Mobility in Femme Osage, MO. Our bodies are designed 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 that loss of physical mobility affects us in more ways than just physically, Axes Physical Therapy in Femme Osage, MO can provide you with solutions that have been proven to be successful and that are tailored specifically to getting you back to the life you want to live. No matter if your mobility limitations are the result of an injury, a degenerative condition, or a musculoskeletal problem such as sciatica, take the first steps in optimal mobility and comfort as soon as possible by requesting 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 people that may mean rolling over in bed comfortably, 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 comfortable speak with your doctor about professional physical therapy and movement health services.

Functional Mobility in Femme Osage, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to complete daily tasks. This can be simple tasks such as moving around in bed or walking up a flight of stairs. In general, functional mobility is typically though of in three different ways:

1. Bed mobility — Your ability to comfortably 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 bed to a chair.
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 Femme Osage, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are devoted to helping you regain your independence. Whether you currently lack full functional mobility as a result of an ACL tear, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a central nervous system disorder like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll design a personalized plan that safely and correctly helps you reach optimal mobility. Most treatment plans include strengthening, balance, and flexibility movements. We also offer vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause dizziness and vertigo.

Femme Osage, 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 without assistance and in a relatively normal amount of time
2. Modified independence, meaning you need a device such as a walker to complete the task
3. Supervision, meaning you can complete the task by yourself but need someone to monitor you to prevent risk of injury
4. Minimal assistance, meaning you can do 75% or more while a physical therapist helps you the rest of the way
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can exert half of the effort needed
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 carries the risk of injury

At Axes Physical Therapy in Femme Osage, MO, your personalized 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 works best for you, 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 use are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Femme Osage, MO

Of course, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just being to move between furniture independently. There are corners to burn on the football field, fun activities to share with your family, and the physical demands of the job you carry out every day in order to provide for your Femme Osage, 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 Femme Osage, MO occupational therapists are essential to your return to work 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 Femme Osage, MO community and providing for your family as you always have. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to ascertain what activity level you can safely carry out.
• Sports therapy — The last thing anyone who loves playing sports wants to experience is an unexpected injury that keeps them off the field or court for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. Our Femme Osage, 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 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 elective or medically necessary, we’ll work with your physician and surgeons to form a complete surgical team to help you feel confident in your treatment, and formulate a successful game plan to restore optimal mobility.

Whatever the current level of mobility, and the level of movement health you desire, consult with your Femme Osage, 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 qualified physical or occupational therapist.

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

The four determinants 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 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 achieve optimal movement health, our muscles, tendons, and other soft tissue need to be able to lengthen so that the joints they control and protect can function properly.
• Balance — Problems with balance are usually caused by:
  • 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 professional physical therapist in Femme Osage, MO will find the root of your mobility issues and develop a safe and effective treatment plan to improve your movement health. Beyond therapeutic strength, flexibility, and core exercises, your treatment plan may also include:

• 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 Femme Osage, 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 Femme Osage, 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. Your evidence-based treatment plans:

• Pain relief, whether from an injury or pain that is chronic in nature without needing to depend on prescription medications
• In some cases, the potential to avoid a surgical procedure by encouraging the body’s own healing methods
• Movement health education, including exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home with no risk to injury, injury prevention techniques, and the best postures for improved mobility
• Motivating you to maintain an active lifestyle, carries with it the benefits of 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 Femme Osage, 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 Femme Osage, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you need hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to type, are looking for 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 practice a client-centered approach. To restore the level of mobility you deserve, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or find the location that works best for you.