Mobility in Bridgeton, MO. Our bodies are designed to be on the go. But sometimes, our mobility is impeded and it prevents us from our favorite activities, or even just being able to carry out or daily live pain-free. While experiencing pain and other factors that affect mobility also have an impact on our emotional well-being, Axes Physical Therapy in Bridgeton, MO can implement treatment plans that have been proven to get results and that are customized specifically to getting you back to the life you want to live. No matter if your mobility limitations are the result of an injury, a disease, or a musculoskeletal condition such as sciatica, begin your journey to optimal mobility and a pain-free daily life as soon as possible by requesting an appointment with Axes today or calling the the one of our 15 locations nearest you.

The dictionary defines mobility as, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some of us that looks like rolling over in bed comfortably, while others have more active lifestyle desires like sprinting down the basketball court on a fast break. Whatever it means to you, if can’t complete the activities you want to speak with your doctor to see if physical therapy is the right choice for you.

Functional Mobility in Bridgeton, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to complete daily tasks. This can be simple tasks such as comfortably laying down in bed each night 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 are able to to scoot, roll, and get in and out of bed comfortably.
2. Transfers — Your ability to move from one place to a different one, for example from a chair, bed, or sofa to another.
3. Ambulation — Whether or not you can walk, and can do so while carrying things.

If you cannot currently complete some or all of the tasks above without the aid of a person or assistive device, the Bridgeton, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are committed to getting your autonomy back. Whether you currently lack full functional mobility because of a knee injury, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a degenerative condition like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll design a tailor-made plan that safely and correctly helps you reach optimal movement health. We will guide you in strengthening, balance, and flexibility training. Our therapists are also experts vestibular therapy for people who have a debilitating vestibular disorder.

The seven level Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is the staple of how to evaluate functional mobility in Bridgeton, MO:

1. Complete independence, meaning you can move in a certain way without assistance and in a timely manner
2. Modified independence, meaning you can perform certain movements but only with an assistive device
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 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 complete about 25% 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 is not safe

At Axes Physical Therapy in Bridgeton, MO, your personalized 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 works best for you, and your dedicated physical therapist will begin your mobility treatment with a comprehensive evaluation of your health to confirm that the treatment modalities we have in mind for you are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Bridgeton, MO

To be sure, simply being to move between chairs without limitations does not define optimal movement health for many of us. There are corners to burn on the football field, your children to play with, and the job-related tasks you need to perform every day so that you can earn a living for your Bridgeton, MO family. At Axes, we offer comprehensive physical and occupational physical therapy that can help any individual reach the optimal movement health they need to get back to the activities they love. We also offer:

• Occupational therapy — Our Bridgeton, MO occupational therapists are essential to your recovery when an injury or condition limits the mobility needed to to do your hob. We serve as an integral member of your workers’ compensation team so you can get back to helping our Bridgeton, MO community and providing for your family as you want to. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to determine if you are ready to return to your job.
• Sports therapy — Every athletes worst nightmare is a sudden injury that sidelines them and keeps them from what they love for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. Our Bridgeton, 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 reduce the risk of having to go through an injury again.
• Pre/post surgical rehabilitation — Surgery makes anyone anxious. 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 a successful strategy to get the best possible outcome from your procedure.

However limited you currently are in your mobility, and the level of movement health you desire, consult with your Bridgeton, MO doctor about whether they think getting you a prescription for physical therapy is right for you, or come see us for a complimentary injury screening from a clinically experienced physical or occupational therapist.

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

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

• Strength — While physical therapy is effective at rebuilding and maintaining strength, it also ensures that no muscle is disproportionately strong or weak. Surrounding our joints with healthy and equally strong muscles is vital to 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 receptors in our muscles that monitor length, tension, pressure and noxious stimuli

A clinically experienced physical therapist in Bridgeton, MO will find the root of your limitations in mobility and develop a treatment plan, based on empirical research to get you back to the activities you love. Beyond therapeutic 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 good posture

If necessary, a physical therapist in Bridgeton, MO can also create custom medically accepted assistive devices such as splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to best facilitate movement.

How Physical Therapy in Bridgeton, 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 having to use painkillers or opioids
• In some cases, the potential to avoid a surgical procedure by stimulating the body’s natural way of healing itself
• Patient education, including physical therapy techniques you can do in the comfort of your own home with no risk to injury, injury prevention techniques, and correct posture
• Motivating you to maintain an active lifestyle, carries with it the benefits of increased energy, lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease, contributes to a healthy weight, makes you feel better, and promotes better sleep

Other services we offer in Bridgeton, 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 Bridgeton, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you are looking for hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to open jars, 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 what you love doing most. We practice a client-centered approach. To get back your independence and active lifestyle, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or reach out to the location that works best for you.