Mobility in Lake St. Louis, MO. Our bodies are meant to to make walking and other movements easy. But sometimes, our mobility is impeded and it prevents 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 can provide you with safe, effective, and evidence-backed solutions that are built specifically to you and your needs. Regardless of whether your mobility is limited because of acute trauma, a degenerative condition, or an impairment in your musculoskeletal structure such as sciatica, start on the road back to your best possible movement health and meaningful pain relief as soon as possible by setting up an appointment with Axes today or calling the the one of our multiple locations most convenient for you.

The dictionary definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some people that is as simple as picking up their grandchildren without pain, 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 speak with your doctor about professional physical therapy and movement health services.

Functional Mobility in Lake St. Louis, MO

Functional mobility is the capacity one has to complete basic tasks. This can be anything from getting in and out of bed or walking up a flight of stairs. In general, functional mobility can be broken down into three categories:

1. Bed mobility — Whether or not you are able to to scoot, roll, and get in and out of bed with ease.
2. Transfers — Whether or not you are able 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 Lake St. Louis, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are devoted to getting your self-sufficiency back. Whether your currently limited functional mobility was caused by 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 optimal mobility. We will guide you in strengthening, balance, and flexibility training. Our therapists are also highly trained in vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause sensory dysfunction.

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 achieve specific mobility thresholds safely and without taking an excessive amount of time
2. Modified independence, meaning you need a device such as crutches 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 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 50% of the work required
6. Maximal assistance, meaning you can complete about 25% of the task independently
7. Total assistance or not testable, meaning you can complete less than 25% of the task, or that even testing whether or not you can do it is not safe

At Axes Physical Therapy in Lake St. Louis, MO, your personalized treatment plan may include gradually taking you up through the seven levels, or at least to the highest level possible. All of our methods are based on what research says works best for you, and your dedicated physical therapist will begin your mobility treatment with a thorough evaluation 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 Lake St. Louis, MO

To be sure, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just being to move between furniture pain-free. There are corners to burn on the football field, your children to pick up, and the occupational tasks of the job you perform every day so that you can provide for your Lake St. Louis, MO family. At Axes, our occupational and physical therapists can help any athlete, worker, or family member reach the optimal movement health they need to get back to the activities they love. We also offer:

• Occupational therapy — Our Lake St. Louis, 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 Lake St. Louis, MO community and supporting your family as you want to. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to determine if you are ready to return to your job.
• Sports therapy — The worst-case scenario for anyone who loves playing sports is an unexpected fall or collision 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 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 avoid re-injury.
• Pre/post surgical rehabilitation — Surgery makes anyone anxious. 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 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 Lake St. Louis, MO doctor about whether they think getting you a prescription for physical therapy is right for you, or come see us for a no-risk, 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 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 ensures that no muscle is disproportionately strong or weak. Surrounding our joints with healthy and equally strong muscles is essential in 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 — Balance issues are usually due to:
  • Problems with eyesight
  • A vestibular issue, or something in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, the sense of awareness ingrained in our muscles and joints

A clinically experienced physical therapist in Lake St. Louis, MO will find the root of your limitations in mobility and come up with 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, your treatment plan may also include:

• Soft tissue mobilization
• Kinesio Taping®
• Trigger point dry needling
• Blood flow restriction training
• Posture correction and teaching correct posture

If necessary, a physical therapist in Lake St. Louis, MO can also mold your very own medically accepted assistive devices including splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to help you achieve the best possible mobility.

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

Physical therapy does more than just increase strength and flexibility. As we work to reach optimal movement health, you’ll also enjoy:

• Pain relief for both acute and chronic conditions without needing to depend on painkillers or opioids
• If applicable, the opportunity to avoid a surgical procedure by motivating your body to heal on its own
• Movement health education, including exercises 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 enhanced energy, decreases your odds of developing cardiovascular disease, contributes to a healthy weight, improves your mood, and encourages your body to get a full 8 hours of sleep

Other services we offer in Lake St. Louis, MO include:

• Soft Tissue Mobilization
• Post Surgical Rehabilitation
• Shin Splint Treatment
• Direct Access Physical Therapy
• Gait Analysis
• Pelvic Floor Therapy
• Dry Needling Near Me
• Tendonitis Treatment
• Manual Physical Therapy
• Orthopedic Rehab Near Me

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 type, 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 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 get back your independence and active lifestyle, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or reach out to the location most convenient for you.