Mobility in Brentwood, MO. Our bodies are built to move. But sometimes, our bodies don’t work the way they should and it impedes us from the activities we love. While experiencing pain and other factors that affect mobility can affect our mental health as well, Axes Physical Therapy in Brentwood, MO can provide you with safe, effective, and proven solutions that are built specifically to getting you back to the life you want to live. Regardless of whether your mobility limitations are the result of an injury, a disease, or a musculoskeletal condition such as sciatica, start on the road back to your best possible mobility and meaningful pain relief as soon as possible by setting up an appointment with Axes today or calling the location nearest you.

The dictionary definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some Brentwood, MO residents that may mean picking up their grandchildren comfortably, while for others it may mean serving an ace on the tennis court. Whatever you need to improve your movement health for, if your mobility is severely restricted speak with your doctor to see if physical therapy is the right choice for you.

Functional Mobility in Brentwood, MO

Functional mobility is the capacity one has to safely move around in their home environment. This includes simple tasks such as rolling over in bed or bringing a cup of coffee to another room and sitting down. In general, functional mobility is typically though of in three different ways:

1. Bed mobility — Your ability to scoot, roll, and get in and out of bed comfortably.
2. Transfers — Your ability to switch between places, for example from a bed to a chair.
3. Ambulation — If you can walk on your own while having objects in your hands.

If you currently need assistance to be functionally mobile, the Brentwood, 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 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 optimal movement health. Most treatment plans include strengthening, balance, and flexibility training. Our therapists are also specialists vestibular therapy for people who have a debilitating vestibular disorder.

The seven level Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is the main way to evaluate functional mobility in Brentwood, MO:

1. Complete independence, meaning you are able to achieve specific mobility thresholds safely and without taking an excessive amount of time
2. Modified independence, meaning you need a device such as crutches to complete the task
3. Stand-by assist, meaning you can perform the movement by yourself but need someone to monitor you so you don’t hurt yourself
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 necessary
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 a quarter of the effort required, or that the activity is not safe to test

At Axes Physical Therapy in Brentwood, MO, your customized 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 based on what research says can improve your mobility, and at your first appointment with your professional physical therapist, they will perform a comprehensive examination of your health to confirm that the treatment modalities we use are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Brentwood, MO

Needless to say, simply walking up the stairs without assistance does not define optimal movement health for many of us. There are doubles to hit in your softball league, fun activities to share with your family, and the physical demands of the job you carry out every day so that you can provide for your Brentwood, MO family. At Axes, our occupational and physical therapists can help any athlete, worker, or family member improve mobility they need to get back to the activities they love. We also offer:

• Occupational therapy — Our Brentwood, MO occupational therapists are vital to your recovery when an injury or condition does not allow you to carry out the tasks of your job. We team up with you and your physician, insurance carrier, workers’ compensation lawyer and employer so you can get back to contributing to our Brentwood, MO community and supporting your family as you always have. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to ascertain if you are ready to return to your job.
• Sports therapy — The last thing any athlete wants to experience is a sudden injury that keeps them off the field or court for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. If you suffer an ACL tear, rotator cuff tear, or other sports injury, Axes Physical Therapy in Brentwood, MO will help you restore your mobility and get you back on the field or court as soon as is safely possible. Our Certified Athletic Trainers also specialize in injury prevention to help you reduce the risk of having to go through an injury again.
• Pre/post surgical rehabilitation — Surgery and your recovery from it are delicate matters that make anyone nervous. Whether your surgery is a matter of choice or a strong recommendation from a physician, we’ll work with your physician and surgeons to form a complete surgical team to ease your worry, and formulate an effective plan of action to get the best possible outcome from your procedure.

However limited you currently are in your mobility, and lifestyle you are trying to get back to, consult with your Brentwood, MO doctor about what physical therapy can do for you, or come see us for a free injury screening from a professional physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Brentwood, 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 achieve muscle balance. Having proportionately strong muscles around joints is crucial in preventing injury and reaching optimal movement health.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To achieve optimal movement health, not only do our muscles need to have the strength to control bones, but our muscles, tendons, and other soft tissue need to be able to lengthen, and our joints need to be able to perform a wide variety of movements.
• Balance — Frequent causes of balance issues are:
  • Problems with eyesight
  • A vestibular disorder, or a problem in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, or the network between your sensory receptors and your nervous system

An experienced physical therapist in Brentwood, MO will be able to identify the source of your mobility issues and develop a safe and effective treatment plan to improve your movement health. Beyond restorative strength, flexibility, and core exercises, We can help you improve your mobility with:

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

If your doctor and therapy team agree, a physical therapist in Brentwood, MO can also fit you for medically accepted assistive devices including splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to help you achieve the best possible mobility.

How Physical Therapy in Brentwood, 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 needing to depend on prescription medications
• Depending on the nature of your mobility limitations, the opportunity to avoid surgery by motivating your body to heal on its own
• Patient education, including exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home with no risk to injury, 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 heart disease, contributes to a healthy weight, improves your mood, and encourages your body to get a full 8 hours of sleep

Other services we offer in Brentwood, 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 Brentwood, 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 joint problems, or want to get back on the field after a sports injury, Axes’ team of licensed physical and occupational therapists is here to help you get back to the activities you love. We employ a an approach that focuses on personalized treatment. To restore the level of mobility you deserve, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or call the location most convenient for you.