Mobility in Avon, MO. Our bodies are meant to to make walking and other movements easy. But sometimes, our bodies don’t work the way they should and it impedes us from doing what we love most. While that loss of physical mobility also have an impact on our emotional well-being, Axes Physical Therapy in Avon, MO offers safe, effective, and evidence-backed treatment plans that are tailored specifically to getting you back to the life you want to live. Whether your mobility is limited because of an injury, a disease, or a musculoskeletal issue such as sciatica, start on the road back to optimal movement health and meaningful pain relief as soon as possible by setting up an appointment 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 may mean walking up the stairs comfortably, while others need to get back to sprinting down the basketball court on a fast break. Whatever you need to improve your movement health for, if can’t complete the activities you want to consult with your doctor about professional physical therapy services.

Functional Mobility in Avon, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to safely move around in their home environment. This includes anything from getting in and out of bed or carrying a cup of coffee to another room and sitting on a chair. In general, functional mobility is typically though of in three different ways:

1. Bed mobility — Your ability to comfortably move around in bed, including rolling, scooting, sitting up, and lying down.
2. Transfers — Your ability to move from one surface to a different one, for example from a bed to a chair.
3. Ambulation — Your ability to walk freely without the need of assistance. This also includes walking while being able to carry objects.

If you currently need assistance to be functionally mobile, the Avon, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are dedicated to getting your independence back. Whether your currently limited functional mobility was caused by an ACL tear, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a a progressive disorder like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll create a tailor-made plan that has been proven to help people like you return to optimal mobility. Most treatment plans include strengthening, balance, and flexibility movements. We also offer vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause sensory dysfunction.

Avon, MO physical therapists often utilize the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) of seven levels to determine someone’s functional mobility:

1. Complete independence, meaning you can move in a certain way without assistance and without taking an excessive amount of time
2. Modified independence, meaning you need a device such as a walker to complete the task
3. Stand-by assist, meaning you can perform the movement by yourself but need someone to monitor you for safety
4. Minimal assistance, meaning you can do 75% or more while someone else helps you the rest of the way
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can perform about 50% of the work required
6. Maximal assistance, meaning you can complete about 25% of the task independently
7. Total assistance or not testable, meaning you are unable to put in 25% of the effort required, or that even testing whether or not you can do it is not safe

At Axes Physical Therapy in Avon, MO, your tailor-made treatment plan may include safely allowing you more and more independence until you get the highest level you can. 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 comprehensive evaluation of your health to confirm that the exercises we have in mind for you are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Avon, MO

Of course, simply being to move between chairs independently does not define optimal movement health for many of us. There are corners to burn on the football field, your pets to play with, and the physical demands of the job you perform every day so that you can earn a living for your Avon, MO family. At Axes, we offer comprehensive physical and occupational physical therapy that can help any athlete, worker, or family member reach the optimal movement health they need to get back to the activities they love. We also offer:

• Occupational therapy — Our Avon, 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, workers’ compensation lawyer and employer so you can get back to contributing to our Avon, MO community and providing for your family the best way you can. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to determine if you can safely go back to work either fully or at some level.
• Sports therapy — The worst-case scenario for any athlete is an unexpected fall or collision that keeps them off the field or court for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. Our Avon, 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 are big believers in teaching injury prevention to help you avoid re-injury.
• Pre/post surgical rehabilitation — Surgery makes anyone anxious. 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 game plan to restore optimal mobility.

Whatever the current level of mobility, and the level of improved mobility you desire, consult with your Avon, MO doctor about whether or not physical therapy is advisable, or visit one of our locations for a complimentary injury screening from a professional physical or occupational therapist.

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

Our mobility is based on 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. Achieving proportionately strong muscles around joints is vital to preventing injury and reaching optimal movement health.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To reach the movement health and lifestyle we desire, 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 — Problems with balance are typically caused by:
  • Vision issues
  • A vestibular disorder, or a problem in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, the sense of awareness ingrained in our muscles and joints

A clinically experienced physical therapist in Avon, MO will be able to identify the source of your limitations in mobility and come up with a treatment plan, based on empirical research to get you back to the activities you love. Beyond restorative strength, flexibility, and core exercises, your treatment plan may also include:

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

If your doctor and therapy team agree, a physical therapist in Avon, MO can also mold your very own medically accepted assistive devices such as splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to help you achieve the best possible mobility.

How Physical Therapy in Avon, 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 evidence-based treatment plans:

• Pain relief for both acute and chronic conditions without the need of painkillers or opioids
• If applicable, the opportunity to avoid surgery by encouraging the body’s own healing methods
• Mobility education, including physical therapy techniques you can safely do at home, injury prevention techniques, and the best postures for improved mobility
• Motivating better physical health, carries with it the benefits of enhanced energy, decreases your odds of developing heart disease, helps control weight, improves your mood, and encourages your body to get a full 8 hours of sleep

Other services we offer in Avon, MO include:

• Soft Tissue Mobilization
• Post Surgical Rehabilitation
• Shin Splint Treatment
• Direct Access Physical Therapy
• Gait Analysis
• Pelvic Floor Therapy
• Dry Needling Near Me
• Tendonitis Treatment
• Manual Physical Therapy
• Orthopedic Rehab Near Me

Mobility in Avon, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you are looking for hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to do basic everyday things, are looking for meaningful pain management for joint problems, 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 what you love doing most. We pride ourselves on our an approach that focuses on personalized treatment. To restore the level of mobility you deserve, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or reach out to the location nearest for you.