Chiropractic care after a car accident or injury.
A car accident chiropractor in Scottsdale who has treated crash and work injuries since 2011. Dr. Tracey Ryder examines you the way a claim will later be read: documented, specific, and honest about what is and is not injured. Then she treats it with chiropractic, acupuncture and massage in one plan.
- Injury cases since 2011
- Every visit documented
- Chiropractic, acupuncture and massage in one plan
- Old Town Scottsdale, Scottsdale Road
What to do
What to do after a car accident, in order
First, if there is any chance of a head injury, a fracture, or you have numbness, weakness or a severe headache, go to the ER or urgent care. Nothing here replaces that. Second, once anything serious is ruled out, see a chiropractor after a car accident within the first week if you can. The injuries a crash leaves in the neck, upper back and low back are usually sprains and strains of the ligaments and small joints, and they heal stiff if they are not kept moving. Third, keep the paperwork: the police report, the claim number, and any ER notes.
An auto accident chiropractor in Scottsdale sees the same pattern most weeks: someone felt fine at the scene, woke up two days later with a neck that would not turn, and has been managing it with ibuprofen. The first visit here is a documented exam of the neck, upper back, low back and jaw, nerve tests into the arms and legs, and a check for anything that still needs imaging. Then gentle treatment, spaced closer together at first and further apart as the tissue heals.
As a personal injury chiropractor in Scottsdale, Dr. Tracey provides the records a claim needs: findings at every visit, the plan, and progress against it. As a work injury chiropractor in Scottsdale she does the same for workplace injuries. If you are searching for a car accident chiropractor near me from the 101 corridor, Tempe or Old Town, the office is on Scottsdale Road between McDowell and Thomas.
- What we treat
- Whiplash, neck and upper back sprain, low back strain from the seatbelt, headaches after impact, jaw pain, shoulder and hip injuries
- Documentation
- Findings, plan and progress recorded at every visit; records provided for your claim
- Techniques
- Gentle instrument adjusting early, manual as tolerated, acupuncture for spasm and headache, massage once tissue allows
- First visit
- How the crash happened, full exam, nerve tests, imaging if indicated, documentation, gentle first treatment when appropriate
Why see a chiropractor
Why see a chiropractor after an accident
A crash injures the ligaments and small joints of the spine in a fraction of a second, faster than the muscles can brace. Over the next days the tissue swells, the joints stiffen and the muscles lock down to protect the area. Medication quiets the pain and does nothing for the stiffness, so the neck heals with joints that never regain full motion and muscle that stays guarded for months. That is the chronic neck pain and headache that follows many crashes.
Chiropractic care keeps the joints moving through healing without stressing the healing tissue: gentle instrument adjusting early, manual techniques later. Acupuncture settles the spasm and the headaches. Massage rebuilds the tissue once it can be worked. Documentation at every visit records what was found and what was done, which is what a claim needs and what a physician reviewing your case wants to see.
What happens when
The first days, the first weeks.
- /01
Days one to three
Adrenaline fades and the stiffness arrives. Get cleared for anything serious, then book. The first visit documents everything and starts gentle motion.
Rule out the serious first
- /02
Weeks one and two
Visits are closer together. Gentle adjusting keeps the joints moving, acupuncture settles the spasm and headaches, and the plan is written for how the tissue is responding.
Closer together
- /03
Weeks three to six and beyond
Massage joins as the tissue can be worked, visits space out, and the plan aims at full motion and no guarding. Some injuries settle sooner, some take longer; the re-checks say which.
Spaced as you recover
Injuries we treat
What a crash or a work injury usually leaves
The injuries we see most after a crash, a fall or a shift gone wrong.
Your visit
What a first visit after an accident is like
During the visit
- How the crash or injury happened, where you were hit, what hurts now, what has changed since.
- Exam of the neck, upper back, low back, jaw and any injured limb; nerve tests; a check for anything that still needs imaging.
- Documentation of the findings for your claim, and a plan.
- Gentle first treatment when appropriate.
After the visit
- Crash injuries improve over weeks; early visits are closer together, then spaced out.
- Advice on sleeping position, heat or ice, and movement.
- A re-check and a note at every visit, and records provided to your claim or physician on request.
When to come in
When to see us, and when to go to the ER first
Good reasons to book
- Neck, back or shoulder pain in the days after a crash.
- A crash that seemed minor but left you stiff or with headaches.
- A workplace injury that needs treatment and documentation.
- An open claim that needs consistent records.
- Injury pain that was treated with medication only and is still there.
Go to the ER first if
- You lost consciousness, or have confusion, vomiting or a severe headache.
- You have weakness or numbness that is getting worse.
- You cannot move your neck, or have severe midline neck tenderness, or any chance of a fracture.
- There is chest pain, shortness of breath or abdominal pain after the crash.
Should I go to a chiropractor after a car accident? Once anything serious is ruled out, yes, and sooner rather than later. Early motion within a safe range shortens recovery.
Luke M.
June 2026
My list back and right hip have been getting progressively worse for the last 8 months with the last month becoming unbearable. Why did I wait!? 40 minutes in there with Dr Tracey and I feel the best I have since last year. Thank You!
Google reviewLico S.
March 2026
Immediate pain relief after 10 weeks of limited success with physical therapy. I was unable to walk without extreme discomfort, prior to treatment, however I walked out at b less than level 3 pain -- a considerable improvement
Google reviewMichelle R.
July 2026
Dr. Tracy is AMAZING!! My back has never felt so good. Definitely recommend!
Google reviewDonata M.
July 2026
Dr Ryder is the best ! Always courteous and gives the best adjustments !! Back is great Thank you
Google reviewTonya D.
June 2026
Love this place. Tracy & staff are great.
Google review
Real questions
What people ask after a crash.
Searched in Scottsdale Should I go to a chiropractor after a car accident?
Once anything serious has been ruled out at the ER or urgent care, yes, and within the first week if you can. The sprains and strains a crash leaves in the neck and back heal stiff if the joints are not kept moving, and that stiffness is the chronic pain and headache that follow many crashes. Early, gentle, documented care is the best-supported approach.
Searched in Scottsdale Does car insurance cover chiropractic care after an accident?
In most Arizona auto claims, care for crash injuries is covered by the at-fault driver's liability coverage or your own medical payments coverage, and workplace injuries are covered through workers' compensation. Bring the claim information you have and the office will handle the paperwork and provide the documentation the claim needs.
How long should I wait after a crash?
Do not wait for it to get better on its own beyond a few days. Get cleared for anything serious, then book. Symptoms often start 24 to 72 hours after the crash, and the earlier the joints are kept moving, the less stiffly they heal.
Do I need a referral?
No. You can book directly. If you have a claim number, an ER report or an adjuster's contact, bring them; if you do not yet, that is fine too.
What do you provide for my claim?
Documented findings at every visit, the treatment plan, and progress against it, provided to you, your adjuster or your physician on request. We do not give legal advice.
( Book )
Book an injury visit
Call the office or request an appointment online. Tell us when the crash or injury happened and what hurts, and bring any claim information you have.
- Monday
- 8:30 AM to 6 PM
- Tuesday
- 8:30 AM to 12 PM
- Wednesday
- 8:30 AM to 6 PM
- Thursday
- 2 to 6 PM
- Friday
- 8:30 AM to 6 PM
- Saturday to Sunday
- Closed
Directions in Google Maps
Prefer to talk? Call (480) 900-5280.