Mobility in Barretts, MO. Our bodies are built to move. But sometimes, our bodies don’t work the way they should and it keeps us from the activities we love. While that loss of physical mobility can affect our mental health as well, Axes Physical Therapy in Barretts, MO can create safe, effective, and proven solutions that are customized specifically to you, your age, and your desired activity level. No matter if your mobility limitations are the result of acute trauma, a disease, or an impairment in your musculoskeletal structure such as sciatica, begin your journey to your best possible movement health and a pain-free daily life as soon as possible by scheduling a mobility and injury analysis with Axes today or calling the the one of our 15 locations nearest you.

The dictionary definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some people that may mean walking up the stairs comfortably, while others have more active lifestyle desires like sprinting down the basketball court on a fast break. Whatever you need to improve your movement health for, if your mobility is severely restricted speak with your doctor about professional physical therapy services.

Functional Mobility in Barretts, MO

Functional mobility is the capacity one has to safely move around in their home environment. This includes anything from getting in and out of bed or walking up a flight of stairs. Fundamentally, there are three types of functional mobility:

1. Bed mobility — Your ability to easily move around in bed, including rolling, scooting, sitting up, and lying down.
2. Transfers — Whether or not you are able to switch between surfaces, for example from one chair to another.
3. Ambulation — Your ability to walk freely without the need of assistance. This also includes walking while being able to carry objects.

If you cannot currently complete some or all of the activities above without a person or assistive device helping you, the Barretts, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are committed to getting your freedom back. Whether the condition affecting you is an ACL tear, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a degenerative condition 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 training. We also offer vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause dizziness and vertigo.

Barretts, MO physical therapists often rely on the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) of seven levels to evaluate someone’s functional mobility:

1. Complete independence, meaning you are able to complete a specified task without assistance and in a timely manner
2. Modified independence, meaning you can perform certain movements but only with a walker, a cane, or crutches
3. Stand-by assist, meaning you can perform the movement by yourself but need someone to monitor you to prevent risk of injury
4. Minimal assistance, meaning you can exert 75% of the effort needed to complete the task or more while someone else helps you the rest of the way
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can perform about half of the work required
6. Maximal assistance, meaning you can put in a quarter of the work of the task without assistance
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 could lead to you becoming hurt

At Axes Physical Therapy in Barretts, MO, your tailor-made treatment plan may include gradually taking you up through the seven levels, or at least to the highest level possible. All of our treatment plans are based on what research says can improve your mobility, and at your first appointment with your professional physical therapist, they will perform a thorough evaluation of your health to confirm that the exercises we have in mind for you are safe for someone suffering from the same ailment you are.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Barretts, MO

Of course, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just being to move between furniture without assistance. There are doubles to hit in your softball league, fun activities to share with your family, and the occupational tasks of the job you perform every day so that you can provide for your Barretts, 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 Barretts, MO occupational therapists are crucial to your recovery when an injury or condition does not allow you to carry out the tasks of your job. We serve as an integral member of your workers’ compensation team so you can get back to helping our Barretts, MO community and providing for your family as you always have. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to ascertain 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 sidelines them and keeps them from what they love for weeks, months, or longer. Our Barretts, 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 also specialize in 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 ease your worry, and develop a successful game plan to get the best possible outcome from your procedure.

However limited you currently are in your mobility, and the level of improved mobility you desire, consult with your Barretts, MO doctor about what physical therapy can do for you, or visit one of our locations for a free injury screening from a professional physical or occupational therapist.

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

Our mobility is based on our strength, flexibility, range of motion, and balance:

• Strength — While physical therapy can help rebuild muscle after an injury and slow the weakening of muscles as we age, it also ensures that no muscle is disproportionately strong or weak. Surrounding our joints with healthy and equally strong muscles 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 properly.
• Balance — Frequent causes of balance issues are:
  • 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 licensed physical therapist in Barretts, MO will determine what is causing your limitations in mobility and come up with a treatment plan, based on evidence to improve your movement health. In addition to 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 good posture education

If required, a physical therapist in Barretts, 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 Barretts, 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, whether from an injury or pain that is chronic in nature without having to use costly and potentially habit forming prescription drugs
• Depending on the nature of your mobility limitations, the potential to avoid surgery by motivating your body to heal on its own
• Movement health education, including exercises you can safely do at home, what you can do to prevent injuries, and the best postures for improved mobility
• Encouraging you to maintain an active lifestyle, which leads to enhanced energy, decreases your odds of developing cardiovascular disease, helps control weight, improves your mood, and promotes better sleep

Other services we offer in Barretts, MO include:

• Physical Therapy Clinic
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment
• Sciatica Treatment
• Sports Medicine
• Hand Pain Physical Therapy
• Foot & Ankle Pain Treatment
• Hip Pain Treatment
• Plantar Fasciitis Treatment
• Stroke Rehabilitation
• Hip Replacement Physical Therapy

Mobility in Barretts, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you need hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to type, are in need of meaningful pain management for sciatica, or need to return to optimal movement health following a devastating injury, Axes’ team of licensed physical and occupational therapists is here to help you get back to the activities you love. We take a leads to positive patient outcomes. To get back your independence and active lifestyle, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or find the location that works best for you.