Mobility in Arnold, MO. Our bodies are designed to be on the go. But sometimes, our bodies don’t work the way they should and it impedes us from the activities we love. While losing your independence because of losing your mobility can affect our mental health as well, Axes Physical Therapy in Arnold, MO can provide you with solutions that have been proven to be successful and that are built specifically to you, your age, and your desired activity level. No matter if your mobility limitations are the result of acute trauma, a degenerative condition, or a musculoskeletal problem such as sciatica, start on the road back to your best possible mobility and a pain-free daily life as soon as possible by scheduling a free evaluation with Axes today or calling the location nearest you.

The dictionary defines mobility as, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some of us that is as simple as walking up the stairs comfortably, while others need to get back to serving an ace on the tennis court. Whatever it means to you, if your mobility is severely restricted consult with a physician about professional physical therapy services.

Functional Mobility in Arnold, MO

Functional mobility is the capacity one has to safely and efficiently move around in their home environment. This can be simple tasks such as getting in and out of bed or bringing a cup of coffee to the next room and sitting down. Fundamentally, there are three types of functional mobility:

1. Bed mobility — Whether or not you can to scoot, roll, and get in and out of bed with ease.
2. Transfers — Whether or not you are able to switch between surfaces, for example from one chair to another.
3. Ambulation — If you can walk on your own while having objects in your hands.

If you cannot currently complete some or all of the activities above without a person or assistive device helping you, the Arnold, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are committed to helping you regain your self-sufficiency. Whether you currently lack full functional mobility as a result of a sports injuryan rotator cuff tear tear, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a a progressive disorder like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll guide you through your journey to the best possible movement health. Most treatment plans include strengthening, balance, and flexibility exercises. Our therapists are also highly trained in vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause sensory dysfunction.

Arnold, MO physical therapists often use the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) of seven levels to assess someone’s functional mobility:

1. Complete independence, meaning you can achieve specific mobility thresholds without assistance and in a timely manner
2. Modified independence, meaning you can perform specific movements but only with a walker, a cane, or crutches
3. Supervision, meaning you can perform the movement by yourself but need someone to monitor you for safety
4. Minimal assistance, meaning you can exert 75% of the work needed to complete the task or more while someone else does the rest
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can perform about half of the work needed
6. Maximal assistance, meaning you can put in a quarter of the work of the task yourself
7. Total assistance or not testable, meaning you can complete less than 25% of the task, or that even testing whether or not you can do it carries the risk of injury

At Axes Physical Therapy in Arnold, MO, your personalized treatment plan may include gradually taking you up through the seven levels, or at least to the highest level you are able to achieve. All of our treatment plans are proven to be safe and effective through extensive clinical studies, and at your first appointment with your professional physical therapist, they will perform a thorough evaluation of your health to ensure that the treatment modalities we use are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Arnold, MO

Obviously, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just walking up the stairs pain-free. There are doubles to hit in your softball league, your pets to pick up, and the occupational tasks of the job you perform every day in order to put food on the table for your Arnold, MO family. At Axes, our occupational and physical therapists can help any individual achieve the activity level they desire. We also offer:

• Occupational therapy — Our Arnold, MO occupational therapists are an essential part of getting you back to work after a work-related injury. We team up with you and your physician, insurance carrier, attorney and employer so you can get back to contributing to our Arnold, MO community and providing for your family the best way you can. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to ascertain if you are ready to return to your job.
• Sports therapy — Every athletes worst nightmare is an unexpected injury that sidelines them and keeps them from what they love for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. Our Arnold, MO physical therapy team knows how to help those who are sidelined because of ACL tears, rotator cuff tears, and a variety of other injuries. Our Certified Athletic Trainers can also educate you on the specifics of injury prevention to help you avoid re-injury.
• Pre/post surgical rehabilitation — Surgery is a complex and nerve-racking procedure for anyone. Whether your surgery is elective or medically necessary, we’ll team up with the doctors recommending and performing your surgery to help you feel confident in your treatment, and develop an effective strategy to restore optimal mobility.

Whatever the current level of mobility, and lifestyle you are trying to get back to, consult with your Arnold, MO doctor about what physical therapy can do for you, or visit one of our locations for a no-obligation injury screening from a qualified physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Arnold, MO Can Help Improve Your Mobility

The four determinants of mobility are our strength, flexibility, range of motion, and balance:

• Strength — While physical therapy is effective at rebuilding and maintaining strength, it also helps to make sure no muscle is stronger or weaker than it should be in relation to the muscles around it. Having equal muscle balance around joints is essential in preventing injury and reaching optimal movement health.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To achieve optimal movement health, our muscles, tendons, and other soft tissue need to be able to lengthen so that the joints they control and protect can function at their highest level.
• Balance — Frequent causes of balance issues are:
  • Problems with vision
  • A vestibular condition, or a problem in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, the receptors in our muscles that monitor length, tension, pressure and noxious stimuli

A professional physical therapist in Arnold, MO will be able to identify the source of your limitations in mobility and come up with a safe and effective treatment plan to improve your movement health. In addition to therapeutic strength, flexibility, and core exercises, other evidence-backed techniques may include:

• Soft tissue mobilization
• Kinesio Taping®
• Trigger point dry needling
• Blood flow restriction training
• Posture correction and correct posture education

If necessary, a physical therapist in Arnold, MO can also mold your very own medically accepted assistive devices including splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to best facilitate movement.

How Physical Therapy in Arnold, MO Helps Beyond Mobility

The benefits of physical therapy go beyond just getting around easier, getting back to work, or getting back on the field. Your proven treatment plans:

• Pain relief for both acute and chronic conditions without the need of prescription medications
• If applicable, the potential to avoid surgery by motivating your body to heal on its own
• Patient education, including physical therapy techniques you can do in the comfort of your own home with no risk to injury, what you can do to prevent injuries, and correct posture
• Encouraging better physical health, which leads to enhanced energy, lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease, helps control weight, makes you feel better, and promotes better sleep

Other services we offer in Arnold, MO include:

• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy
• Workers Comp' Physical Therapy
• Migraine Relief
• Sprain and Strain Treatment
• Geriatric Physical Therapy
• Injury Rehabilitation
• Pain Management Services
• TMJ Treatment
• Herniated Disc Treatment

Mobility in Arnold, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you are looking for hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to type, are looking for meaningful pain management for arthritis, or want to return to your active lifestyle following acute trauma, Axes’ team of licensed physical and occupational therapists is here to help you get back to the activities you love. We employ a leads to positive patient outcomes. To get back your independence and active lifestyle, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or call the location that works best for you.