Mobility in Herculaneum, MO. Our bodies are meant to move. But sometimes, our mobility is impeded and it impedes us from the activities we love. While experiencing pain and other factors that affect mobility can affect our mental health as well, Axes Physical Therapy in Herculaneum, MO offers safe, effective, and evidence-backed solutions that are tailored specifically to you, your age, and your desired activity level. No matter if your mobility is limited because of an injury, a disease, or a musculoskeletal issue such as sciatica, start on the road back to your best possible movement health and meaningful pain relief now by requesting an appointment with Axes today or calling the location nearest you.
The one definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some Herculaneum, MO residents that may mean picking up their kids comfortably, while others have more active lifestyle desires like making a diving catch in their softball league. Whatever it means to you, if your mobility is severely restricted consult with a physician to see if physical therapy is the right choice for you.
Functional Mobility in Herculaneum, MO
Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to complete basic tasks. This can be anything from getting in and out of bed or carrying a cup of coffee to the living room and sitting on a chair. In general, functional mobility is typically though of in three different ways:
- Bed mobility — Whether or not you can to scoot, roll, and get in and out of bed with ease.
- Transfers — Your ability to move from one surface to a different one, for example from a chair, bed, or sofa to another.
- Ambulation — If you can walk on your own while having objects in your hands.
If you currently need assistance to be functionally mobile, the Herculaneum, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are dedicated to getting your freedom back. Whether your currently limited functional mobility was caused by an ACL tear, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a central nervous system disorder 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. We also offer vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause sensory dysfunction.
Herculaneum, MO physical therapists often utilize the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) of seven levels to determine someone’s functional mobility:
- Complete independence, meaning you are able to move in a certain way safely and in a timely manner
- Modified independence, meaning you can perform specific movements but only with a walker, a cane, or crutches
- Supervision, meaning you can perform the movement by yourself but need someone to monitor you so you don’t hurt yourself
- Minimal assistance, meaning you can do 75% or more while a physical therapist does the rest
- Moderate assistance, meaning you can exert 50% of the effort necessary
- Maximal assistance, meaning you can complete about 25% of the task independently
- 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 Herculaneum, 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 proven to be safe and effective through extensive clinical studies, and your dedicated physical therapist will begin your mobility treatment with a thorough examination of your health to ensure that the exercises we have in mind for you are safe for someone in your exact condition.
Beyond Functional Mobility in Herculaneum, MO
Of course, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just walking up the stairs without limitations. There are pickleball leagues to dominate, fun activities to share with your family, and the vocational tasks you need to perform every day in order to earn a living for your Herculaneum, 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. Our services also include:
- Occupational therapy — Our Herculaneum, 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 helping our Herculaneum, MO community and supporting your family as you always have. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to determine what functional capacities you are capable of.
- Sports therapy — Every athletes worst nightmare is a sudden injury that keeps them inactive and limited for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. Our Herculaneum, MO physical therapy team knows how to help 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 reduce the risk of having to go through an injury again.
- Pre/post surgical rehabilitation — Surgery is a complex and nerve-racking procedure for anyone. 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 help you feel confident in your treatment, and formulate a proven plan of action to restore optimal mobility.
However limited you currently are in your mobility, and the extent to wish you want to improve it, consult with your Herculaneum, 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 Herculaneum, MO Can Help Improve Your Mobility
Our mobility is based on 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. Having proportionately strong muscles around joints is vital to preventing injury and improving your mobility.
- Flexibility and range of motion — To improve our mobility to the highest level we can, our muscles, ligaments, and other soft tissue need to be able to lengthen so that the joints they control and protect can function properly.
- Balance — Frequent causes of balance issues are:
- Problems with vision
- A vestibular condition, or something 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 Herculaneum, MO will be able to identify the source of your mobility issues and develop a treatment plan, based on evidence to get you back to the lifestyle you enjoy most. 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 required, a physical therapist in Herculaneum, MO can also create custom medically accepted assistive devices such as splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to best facilitate movement.
How Physical Therapy in Herculaneum, 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 reach optimal movement health, you’ll also enjoy:
- Pain relief for both acute and chronic conditions without the need of costly and potentially habit forming prescription drugs
- Depending on the nature of your mobility limitations, the potential to avoid a surgical procedure by motivating your body to heal on its own
- Movement health 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 correct posture
- Encouraging you to maintain an active lifestyle, which leads to increased energy, decreases your odds of developing cardiovascular disease, contributes to a healthy weight, improves your mood, and promotes better sleep
Other services we offer in Herculaneum, MO include:
- Stroke Rehabilitation
- Hip Replacement Physical Therapy
- Workers Comp' Physical Therapy
- Migraine Relief
- Sprain and Strain Treatment
- Geriatric Physical Therapy
- Injury Rehabilitation
- Pain Management Services
- TMJ Treatment
- Herniated Disc Treatment
Mobility in Herculaneum, MO | Axes Physical Therapy
Whether you need hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to open jars, 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 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 find the location nearest for you.
