Mobility in Defiance, MO. Our bodies are built to be on the go. But sometimes, we sustain an injury or other condition that prevents us from our favorite activities, or even just being able to carry out or daily live comfortably. While losing your independence because of losing your mobility also have an impact on our emotional well-being, Axes Physical Therapy in Defiance, MO offers treatment plans that have been proven to work and that are tailored specifically to you, your age, and your desired activity level. Regardless of whether your mobility limitations are the result of an injury, a chronic condition, or a musculoskeletal problem such as sciatica, start on the road back to your best possible movement health and meaningful pain relief as soon as possible 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 looks like rolling over in bed without pain, while for others it may mean 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 consult with a physician to see if physical therapy is the right choice for you.

Functional Mobility in Defiance, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to safely get around their home. This includes simple tasks such as moving around in bed or bringing a cup of coffee to the next room and sitting down. Fundamentally, functional mobility can be broken down into three categories:

1. Bed mobility — Whether or not you are able to to comfortably move around in bed, including rolling, scooting, sitting up, and lying down.
2. Transfers — Your ability to switch between places, 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 Defiance, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are dedicated to helping you regain your autonomy. Whether you currently lack full functional mobility as a result of a sports injuryan rotator cuff tear tear, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a degenerative condition like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll design a personalized plan that safely and correctly helps you reach the best possible mobility. Most treatment plans include strengthening, balance, and flexibility training. We also offer vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause sensory dysfunction.

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

1. Complete independence, meaning you can achieve specific mobility thresholds safely and in a relatively normal amount of time
2. Modified independence, meaning you need a device such as crutches to complete the task
3. Supervision, meaning you can complete the task by yourself 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 a physical therapist does the rest
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can perform about 50% of the work required
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 could lead to you becoming hurt

At Axes Physical Therapy in Defiance, MO, your tailor-made treatment plan may include safely taking you up through the seven levels, or at least to the highest level possible. All of our treatment plans are based on what research says can improve your mobility, and when you and your licensed physical therapist first meet, they will perform a comprehensive examination of your health to ensure that the treatment modalities we use are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Defiance, MO

Needless to say, simply being to move between chairs pain-free does not define optimal movement health for many of us. There are doubles to hit in your softball league, your children to play with, and the physical demands of the job you perform every day in order to put food on the table for your Defiance, MO family. At Axes, we offer comprehensive physical and occupational physical therapy that can help any athlete, worker, or family member achieve the activity level they desire. We also offer:

• Occupational therapy — Our Defiance, MO occupational therapists are an essential part of getting you back to work after a work-related injury. We serve as an integral member of your workers’ compensation team so you can get back to helping our Defiance, MO community and providing for your family as you always have. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to ascertain what functional capacities you are capable of.
• Sports therapy — Every athletes worst nightmare is an unexpected fall or collision that sidelines them and keeps them from what they love for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. Our Defiance, 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 also specialize in injury prevention to help you avoid re-injury.
• Pre/post surgical rehabilitation — Surgery and your recovery from it are delicate matters that make anyone nervous. 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 ease your worry, and develop an effective game plan 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 Defiance, 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 qualified physical or occupational therapist.

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

The four tenets of mobility are 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 ensures that no muscle is disproportionately strong or weak. Achieving proportionately strong muscles around joints is essential in preventing injury and reaching optimal movement health.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To improve our mobility to the highest level we can, our muscles, tendons, 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 — Problems with balance are typically due to:
  • Vision issues
  • A vestibular condition, 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 Defiance, MO will find the root of your limitations in mobility and develop a treatment plan, based on evidence to improve your movement health. 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 good posture education

If required, a physical therapist in Defiance, 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 Defiance, 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 see the following benefits:

• Pain relief for both acute and chronic conditions without having to use costly and potentially habit forming prescription drugs
• In some cases, the opportunity to avoid surgery by encouraging the body’s own healing methods
• Mobility education, including exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home with no risk to injury, what you can do to prevent injuries, and the best postures for improved mobility
• Encouraging better physical health, which leads to increased energy, decreases your odds of developing heart disease, helps control weight, makes you feel better, and encourages your body to get a full 8 hours of sleep

Other services we offer in Defiance, 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 Defiance, 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 joint problems, 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 take a client-centered approach. To restore the level of mobility you deserve, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or find the location most convenient for you.