Mobility in Crestwood, MO. Our bodies are built to move. But sometimes, we sustain an injury or other condition that impedes us from our favorite activities, or even just being able to carry out or daily live comfortably. While experiencing pain and other factors that affect mobility can affect our mental health as well, Axes Physical Therapy in Crestwood, MO can create safe, effective, and evidence-backed treatment plans that are tailored specifically to you and your needs. Regardless of whether your mobility is limited because of an injury, a disease, or a musculoskeletal issue such as sciatica, take the first steps in optimal movement health and comfort now by setting up an appointment with Axes today or calling the location nearest you.

The dictionary defines mobility as, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some of us that may mean getting in and out of a chair without pain, while for others it may mean serving an ace on the tennis court. Whatever it means to you, if can’t complete the activities you want to speak with a physician to see if physical therapy is the right choice for you.

Functional Mobility in Crestwood, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to safely and efficiently get around their home. This includes anything from comfortably laying down in bed each night or getting in and out of the shower safely. Fundamentally, 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 with ease.
2. Transfers — Your ability to switch between places, 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 currently need assistance to be functionally mobile, the Crestwood, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are committed to getting your autonomy back. Whether you currently lack full functional mobility as a result of a knee injury, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a degenerative condition like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll guide you through your journey to optimal mobility. Part of your treatment will likely be simple and safe strengthening, balance, and flexibility movements. Our therapists are also specialists vestibular therapy for people who have a debilitating vestibular disorder.

The seven level Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is the staple of how to determine functional mobility in Crestwood, 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 can perform certain movements but only with an assistive device
3. Supervision, meaning you can complete the task independently but need someone standing 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 someone else does the rest
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can exert half of the effort necessary
6. Maximal assistance, meaning you can complete about 25% of the task yourself
7. Total assistance or not testable, meaning you are unable to put in 25% of the work required, or that even testing whether or not you can do it carries the risk of injury

At Axes Physical Therapy in Crestwood, MO, your tailor-made 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 proven to be safe and effective through extensive clinical studies, and when you and your licensed physical therapist first meet, they will perform a comprehensive examination of your health to verify that the treatment modalities we use are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Crestwood, MO

To be sure, 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, your children to play with, and the job-related tasks you need to carry out every day in order to provide for your Crestwood, 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 Crestwood, 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 serve as an integral member of your workers’ compensation team so you can get back to contributing to our Crestwood, MO community and supporting 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 in some capacity.
• Sports therapy — The last thing anyone who loves playing sports wants to experience is a sudden fall or collision that keeps them off the field or court for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. Our Crestwood, MO physical therapy team is experienced in helping those who are sidelined because of ACL tears, rotator cuff tears, and a variety of other injuries. Our Certified Athletic Trainers are big believers in teaching injury prevention to help you stay off the sidelines.
• Pre/post surgical rehabilitation — Surgery and your recovery from it are delicate matters that make anyone nervous. 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 extent to wish you want to improve it, consult with your Crestwood, MO doctor about whether or not physical therapy is a good option for you, or come see us for a no-obligation injury screening from a licensed physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Crestwood, 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 to make sure no muscle is stronger or weaker than it should be in relation to the muscles around it. Achieving proportionately strong muscles around joints is imperative in preventing injury and improving your mobility.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To reach the movement health and lifestyle we desire, 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 vision
  • A vestibular issue, 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 Crestwood, MO will determine what is causing your limitations in mobility and develop 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 correct posture

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

How Physical Therapy in Crestwood, MO Helps Beyond Mobility

Physical therapy does more than just increase strength and flexibility. Your customized treatment plans:

• Pain relief for both acute and chronic conditions without needing to depend on prescription medications
• In some cases, the potential to avoid a surgical procedure by stimulating the body’s own healing methods
• Patient education, including physical therapy techniques you can safely do at home, what you can do to prevent injuries, and the best postures for improved mobility
• Motivating you to maintain an active lifestyle, carries with it the benefits of enhanced energy, lowers your odds of developing heart disease, contributes to a healthy weight, makes you feel better, and encourages your body to get a full 8 hours of sleep

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

Whether you need hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to do basic everyday things, are looking for meaningful pain management for arthritis, or want to get back on the field after a sports injury, Axes’ team of licensed physical and occupational therapists will develop and implement the treatment plan that is safe and affective. We practice a an approach that focuses on personalized treatment. To get back your independence and active lifestyle, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or reach out to the location nearest for you.