Motor Vehicle Accidents

Dr. Thomashefsky has been treating injuries sustained in automobile accidents for the past 37 years. In 1994, Dr. Thomashefsky was a significant medical resource for the book, Surviving an Auto Accident: A Guide to Your Physical, Economic and Emotional Recovery by Dana and Robert Saperstein. (See reference.) Ideally, Dr. Thomashefsky will see a patient shortly after an auto accident and do a complete orthopedic evaluation. This early visit is important both medically and for insurance follow-up.

Because of acceleration/deceleration factors involved in motor vehicle accidents, in addition to the injuries sustained as a result of an impact, ligaments and tendons can be overstretched and torn. This kind of connective tissue is not made to shorten or stretch. Sudden stretching creates tears.

Multiple studies show that this connective tissue will typically grow back within three months. However, if the tissue has not grown back to it’s normal length and strength within that time frame, then the tissue will stay elongated and the support of that joint is less than ideal. Loose ligaments allow the joint to be loose or sublux (slip).

Joint manipulation from a chiropractor, physical therapist or osteopath can adjust the joint and give temporary relief. If these adjustments do not “hold”, then the patient will experience recurrent pain and spasm. Although the joint is actually loose, the patient may feel tight as a result of the muscle spasm. The results are pain and disability, which impact the quality and enjoyment of life. Exercise rehabilitation is helpful but cannot make up for a joint which subluxes. Ligamentous or tendonous attachments cannot be strengthened or lengthened by vitamins, supplements or exercise. Regenerative Injection Therapy (RIT) is the only way to stimulate the re-growth of weak tissue that has not been healed fully by “mother nature.”

Dr. Thomashefsky frequently sees patients many years after an injury of this sort. If the joint has not been restored to it’s normal function, the excessive motion can result in a wear and tear type of arthritis (osteoarthritis). In these cases, RIT is still very helpful in helping to restore normal joint function. Because osteoarthritis is a progressive degeneration of the joint, the sooner the patient seeks treatment, the better the results.