Many different types of physical injury can occur during a car crash. Crush injuries are one of many potential injuries that may happen.
What should you know about crush injuries? What form do they come in, and what are the biggest associated risks?
What causes crush injuries?
Up To Date discusses crush injuries that occur due to crashes. Crush injuries occur in any instance where part of the body ends up pinned, run over, smashed, hit or otherwise compacted or impacted by a larger or heavier object for a period of time.
The range of incidents that can cause crush injuries actually takes up a wide space. For example, a person could suffer from a crush injury if someone runs over their foot with a truck. Another person could also suffer from a crush injury if they got trapped in a collapsing building during a natural disaster.
In car crashes, crush injuries can range from mild to severe. However, because of a crush injury’s nature as a traumatic injury, even the mildest form still requires immediate medical care.
Trunk vs. extremity crush injuries
The two most common categories of crush injuries are the torso or trunk, and the extremity or limb. It is possible for a person to suffer from full-body crush injuries as well, which are the most severe type.
The biggest risk of a trunk crush injury is that of organ failure, as organs begin to shut down without enough blood. The biggest risk of a limb crush injury is gangrene, infection, tissue loss through necrosis. Sepsis may occur as well. Any of these conditions require instant medical care.
