Mobility in Maryknoll, MO. Our bodies are designed to be on the go. But sometimes, we sustain an injury or other condition that keeps us from doing what we love most. While that loss of physical mobility can affect our mental health as well, Axes Physical Therapy in Maryknoll, MO can provide you with solutions that have been proven to work and that are customized specifically to you, your age, and your desired activity level. No matter if your mobility is limited because of an injury, a chronic condition, or a musculoskeletal issue such as sciatica, begin your journey to your best possible movement health and comfort now by requesting an appointment with Axes today or calling the the one of our 15 locations most convenient for you.

The dictionary definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some people that may mean walking up the stairs comfortably, while others have more active lifestyle desires like serving an ace on the tennis court. Whatever it means to you, if you can’t live the life you want comfortable consult with a physician about professional physical therapy services.

Functional Mobility in Maryknoll, MO

Functional mobility is the capacity one has to safely and efficiently move around in their home environment. This includes simple tasks such as getting in and out of bed or getting in and out of the shower safely. In general, functional mobility can be broken down into three categories:

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 move from one place to another, for example from a chair, bed, or sofa to another.
3. Ambulation — If you can walk on your own while having objects in your hands.

While the injury or condition impeding your functional mobility may mean that you currently rely on assistance in order to operate in your daily life, the Maryknoll, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are dedicated to helping you restore your autonomy. 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. We will guide you in strengthening, balance, and flexibility movements. Our therapists are also experts vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause sensory dysfunction.

The seven level Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is the main way to determine functional mobility in Maryknoll, 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 independently but need someone next to you to prevent risk of injury
4. Minimal assistance, meaning you can do 75% or more while someone else helps you the rest of the way
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can exert 50% of the effort 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 Maryknoll, MO, your customized treatment plan may include gradually allowing you more and more independence until you get the highest level you can. All of our methods are proven to be safe and effective through extensive clinical studies, and your dedicated physical therapist will begin your mobility treatment with a comprehensive examination of your health to confirm that the exercises we have in mind for you are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Maryknoll, MO

Needless to say, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just walking up the stairs without assistance. There are doubles to hit in your softball league, your children to pick up, and the occupational tasks of the job you perform every day so that you can earn a living for your Maryknoll, MO family. At Axes, our occupational and physical therapists can help any athlete, worker, or family member improve mobility they need to get back to the activities they love. We also offer:

• Occupational therapy — Our Maryknoll, MO occupational therapists are essential to your return to work when an injury or condition limits the mobility needed to to do your hob. We team up with you and your physician, insurance carrier, attorney and employer so you can get back to contributing to our Maryknoll, MO community and providing for 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 — Every athletes worst nightmare is a sudden fall or collision that sidelines them and keeps them from what they love for weeks, months, or longer. If you suffer an ACL tear, rotator cuff tear, or other sports injury, Axes Physical Therapy in Maryknoll, MO will help you regain 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 and your recovery from it are delicate matters that make anyone nervous. Whether your surgery is elective or medically necessary, we’ll team up with the doctors recommending and performing your surgery to ease your worry, and develop a proven plan of action to restore optimal mobility.

Whatever the current level of mobility, and lifestyle you are trying to get back to, consult with your Maryknoll, MO doctor about whether they think getting you a prescription for physical therapy is right for you, or come see us for a no-obligation injury screening from a clinically experienced physical or occupational therapist.

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

The four determinants 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 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 essential 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, 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 — Problems with balance are typically due to:
  • Vision issues
  • A vestibular disorder, or something in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, or the network between your sensory receptors and your nervous system

An experienced physical therapist in Maryknoll, MO will be able to identify the source of your mobility issues and come up with a treatment plan, based on empirical research to improve your movement health. In addition to therapeutic 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 your doctor and therapy team agree, a physical therapist in Maryknoll, MO can also fit you for medically accepted assistive devices including splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to best facilitate movement.

How Physical Therapy in Maryknoll, MO Helps Beyond Mobility

Physical therapy does more than just increase strength and flexibility. As we work to improve your movement health, you’ll also see the following benefits:

• Pain relief for both acute and chronic conditions without the need of costly and potentially habit forming prescription drugs
• Depending on the nature of your mobility limitations, the potential to avoid a surgical procedure by encouraging the body’s natural way of healing itself
• Movement health education, including exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home with no risk to injury, injury prevention techniques, and correct posture
• Motivating better physical health, carries with it the benefits of enhanced energy, decreases your risk of heart 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 Maryknoll, MO include:

• 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
• Beginner Running Program
• Chronic Pain Treatment

Mobility in Maryknoll, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you are looking for hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to do basic everyday things, are in need of meaningful pain management for arthritis, or want to get back on the field after a sports injury, Axes’ team of licensed physical and occupational therapists will develop and implement the treatment plan that is safe and affective. We pride ourselves on our client-centered approach. To restore the level of mobility you deserve, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or find the location nearest for you.