Mobility in Clarkson Valley, MO. Our bodies are built to to make walking and other movements easy. But sometimes, our bodies don’t work the way they should and it prevents us from our favorite activities, or even just being able to carry out or daily live comfortably. While that loss of physical mobility also have an impact on our emotional well-being, Axes Physical Therapy in Clarkson Valley, MO offers treatment plans that have been proven to be successful and that are built specifically to you and your needs. Whether your mobility is limited because of an injury, a disease, or an impairment in your musculoskeletal structure such as sciatica, begin your journey to optimal movement health and meaningful pain relief now by requesting a free evaluation 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 of us that looks like walking up the stairs comfortably, while others have more active lifestyle desires like making a diving catch in their softball league. Whatever mobility means to you, if your mobility is severely restricted speak with a physician about professional physical therapy services.

Functional Mobility in Clarkson Valley, MO

Functional mobility is the capacity one has to complete daily tasks. This includes simple tasks such as rolling over in bed or walking up a flight of stairs. Fundamentally, functional mobility can be broken down into three categories:

1. Bed mobility — Whether or not you are able to to easily 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 chair, bed, or sofa to another.
3. Ambulation — Whether or not you can walk, and can do so while carrying things.

While the injury or condition limiting your functional mobility may mean that you currently rely on assistance in order to complete basic tasks, the Clarkson Valley, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are committed to helping you restore your independence. Whether the condition affecting you is a knee injury, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a a progressive 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 exercises. Our therapists are also experts vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause sensory dysfunction.

Clarkson Valley, 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 move in a certain way without risk of injury and in a relatively normal amount of time
2. Modified independence, meaning you can perform specific movements but only with an assistive device
3. Stand-by assist, meaning you can complete the task independently but need someone close by to prevent risk of injury
4. Minimal assistance, meaning you can exert 75% of the effort needed to complete the task or more while a physical therapist does the rest
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can perform about half of the work necessary
6. Maximal assistance, meaning you can complete about 25% of the task without assistance
7. Total assistance or not testable, meaning you are unable to put in a quarter of the work required, or that the activity is not safe to test

At Axes Physical Therapy in Clarkson Valley, 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 when you and your licensed physical therapist first meet, they will perform a thorough evaluation of your health to ensure that the exercises we have in mind for you are safe for someone suffering from the same ailment you are.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Clarkson Valley, MO

Of course, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just being to move between furniture without limitations. There are fast breaks to run, fun activities to share with your family, and the job-related tasks you need to perform every day in order to earn a living for your Clarkson Valley, 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 Clarkson Valley, 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 Clarkson Valley, MO community and supporting your family as you always have. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to determine what activity level you can safely carry out.
• Sports therapy — The worst-case scenario for any athlete is an unexpected injury that keeps them inactive and limited for weeks, months, or longer. If you suffer an ACL tear, rotator cuff tear, or other sports injury, Axes Physical Therapy in Clarkson Valley, MO will help you regain your mobility and get you back on the field or court as soon as is safely possible. 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 a matter of choice or a strong recommendation from a physician, we’ll team up with the doctors recommending and performing your surgery to give you piece of mind, and develop a proven plan of action 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 Clarkson Valley, MO doctor about whether they think getting you a prescription for physical therapy is right for you, or visit one of our locations for a free injury screening from a clinically experienced physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Clarkson Valley, 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 helps achieve muscle balance. Having proportionately strong muscles around joints is vital to preventing injury and reaching optimal movement health.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To improve our mobility to the highest level we can, not only do our muscles need to have the strength to control bones, but our muscles, ligaments, 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 — Balance issues are typically due to:
  • Problems with eyesight
  • A vestibular condition, or something in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, or the network between your sensory receptors and your nervous system

An experienced physical therapist in Clarkson Valley, MO will be able to identify the source of your mobility issues and come up with a safe and effective treatment plan to improve your movement health. In addition to 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 teaching good posture

If your doctor and therapy team agree, a physical therapist in Clarkson Valley, MO can also create custom medically accepted assistive devices such as splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to aid you in your mobility and reduce risk of injury.

How Physical Therapy in Clarkson Valley, MO Helps Beyond Mobility

Physical therapy does more than just increase mobility. 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 prescription medications
• Depending on the nature of your mobility limitations, the opportunity to avoid a surgical procedure by encouraging the body’s own healing methods
• Movement health education, including physical therapy techniques you can safely do at home, what you can do to prevent injuries, and correct posture
• Motivating better physical health, which leads to increased energy, decreases your odds of developing cardiovascular disease, helps control weight, makes you feel better, and promotes better sleep

Other services we offer in Clarkson Valley, MO include:

• 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
• Beginner Running Program
• Chronic Pain Treatment

Mobility in Clarkson Valley, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you need hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to do basic things around the house, are in need of meaningful pain management for sciatica, 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 what you love doing most. We practice 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 reach out to the location nearest for you.