Mobility in Jefferson Barracks, MO. Our bodies are designed to be on the go. But sometimes, our bodies don’t work the way they should and it prevents us from doing what we love most. While losing your independence because of losing your mobility can affect our mental health as well, Axes Physical Therapy in Jefferson Barracks, MO offers solutions that have been proven to be successful and that are built specifically to getting you back to the life you want to live. Regardless of whether your mobility limitations are the result of acute trauma, 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 scheduling a mobility and injury analysis with Axes today or calling the location nearest you.

The dictionary defines mobility as, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some Jefferson Barracks, MO residents that is as simple as rolling over in bed comfortably, while others have more active lifestyle desires like serving an ace on the tennis court. 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 Jefferson Barracks, MO

Functional mobility is the capacity one has to safely move around in their home environment. This includes anything from comfortably laying down in bed each night or walking up a flight of stairs. Fundamentally, functional mobility can be broken down into three categories:

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 place 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 Jefferson Barracks, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are dedicated to getting your independence back. Whether the condition affecting you is an ACL tear, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a degenerative condition like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll guide you through your journey to the best possible mobility. Most treatment plans include strengthening, balance, and flexibility training. Our therapists are also experts vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause dizziness and vertigo.

The seven level Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is the staple of how to assess functional mobility in Jefferson Barracks, 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 a walker, a cane, or crutches
3. Stand-by assist, meaning you can complete the task by yourself but need someone standing by 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 perform about half of the work needed
6. Maximal assistance, meaning you can complete about 25% of the task yourself
7. Total assistance or not testable, meaning you are unable to put in a quarter of the work required, or that even testing whether or not you can do it could lead to you becoming hurt

At Axes Physical Therapy in Jefferson Barracks, 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 based on what research says can improve your mobility, and your dedicated physical therapist will begin your mobility treatment with a thorough evaluation of your health to confirm that the treatment modalities we use are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Jefferson Barracks, MO

Of course, simply being to move between chairs independently does not define optimal movement health for many of us. There are doubles to hit in your softball league, fun activities to share with your family, and the physical demands of the job you perform every day so that you can earn a living for your Jefferson Barracks, MO family. At Axes, our occupational and physical therapists can help any individual achieve the activity level they desire. We also offer:

• Occupational therapy — Our Jefferson Barracks, 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 being an integral member of our Jefferson Barracks, MO community and supporting your family the best way you can. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to ascertain what activity level you can safely carry out.
• Sports therapy — The worst-case scenario for any athlete is a sudden pop or crack that keeps them off the field or court for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. Our Jefferson Barracks, 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 can also educate you on the specifics of 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 ease your worry, and develop a proven 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 Jefferson Barracks, MO doctor about whether or not physical therapy is a good option for you, or come see us for a free injury screening from a clinically experienced physical or occupational therapist.

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

The four tenets 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. Having proportionately strong muscles around joints is imperative in preventing injury and improving your mobility.
• 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 — Problems with balance are commonly caused by:
  • Vision issues
  • A vestibular issue, or a problem in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, or the network between your sensory receptors and your nervous system

A licensed physical therapist in Jefferson Barracks, MO will determine what is causing your limitations in mobility and come up with a safe and effective treatment plan to get you back to the activities you love. Beyond 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 your doctor and therapy team agree, a physical therapist in Jefferson Barracks, MO can also mold your very own medically accepted assistive devices such as splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to best facilitate movement.

How Physical Therapy in Jefferson Barracks, 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, whether from an injury or pain that is chronic in nature without needing to depend on painkillers or opioids
• If applicable, the potential to avoid surgery by encouraging the body’s natural way of healing itself
• Movement health education, including physical therapy techniques you can do in the comfort of your own home with no risk to injury, injury prevention techniques, and correct posture
• Encouraging you to maintain an active lifestyle, which leads to increased energy, lowers your risk of heart disease, helps control weight, makes you feel better, and promotes better sleep

Other services we offer in Jefferson Barracks, 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 Jefferson Barracks, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you are looking for hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to do basic things around the house, 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 the activities you love. We employ 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.