When in a car accident, it's very common to have a lot of damage occur, typically to the muscles. But damage can also include the ligaments, discs, or nerves.
Most commonly at a rear end accident, your head will go backwards really quickly. This can compress the joints on the backside of the spine. Your head then comes forward, so the muscles are contracting in to try and stop your head from smacking into the steering wheel. These muscles are not strong enough to deal with that much force, so this can cause a strain. The ligaments then can become injured, causing a sprain.
After a car accident, you are likely to feel "ok" due to adrenaline. But it's important to get checked out. The symptoms can increase over that first week. Your adrenaline will die down over time. Over the first week, or two weeks, you may experience everyday movements like bending over or reaching into the cupboard that cause pain. So if you've been in an accident, it's important to get an injury assessment.
At Boulder Sports Chiropractic we specialize in these types of injuries, and we can help you and your friends and family get checked out.