Bicycle Accident Injuries in Naples

Bicycles are a fun way to get around. Riding along Gordon Dr on the beach or enjoying a family outing in Cambier Park, bicycle riding is an excellent activity for fun and health. However, bicycles provide limited protection to riders, and victims can endure devastating consequences when they are struck in an accident. Bicycle accidents can result in severe to catastrophic injuries, including head trauma, dislocations, and broken bones. Sadly, they can also result in death.

If you suffer bicycle accident injuries in Naples, your first step should be to seek medical treatment. In some cases, however, it can be challenging to determine when an injury is severe enough to warrant immediate medical attention. Don’t make assumptions about your health. Err on the side of caution and get checked out by a doctor immediately.

At Naples Community Injury Center, we’re ready to work on your injury and help alleviate the pain associated with the injury. We can work with your primary care doctor, or you can see one of our internal medicine doctors for your care. Call our Naples injury treatment center today to learn more about a bike accident treatment program for you.

How Our Medical Team Can Help You After a Bicycle Accident in Naples, FL

If you’ve been injured in a bike accident, our healthcare team can help with your recovery. We use evidence-based therapies that are safe and effective for treating many types of bicycle accident injuries.

Where Do We Begin

Our approach to your recovery is to provide a whole-body healthcare treatment program. We don’t just focus on your symptoms; we look to their causes. Every visit starts with reviewing your medical history. Our staff will discuss your case with you so that we know what is most important to you. We will perform tests and scans to understand your injuries and symptoms. Throughout the process, we assess your progress and adjust your plan accordingly.

We also listen to you. You are a part of this process, and your input is invaluable. Your bike accident injury treatment program takes your needs and goals into consideration and adapts them as necessary. We can discuss the strengths and merits of certain programs so that you can make healthy and informed decisions.

What exactly are some of those programs we offer? Well, depending on your injuries and goals, we can provide you with any of the following programs and services:

Personal Injury Care

Our personal injury care team will work closely with you to understand your situation and goals. We will guide you through recovery, providing advice on how to address your injury and maximize your chances of a full recovery.

Chiropractic Care

Our bike accident chiropractor in Naples can help reduce pain and improve mobility after an injury. This service is especially important if you have ongoing problems that affect your ability to work or perform daily activities.

Pain Management

We use various techniques to help manage pain, such as:

• Massage therapies: Massage is effective in relieving tense muscles and aiding in circulation.
• Hydrotherapy: Either with hot or cold water, hydrotherapy stimulates blood circulation to the affected area or the whole body
• Exercise: We can develop strength training and stretching routines to help you improve overall health and mobility.
• Relaxation techniques: We can teach you how to deal with pain and relax your body.
• Mind and body techniques: Our programs also offer such services as acupuncture

Our pain management programs will help you minimize pain, reduce inflammation, and increase circulation.

Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

Our physical therapists will work with you throughout your recovery period to help strengthen the muscles around your injury and speed up your return to activity. We work with patients to develop individualized physiotherapy treatment plans that meet their needs. In addition to those discussed above for pain management, we can also suggest:

• Muscle energy techniques (MET): Similar to resistance training, a physiotherapist positions the patient’s body to provide resistance for the affected muscle group
• Electrical stimulation (ES): By strategically placing electrodes around the targeted muscles and injury, low-level electrical impulses stimulate the muscles and encourage circulation.
• Ultrasound: Ultrasound also stimulates muscles and encourages circulation, but this is accomplished with the use of sound.
• Gait training: We can also provide strength and balance training so you can regain your mobility.

Our rehabilitation team works with patients who have undergone surgery or have been injured in an accident. We help them regain their mobility and strength so they can return to normal life as soon as possible.

Neurology

If we suspect you sustained neurological damage, our doctor will order diagnostic tests to determine whether such damage exists. From there, we can develop a treatment plan tailored to your needs.

If you are ready to start feeling better and rebuild your body after a Naples bicycle accident, call Naples Community Injury Center to schedule your initial appointment. Our team can help you create a treatment program suited to you. If you are searching for assistance with filing an injury claim, we can help you with the medical documentation necessary. We can also put you in touch with personal injury law firms in the area that we trust.

Reach out to us today.

Common Bicycle Accident Injuries in Naples

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were 49,000 bicycle-related injuries in the United States in 2019. That’s almost 1000 injuries per week.

The most common injuries for cyclists include the following:

Road Rash

This painful abrasion often occurs when a rider falls on asphalt and scrapes their skin against the road. Road rash can occur on any part of your body, but it’s most common on hands, elbows, knees, and buttocks.

Muscle Strain or Sprain

A muscle strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon caused by overuse or sudden movement, while a sprain is an injury where ligaments are torn away from their attachment point at the bone, which can happen if you crash while cycling. You can treat strains and sprains with ice packs and rest until they heal completely.

Broken Bones

Broken bones are one of the most common injuries bicyclists experience after an accident. Commonly, broken bones include fractures in the wrists, ankles, legs, hips, and arms.

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

A traumatic brain injury occurs when an object strikes or goes through your brain, per Mayo Clinic.

Spine Injuries

Bicycle accidents can lead to injuries to the spine, such as herniated or bulged discs or paralysis.

Why Cyclists May Be at a Greater Risk of Injury

Cycling is good for your health. It helps you to lose weight, improves your cardiovascular fitness, and burns calories. However, cyclists can be at risk of injury in ways that drivers are not.

The following are some factors that pose a greater risk of injuries while biking:

No Protection

The main reason cyclists are at greater risk of injury is because they don’t have any protection from the elements on the road. Bicycles don’t provide much protection from crashes or falls. There are no seatbelts or airbags that could help protect riders if they get into an accident—they simply aren’t designed to withstand significant impacts.

Lack of Visibility

A cyclist is much less visible than a car, so it can be hard for drivers to notice them coming until it’s too late; this is especially true if you wear dark clothing while riding, making you blend into shadows or other dark areas on the road.

Pedaling Compromises Posture

Riding a bike requires you to move your body in unnatural ways. For example, when you run, your body weight rests on your feet and legs. However, your body weight shifts from one side to the other when riding a bike. This posture may cause strain on your joints, back pain from rounded shoulders, and neck pain.

Poorly Maintained Roads/Sidewalks

If a cyclist hits a pothole on the road, it can cause them to lose control and fall off their bike. Similarly, poorly maintained sidewalks can cause cyclists to lose control when they hit holes or cracks.

Some injury prevention tips for cyclists include:

• Ride within your limits: Cycling should be enjoyable, not painful. If something hurts, stop riding.
• Warm-up before you ride: This step loosens up stiff muscles and joints, which could lead to an injury if not warmed up properly beforehand.
• Wear protective gear: This includes a helmet and elbow and knee pads, along with gloves and shoes with thick soles that protect your feet from getting cut on rough terrains.
• Bike fit: Adjust your bike to fit your body type, height, and weight.
• Be seen: Wear bright colors and reflective gear so that drivers can see you.
• Ride defensively: Obey traffic laws, always signal when turning or stopping, and watch for cars turning into traffic lanes.

Our Doctors Will Help With Your Bicycle Injuries

Injuries can change diverse aspects of your life. At Naples Community Injury Center, we offer various treatments to help you get back on your feet. Our team of doctors will work with you to develop a treatment plan for your condition and goals.

If you are suffering from injuries from a bicycle accident, call us and start a journey to recovery.