Whether you’ve been injured in a car accident, such as being t-boned while turning left, or a slip and fall at the grocery store, there’s a good chance you may have sustained a soft tissue injury. The human body is a complex system that includes soft tissue such as muscle, fascia, ligaments, and tendons. Damage to soft tissues can leave people struggling in pain and have the potential to lead to serious health problems.
What is Soft Tissue?
Soft tissue refers to tissue that connects, supports, or surrounds other structures or organs in the body. Soft tissue includes things like muscles, tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, and nerves.
Common Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries may be difficult to detect at first and can seem invisible, but these injuries can cause great pain and discomfort. Since soft tissue injuries may not present themselves right away, it is important to seek medical attention any time you are involved in a fall or a car accident. Doctors may request an MRI scan after a car accident to identify soft tissue injuries.
Common soft tissue injuries include:
- Whiplash—typically occurs when the rear impact in a car accident forces the head to move back and forth violently. This can lead to tears or strain of the muscles and tendons in the neck.
- Rotator Cuff Tear—a tear in the muscles and tendons of your shoulder, a rotator cuff tear can result from the sudden impact of a fall or accident. Symptoms include pain, weakness, and difficulty raising the arm.
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear—better known as an ACL tear, this injury involves a tear of the tissue that holds the bones of your knee together. Can be caused by a sudden sharp turn, jolt, or hard landing on the knee. An ACL injury can cause pain, swelling, difficulty walking and a decrease in range of motion.
- Disc Herniations/Bulges—refers to a problem with one of the rubbery cushions between the individual vertebrae of the spine. The disk either bulges or becomes displaced causing severe backpain. Herniated or bulging discs can result from the impact of a car accident or a slip and fall. Extensive physical therapy and sometimes surgery is required to treat the injury. In some cases, the muscles of the back can become weakened, resulting in chronic back and sciatic pain after an accident in Florida.
- Other Sprains, Strains, and Contusions
Treatment for Soft Tissue Injuries
Some soft tissue injuries can be healed through pain management therapy and physical therapy. However, other injuries may require surgery to repair torn muscles, ligaments, or tendons. Soft tissue injuries can be extremely painful and can take an extensive amount of time and treatment to heal properly. Some injuries may even be permanent and ongoing.
Contact a Trusted Attorney
If you’ve sustained soft tissue injuries as the result of someone’s negligence, you should consult with an experienced western/central Florida personal injury attorney. Contact the trusted lawyers at Abrahamson & Uiterwyk online or call us at 1-800-538-4878 to schedule your free consultation.
When facing the complexities of a personal injury case in Hardee County, contact a Hardee County personal injury lawyer for guidance and representation.