Mobility in Grantwood Village, MO. Our bodies are meant 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 losing your independence because of losing your mobility affects us in more ways than just physically, Axes Physical Therapy in Grantwood Village, MO can provide you with treatment plans that have been proven to get results and that are built specifically to you and your needs. Whether your mobility limitations are the result of acute trauma, a degenerative condition, or a musculoskeletal issue such as sciatica, begin your journey to optimal mobility and comfort now by requesting an appointment with Axes today or calling the the one of our 15 locations most convenient for you.

The one definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some of us that is as simple as rolling over in bed comfortably, while others need to get back to serving an ace on the tennis court. Whatever you need to improve your movement health for, if can’t complete the activities you want to speak with your doctor to see if physical therapy is the right choice for you.

Functional Mobility in Grantwood Village, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to safely get around their home. This includes simple tasks such as comfortably laying down in bed each night or bringing a cup of coffee to the living room and sitting on a chair. Fundamentally, there are three types of functional mobility:

1. Bed mobility — Your ability to comfortably move around in bed, including rolling, scooting, sitting up, and lying down.
2. Transfers — Whether or not you are able to move from one place to another, for example from a bed to a chair.
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 Grantwood Village, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are committed to getting your freedom back. Whether your currently limited functional mobility was caused by a sports injuryan rotator cuff tear 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 movement health. Most treatment plans include strengthening, balance, and flexibility exercises. Our therapists are also highly trained in 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 Grantwood Village, MO:

1. Complete independence, meaning you are able to complete a specified task without assistance and without taking an excessive amount of time
2. Modified independence, meaning you can perform certain movements but only with an assistive device
3. Stand-by assist, meaning you can complete the task independently but need someone to monitor you for safety
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 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 the activity is not safe to test

At Axes Physical Therapy in Grantwood Village, MO, your personalized treatment plan may include gradually 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 thorough evaluation of your health to verify that the treatment modalities we have in mind for you are safe for someone suffering from the same ailment you are.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Grantwood Village, MO

To be sure, simply rolling over in bed without assistance does not define optimal movement health for many of us. There are fast breaks to run, your pets to play with, and the occupational tasks of the job you perform every day so that you can provide for your Grantwood Village, 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 Grantwood Village, 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 contributing to our Grantwood Village, MO community and supporting your family as you want to. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to ascertain if you can safely go back to work either fully or at some level.
• Sports therapy — Every athletes worst nightmare is an unexpected injury that keeps them inactive and limited for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. If you suffer an ACL tear, rotator cuff tear, or other sports injury, Axes Physical Therapy in Grantwood Village, MO will help you restore 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 makes anyone anxious. 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 formulate a proven game plan to restore optimal mobility.

Whatever the current level of mobility, and lifestyle you are trying to get back to, consult with your Grantwood Village, MO doctor about whether or not physical therapy is a good option for you, or visit one of our locations for a complimentary injury screening from a professional physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Grantwood Village, 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 achieve muscle balance. Achieving equal muscle balance around joints is crucial in preventing injury and reaching optimal movement health.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To achieve optimal movement health, not only do our muscles need to have the strength to control bones, but our muscles, tendons, 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 are:
  • Problems with eyesight
  • A vestibular issue, 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 Grantwood Village, MO will be able to identify the source of your mobility issues and develop a safe and effective treatment plan to get you back to the lifestyle you enjoy most. In addition to restorative 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 correct posture education

If required, a physical therapist in Grantwood Village, MO can also create custom medically accepted assistive devices including splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to best facilitate movement.

How Physical Therapy in Grantwood Village, 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 customized treatment plans:

• 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 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 better physical health, which leads to increased energy, decreases your odds of developing cardiovascular disease, helps control weight, improves your mood, and promotes better sleep

Other services we offer in Grantwood Village, 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 Grantwood Village, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you need hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to type, are in need of meaningful pain management for sciatica, or want to return to your active lifestyle following acute trauma, 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 get back your independence and active lifestyle, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or call the location most convenient for you.