Mobility in Leadwood, MO. Our bodies are designed to to make walking and other movements easy. But sometimes, we sustain an injury or other condition that keeps us from doing what we love most. While that loss of physical mobility affects us in more ways than just physically, Axes Physical Therapy in Leadwood, MO can provide you with solutions that have been proven to work and that are tailored specifically to you and your needs. Regardless of whether your mobility limitations are the result of an injury, a disease, or a musculoskeletal problem such as sciatica, take the first steps in your best possible movement health and meaningful pain relief now by scheduling an appointment with Axes today or calling the location nearest you.

The dictionary definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some Leadwood, MO residents that is as simple as picking up their kids without pain, while others need to get back to serving an ace on the tennis court. Whatever mobility means to you, if your mobility is severely restricted consult with your doctor to see if physical therapy is the right choice for you.

Functional Mobility in Leadwood, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to safely and efficiently move around in their home environment. This includes anything from moving around in bed or carrying a cup of coffee to the next room and sitting on the couch. Fundamentally, functional mobility can be broken down into three categories:

1. Bed mobility — Whether or not you can 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 bed to a chair.
3. Ambulation — Whether or not you can walk, and can do so while carrying things.

If you currently need assistance to be functionally mobile, the Leadwood, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are dedicated to getting your self-sufficiency back. Whether you currently lack full functional mobility due to a knee injury, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a central nervous system disorder like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll guide you through your journey to the best possible mobility. Most treatment plans include strengthening, balance, and flexibility movements. We also offer vestibular therapy for people who have a debilitating vestibular disorder.

Leadwood, MO physical therapists often use the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) of seven levels to evaluate someone’s functional mobility:

1. Complete independence, meaning you are able to complete a specified task without risk of injury and in a relatively normal amount of time
2. Modified independence, meaning you can perform specific movements but only with an assistive device
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 a physical therapist helps you the rest of the way
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 25% of the effort required, or that even testing whether or not you can do it could lead to you becoming hurt

At Axes Physical Therapy in Leadwood, MO, your tailor-made treatment plan may include gradually taking you from the first level to the highest level you are able to achieve. All of our treatment plans 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 evaluation of your health to confirm that the exercises we use are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Leadwood, MO

Of course, simply walking up the stairs pain-free does not define optimal movement health for many of us. There are corners to burn on the football field, fun activities to share with your family, and the vocational tasks you need to perform every day so that you can provide for your Leadwood, MO family. At Axes, our occupational and physical therapists can help any individual improve mobility they need to get back to the activities they love. Our services also include:

• Occupational therapy — Our Leadwood, 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, attorney and employer so you can get back to being an integral member of our Leadwood, MO community and supporting your family as you always have. 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 anyone who loves playing sports is an unexpected injury that keeps them inactive and limited for weeks, months, or longer. If you suffer an ACL tear, rotator cuff tear, or other sports injury, Axes Physical Therapy in Leadwood, MO will help you restore your mobility and get you back on the field or court as soon as is safely possible. Our Certified Athletic Trainers can also educate you on the specifics of injury prevention to help you stay off the sidelines.
• 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 formulate a successful strategy to get the best possible outcome from your procedure.

However limited you currently are in your mobility, and lifestyle you are trying to get back to, consult with your Leadwood, 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 licensed physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Leadwood, 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 to make sure no muscle is stronger or weaker than it should be in relation to the muscles around it. Surrounding our joints with healthy and equally strong muscles is crucial 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 are:
  • Problems with vision
  • A vestibular disorder, or a problem in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, the sense of awareness ingrained in our muscles and joints

A licensed physical therapist in Leadwood, MO will find the root of your mobility issues and develop a safe and effective treatment plan to get you back to the lifestyle you enjoy most. In addition to 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 teaching correct posture

If your doctor and therapy team agree, a physical therapist in Leadwood, 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 Leadwood, 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 personalized treatment plans:

• Pain relief for both acute and chronic conditions without the need of painkillers or opioids
• Depending on the nature of your mobility limitations, the potential to avoid surgery 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, injury prevention techniques, and the best postures for improved mobility
• Encouraging better physical health, which leads to enhanced energy, decreases your risk of heart disease, contributes to a healthy weight, makes you feel better, and encourages your body to get a full 8 hours of sleep

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

Whether you need hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to do basic everyday things, 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 will develop and implement the treatment plan that is safe and affective. We take a client-centered approach. To get back your independence and active lifestyle, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or call the location most convenient for you.