Mobility in Crystal City, MO. Our bodies are designed to be on the go. But sometimes, our bodies don’t work the way they should and it keeps us from our favorite activities, or even just being able to carry out or daily live pain-free. While that loss of physical mobility can affect our mental health as well, Axes Physical Therapy in Crystal City, MO can implement treatment plans that have been proven to work and that are tailored specifically to you, your age, and your desired activity level. Whether your mobility is limited because of an injury, a chronic condition, or a musculoskeletal issue such as sciatica, start on the road back to your best possible movement health and comfort now by requesting a mobility and injury analysis with Axes today or calling the the one of our multiple locations most convenient for you.

The one definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some people that is as simple as getting in and out of a chair without pain, while others have more active lifestyle desires like making a diving catch in their softball league. Whatever you need to improve your movement health for, if your mobility is severely restricted consult with a physician to see if physical therapy is the right choice for you.

Functional Mobility in Crystal City, MO

Functional mobility is the capacity one has to complete basic tasks. This includes simple tasks such as moving around in bed or carrying a cup of coffee to the living 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 comfortably.
2. Transfers — Whether or not you are able to switch between surfaces, for example from a chair, bed, or sofa to another.
3. Ambulation — If you can walk on your own while having objects in your hands.

While the injury or condition limiting your functional mobility may mean that you currently rely on assistance in order to operate in your daily life, the Crystal City, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are devoted to helping you regain your self-sufficiency. Whether your currently limited functional mobility was caused by an ACL tear, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a degenerative condition like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll implement a customized plan that has been proven to help people like you return to the best possible mobility. Most treatment plans include strengthening, balance, and flexibility exercises. Our therapists are also specialists vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause sensory dysfunction.

Crystal City, MO physical therapists often rely on the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) of seven levels to determine someone’s functional mobility:

1. Complete independence, meaning you can achieve specific mobility thresholds without assistance and in a relatively normal 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 complete the task independently but need someone to monitor you so you don’t hurt yourself
4. Minimal assistance, meaning you can exert 75% of the work needed to complete the task or more while someone else helps you the rest of the way
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can perform about half of the work needed
6. Maximal assistance, meaning you can put in a quarter of the work of the task yourself
7. Total assistance or not testable, meaning you can complete less than 25% of the task, or that the activity is not safe to test

At Axes Physical Therapy in Crystal City, MO, your personalized treatment plan may include safely taking you from the first level to the highest level you are able to achieve. All of our methods are proven to be safe and effective through extensive clinical studies, and at your first appointment with your professional physical therapist, they will perform a thorough evaluation of your health to confirm that the exercises we have in mind for you are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Crystal City, MO

Obviously, simply being to move between chairs comfortably does not define optimal movement health for many of us. There are pickleball leagues to dominate, fun activities to share with your family, and the vocational tasks you need to carry out every day so that you can earn a living for your Crystal City, MO family. At Axes, we offer comprehensive physical and occupational physical therapy that 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 Crystal City, 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 being an integral member of our Crystal City, MO community and supporting your family as you want to. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to determine if you can safely go back to work either fully or in some capacity.
• Sports therapy — Every athletes worst nightmare is an unexpected pop or crack 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 Crystal City, 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 also specialize in 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 elective or medically necessary, we’ll team up with the doctors recommending and performing your surgery to give you piece of mind, and formulate a successful plan of action to get the best possible outcome from your procedure.

Whatever the current level of mobility, and the extent to wish you want to improve it, consult with your Crystal City, 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 Crystal City, MO Can Help Improve Your Mobility

The four determinants of mobility are 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. Surrounding our joints with healthy and equally strong muscles is imperative in preventing injury and improving your mobility.
• 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 — Frequent causes of balance issues include:
  • Vision issues
  • A vestibular condition, 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 Crystal City, MO will determine what is causing your limitations in mobility and come up with a treatment plan, based on evidence to get you back to the lifestyle you enjoy most. In addition to therapeutic 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 correct posture education

If required, a physical therapist in Crystal City, 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 Crystal City, 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 improve your movement health, you’ll also enjoy:

• Pain relief for both acute and chronic conditions without needing to depend on painkillers or opioids
• Depending on the nature of your mobility limitations, the opportunity 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 correct posture
• Encouraging better physical health, which leads to 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 Crystal City, 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 Crystal City, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you need hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to do basic everyday things, are in need of meaningful pain management for joint problems, or want to return to your active lifestyle following acute trauma, 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 that works best for you.