Mobility in Kimmswick, MO. Our bodies are designed to to make walking and other movements easy. But sometimes, our bodies don’t work the way they should and it impedes us from our favorite activities, or even just being able to carry out or daily live comfortably. While that loss of physical mobility also have an impact on our emotional well-being, Axes Physical Therapy in Kimmswick, MO can provide you with solutions that have been proven to get results and that are built specifically to you and your needs. Whether your mobility is limited because of an injury, a chronic condition, or an impairment in your musculoskeletal skeleton such as sciatica, begin your journey to your best possible movement health and a pain-free daily life as soon as possible by requesting a free evaluation with Axes today or calling the location nearest you.

The dictionary definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some of us that is as simple as walking up the stairs without pain, while for others it may mean making a diving catch in their softball league. Whatever it means to you, if you can’t live the life you want pain-free consult with your doctor about professional physical therapy services.

Functional Mobility in Kimmswick, MO

Functional mobility is the capacity one has to complete daily tasks. This can be anything from getting in and out of bed or bringing a cup of coffee to the next room and sitting on a chair. Fundamentally, there are three types of functional mobility:

1. Bed mobility — Whether or not you are able to to easily move around in bed, including rolling, scooting, sitting up, and lying down.
2. Transfers — Whether or not you are able to switch between surfaces, for example from a chair, bed, or sofa to another.
3. Ambulation — Your ability to walk freely without the need of assistance. This also includes walking while being able to carry objects.

While the injury or condition impeding your functional mobility may mean that you currently rely on assistance in order to complete basic tasks, the Kimmswick, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are devoted to helping you regain your independence. Whether your currently limited functional mobility was caused by a knee injury, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a a progressive disorder like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll guide you through your journey to the best possible 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.

The seven level Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is the main way to assess functional mobility in Kimmswick, MO:

1. Complete independence, meaning you are able to move in a certain way 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. Supervision, meaning you can complete the task independently but need someone next to you to prevent risk of injury
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 put in a quarter of the work of the task without assistance
7. Total assistance or not testable, meaning you are unable to put in a quarter of the work required, or that the activity is not safe to test

At Axes Physical Therapy in Kimmswick, MO, your tailor-made treatment plan may include gradually allowing you more and more independence until you get the highest level you can. All of our methods 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 ensure that the exercises we use are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Kimmswick, MO

Obviously, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just rolling over in bed without assistance. There are corners to burn on the football field, your pets to play with, and the occupational tasks of the job you carry out every day in order to provide for your Kimmswick, MO family. At Axes, our occupational and physical therapists can help any athlete, worker, or family member achieve the activity level they desire. We also offer:

• Occupational therapy — Our Kimmswick, 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 Kimmswick, MO community and providing for your family as you always have. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to determine if you are ready to return to your job.
• Sports therapy — Every athletes worst nightmare is a sudden pop or crack that keeps them off the field or court for weeks, months, or longer. Our Kimmswick, 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 elective or medically necessary, we’ll work with your physician and surgeons to form a complete surgical team to give you piece of mind, 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 Kimmswick, 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 complimentary injury screening from a qualified physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Kimmswick, 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 equal muscle balance around joints is imperative 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, ligaments, 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 include:
  • Problems with eyesight
  • A vestibular issue, or a problem in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, or the network between your sensory receptors and your nervous system

An experienced physical therapist in Kimmswick, MO will be able to identify the source of your limitations in mobility and develop a safe and effective treatment plan to improve your movement health. Beyond 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 good posture

If required, a physical therapist in Kimmswick, MO can also create custom medically accepted assistive devices including splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to help you achieve the best possible mobility.

How Physical Therapy in Kimmswick, 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 see the following benefits:

• Pain relief, whether from an injury or pain that is chronic in nature without needing to depend on painkillers or opioids
• In some cases, the opportunity to avoid surgery by encouraging the body’s own healing methods
• Patient education, including physical therapy techniques 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
• Motivating you to maintain an active lifestyle, carries with it the benefits of increased energy, lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease, helps control weight, improves your mood, and encourages your body to get a full 8 hours of sleep

Other services we offer in Kimmswick, 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 Kimmswick, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you are looking for hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to open jars, are in need of meaningful pain management for joint problems, 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 pride ourselves on our 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 most convenient for you.