From the thrill of the ride to the sense of freedom, there’s no denying the allure of riding a motorcycle. Despite the protective measures you may take while riding, accidents happen. If you’ve been involved in an accident on your bike, it’s important to get evaluated by a medical professional, even if you walked away seemingly “uninjured.†

As a biker, not only are you at risk for many of the most common motor vehicle accident injuries, but your lower extremities can also take more of a toll than they would in some car accidents. It’s important to pay attention to the early signs of injury to get proper treatment. 

Lower Extremity Injuries From Motorcycle Accidents

Most motorcycle accidents can be classified as “low side†or “high side.†A low side crash happens if you happen to lose control, usually from lost traction, and skid out. Alternately, a high side crash is an accident where the rider is actually physically thrown from the bike. Both types of crashes carry their own injury risks. 

If you’ve been in either a low or high side motorcycle accident recently, these are some of the more common traumas to be aware of. 

Fractures

This one stands out far and wide as the most common lower leg injury from motorcycle accidents, and can happen in both low and high side crashes. In fact, fractures in the two lower leg bones (the tibia and fibula) make up for a whopping 95% of leg injuries from motorcycle accidents. The torque that a low side crash can put on these bones make them more susceptible to fracture. However, that doesn’t let you off the hook for a high side crash – you can also be at risk for fracture depending on the angle and force in which you hit the ground. If you do have a fracture, you’ll likely feel pin-point pain along the bone following the accident. 

Because the severity of your fracture can vary wildly, a swift, proper diagnosis is the only way to nail down what the best course of action is for you moving forward. Some fractures require some minimal rest, while others need the bone reset and casted. If you’ve been in an accident and are having leg pain along the bone, it’s best to seek medical help immediately. Your practitioner can help you diagnose and get the proper imaging done to best understand your injury and healing timeline. 

Knee Injury

Some bad crashes can cause significant trauma to the knees, which can be debilitating long-term if not dealt with properly. The knee joint plays a vital role in keeping you mobile, and moving pain-free. You want to take care of these guys!

Unfortunately, in the case of a motorcycle accident, your knees could be some of the first parts of your body to absorb the impact of the crash, especially in a low side accident. Common knee injuries from motorcycle accidents can include torn or damaged ligaments within the knee like the ACL, MCL, PCL, or meniscus from the sudden, unpredictable motion of an accident. If you lose control of your bike and skid out, the angle and impact of the skid could twist your lower leg in a way that can cause this traumatic ligament damage. Obviously, this is less than ideal. 

Chances are, you’ll feel these injuries pretty quickly as a torn or ruptured ligament is pretty agonizing and is usually accompanied by the sensation of a “pop†and a shot of pain. And, sometimes instead of a full tear, it’s possible to simply sprain a ligament. Keep in mind, that even if you’ve ruptured a ligament, sometimes the initial pain sensation wears off. This doesn’t give you a free pass to shake knee pain following a low side crash as no big deal though. The only way to truly treat an injury to your knee ligament is to consult with a professional. 

For the best possible long-term outcome, these injuries absolutely must be diagnosed quickly as many require urgent care. If you’re experiencing any knee pain following a motorcycle accident, it’s imperative that you seek medical help immediately to get your healing timeline started as soon as possible.

Do Conservative Care Treatments Really Help?

Barring emergency medical needs on the accident site, it’s best to seek medical help immediately following a motorcycle accident. Sometimes after a jarring event, it’s easy to dismiss seemingly little aches and pains that can later grow into something more difficult to manage and ultimately overcome. 

Pain Solutions Group can also play a huge role in your treatment and recovery. From the more common symptoms associated with various neck, shoulder and back injuries to miscellaneous aches and pains, conservative care treatment options have greatly assisted many in their process working through post-accident issues. Through use of spine, neck, and extremity adjustments, massage and physical therapy, our holistic care approach can help to realign your body, decrease inflammation, relieve pressure, reduce nerve irritability and restore mood and confidence. Of course, if there is any suspicion of fracture, adjustments may not be appropriate for your case. In this scenario, your practitioner can order the appropriate lab or imaging work to ensure that you have all the necessary pieces to your health puzzle.

Your practitioner can also help you implement an at-home care plan when necessary to help your recovery process along outside of office hours. 

Again, in the case of motorcycle accident injuries, it’s imperative that you seek help right away even if you think that your pain is minor. Many of these injuries can build over time, and it’s best to nip them in the bud— not only for instant symptom relief and to support your long-term recovery but to avoid chronic conditions from developing down the road. 


Don’t wait, get help now; same-day appointments are often possible. Schedule your appointment online or call (480) 787-0469.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for in-person advice or care from a medical professional.

Categories injury