Mobility in Lake St. Louis, MO. Our bodies are built to to make walking and other movements easy. But sometimes, we sustain an injury or other condition that keeps us from the activities we love. While losing your independence because of losing your mobility can affect our mental health as well, Axes Physical Therapy in Lake St. Louis, MO offers safe, effective, and evidence-backed solutions that are built specifically to you, your age, and your desired activity level. No matter if your mobility limitations are the result of an injury, a disease, or a musculoskeletal problem such as sciatica, start on the road back to optimal mobility and comfort now by requesting a free evaluation with Axes today or calling the the one of our 15 locations nearest you.

The dictionary defines mobility as, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some of us that looks like walking up the stairs without pain, while for others it may mean sprinting down the basketball court on a fast break. Whatever you need to improve your movement health for, if you can’t live the life you want comfortable consult with a physician about professional physical therapy and movement health services.

Functional Mobility in Lake St. Louis, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to safely move around in their home environment. This can be simple tasks such as moving around in bed or getting in and out of the shower safely. In general, there are three types of functional mobility:

1. Bed mobility — Your ability to scoot, roll, and get in and out of bed comfortably.
2. Transfers — Your ability to move from one place to another, 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.

If you cannot currently complete some or all of the tasks above without the aid of a person or assistive device, the Lake St. Louis, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are dedicated 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 central nervous system disorder like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll develop a customized plan that has been proven to help people like you return to the best possible movement health. Part of your treatment will likely be simple and safe strengthening, balance, and flexibility training. We also offer vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause dizziness and vertigo.

Lake St. Louis, MO physical therapists often rely on the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) of seven levels to assess someone’s functional mobility:

1. Complete independence, meaning you are able to move in a certain way without risk of injury and without taking an excessive amount of time
2. Modified independence, meaning you need a device such as a cane to complete the task
3. Stand-by assist, meaning you can perform the movement independently but need someone to monitor you for safety
4. Minimal assistance, meaning you can do 75% or more while someone else does the rest
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can exert half of the effort required
6. Maximal assistance, meaning you can put in a quarter of the work of the task yourself
7. Total assistance or not testable, meaning you are unable to put in a quarter of the effort required, or that even testing whether or not you can do it is not safe

At Axes Physical Therapy in Lake St. Louis, MO, your tailor-made treatment plan may include safely taking you from the first level to the highest level you are able to achieve. All of our methods are based on what research says can improve your mobility, and when you and your licensed physical therapist first meet, they will perform a thorough examination of your health to confirm that the exercises we use are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Lake St. Louis, MO

Of course, simply walking up the stairs without assistance does not define optimal movement health for many of us. There are fast breaks to run, fun activities to share with your family, and the physical demands of the job you carry out every day so that you can earn a living for your Lake St. Louis, 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 Lake St. Louis, MO occupational therapists are crucial 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 being an integral member of our Lake St. Louis, 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 an unexpected injury that keeps them off the field or court for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. Our Lake St. Louis, 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 reduce the risk of having to go through an injury again.
• Pre/post surgical rehabilitation — Surgery makes anyone anxious. Whether your surgery is elective or medically necessary, we’ll work with your physician and surgeons to form a complete surgical team to ease your worry, and develop an effective game plan to get the best possible outcome from your procedure.

However limited you currently are in your mobility, and the level of improved mobility you desire, consult with your Lake St. Louis, 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 no-obligation injury screening from a clinically experienced physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Lake St. Louis, 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. Having equal muscle balance around joints is vital to preventing injury and reaching optimal movement health.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To reach the movement health and lifestyle we desire, 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 — Balance issues are commonly caused by:
  • Problems with eyesight
  • A vestibular disorder, or something in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, or the network between your sensory receptors and your nervous system

A licensed physical therapist in Lake St. Louis, MO will find the root of your mobility issues and develop a safe and effective treatment plan to get you back to the activities you love. 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 your doctor and therapy team agree, a physical therapist in Lake St. Louis, MO can also mold your very own medically accepted assistive devices such as splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to aid you in your mobility and reduce risk of injury.

How Physical Therapy in Lake St. Louis, MO Helps Beyond Mobility

Physical therapy does more than just increase mobility. Your customized treatment plans:

• Pain relief, whether from an injury or pain that is chronic in nature without the need of painkillers or opioids
• If applicable, the opportunity to avoid surgery by motivating your body to heal on its own
• Mobility education, including physical therapy techniques you can safely do at home, what you can do to prevent injuries, and correct posture
• Motivating better physical health, which leads to increased energy, decreases your risk of heart disease, helps control weight, improves your mood, and promotes better sleep

Other services we offer in Lake St. Louis, 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 Lake St. Louis, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you are looking for hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to use a computer, are looking for 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 will develop and implement the treatment plan that works best for you. We take 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 reach out to the location most convenient for you.