Mobility in Catawissa, MO. Our bodies are designed to be on the go. But sometimes, our bodies don’t work the way they should and it prevents us from the activities we love. While experiencing pain and other factors that affect mobility affects us in more ways than just physically, Axes Physical Therapy in Catawissa, MO offers safe, effective, and evidence-backed solutions that are tailored specifically to you and your needs. No matter if your mobility limitations are the result of an injury, a disease, or an impairment in your musculoskeletal structure such as sciatica, begin your journey to optimal movement health 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 picking up their kids without pain, while others need to get back to making a diving catch in their softball league. Whatever you need to improve your movement health for, if you can’t live the life you want pain-free speak with your doctor about professional physical therapy services.

Functional Mobility in Catawissa, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to complete daily tasks. This includes simple tasks such as comfortably laying down in bed each night or bringing a cup of coffee to another room and sitting down. In general, functional mobility can be broken down into three categories:

1. Bed mobility — Your ability to scoot, roll, and get in and out of bed pain-free.
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 currently need assistance to be functionally mobile, the Catawissa, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are dedicated to getting your autonomy back. Whether the condition affecting you is an ACL tear, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a central nervous system disorder like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll guide you through your journey to the best possible mobility. We will guide you in strengthening, balance, and flexibility movements. We also offer vestibular therapy for people who have a debilitating vestibular disorder.

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

1. Complete independence, meaning you are able to achieve specific mobility thresholds safely 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 complete the task by yourself but need someone next to you to prevent risk of injury
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 exert 50% of the effort needed
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 carries the risk of injury

At Axes Physical Therapy in Catawissa, MO, your tailor-made treatment plan may include gradually taking you from the first level to the highest level possible. All of our treatment plans are proven to be safe and effective through extensive clinical studies, and your dedicated physical therapist will begin your mobility treatment with a comprehensive evaluation of your health to ensure that the exercises we use are safe for someone suffering from the same ailment you are.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Catawissa, MO

Obviously, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just rolling over in bed comfortably. There are corners to burn on the football field, fun activities to share with your family, and the physical demands of the job you perform every day so that you can provide for your Catawissa, MO family. At Axes, our occupational and physical therapists can help any athlete, worker, or family member achieve the activity level they desire. Our services also include:

• Occupational therapy — Our Catawissa, 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 Catawissa, MO community and supporting your family the best way you can. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to ascertain what activity level you can safely carry out.
• Sports therapy — The worst-case scenario for anyone who loves playing sports is an unexpected injury that keeps them off the field or court for weeks, months, or longer. Our Catawissa, 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 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 develop an effective strategy to get the best possible outcome from your procedure.

However limited you currently are in your mobility, and the extent to wish you want to improve it, consult with your Catawissa, MO doctor about what physical therapy can do for you, or come see us for a complimentary injury screening from a clinically experienced physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Catawissa, 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 ensures that no muscle is disproportionately strong or weak. Surrounding our joints with healthy and equally strong muscles is imperative in preventing injury and improving your mobility.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To reach the movement health and lifestyle we desire, our muscles, ligaments, 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 include:
  • Problems with vision
  • A vestibular disorder, or a problem in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, the sense of awareness ingrained in our muscles and joints

A professional physical therapist in Catawissa, MO will determine what is causing your mobility issues and develop a safe and effective treatment plan to get you back to the activities you love. 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 your doctor and therapy team agree, a physical therapist in Catawissa, MO can also fit you for 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 Catawissa, 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. As we work to reach optimal movement health, you’ll also see the following benefits:

• Pain relief, whether from an injury or pain that is chronic in nature without having to use painkillers or opioids
• In some cases, the opportunity to avoid a surgical procedure by stimulating the body’s own healing methods
• Patient education, including exercises you can safely do at home, what you can do to prevent injuries, and correct posture
• Motivating better physical health, which leads to enhanced energy, decreases your odds of developing heart disease, contributes to a healthy weight, improves your mood, and promotes better sleep

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

Whether you are looking for hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to write, 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 will develop and implement the treatment plan that is safe and affective. 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.