Why See our Naperville Chiropractors After a Low Speed Impact

Our chiropractors in Naperville in coordination with a board certified radiologist uses a sophisticated diagnostic tool that utilizes X-rays and computer technology to accurately assess damage to the spine. This state-of-the-art technology sets our chiropractor in Naperville apart and leads to excellent treatment plan and results. 

 

Our comprehensive and objective documentation provides the information necessary to help insurance carriers and attorneys understand the extent of the injuries and future care needs. As a result, patients can receive the full health benefits to which they are entitled.

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Our Naperville chiropractors seamlessly manage treatment plans that may include pain specialists, neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, or other healthcare providers. Clear communication and coordination among providers leads to the effective care necessary for your recovery.

 

The Excessive Motion Study allows us to:

•Objectively Image the severity and location of the support ligament injuries

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•Document the permanency according to the AMA Guides for full-body impairment

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•Allows us to make better pain management referrals and accurately determine the location of any facet injuries

•Allows to treat and manage the ultimate cause of spinal degeneration

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