Mobility in Owensville, MO. Our bodies are designed to be on the go. But sometimes, we sustain an injury or other condition that prevents us from the activities we love. While losing your independence because of losing your mobility also have an impact on our emotional well-being, Axes Physical Therapy in Owensville, MO offers treatment plans that have been proven to be successful and that are built specifically to you, your age, and your desired activity level. Regardless of whether your mobility is limited because of acute trauma, a chronic condition, or an impairment in your musculoskeletal structure such as sciatica, begin your journey to optimal movement health and meaningful pain relief now by setting up a mobility and injury analysis with Axes today or calling the the one of our 15 locations nearest you.

The one definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some of us that is as simple as rolling over in bed without pain, 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 pain-free consult with a physician to see if physical therapy is the right choice for you.

Functional Mobility in Owensville, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to safely get around their home. This includes simple tasks such as comfortably laying down in bed each night or getting in and out of the shower safely. In general, there are three types of functional mobility:

1. Bed mobility — Your ability to comfortably move around in bed, including rolling, scooting, sitting up, and lying down.
2. Transfers — Your ability to switch between surfaces, 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.

If you cannot currently complete some or all of the tasks above without the aid of a person or assistive device, the Owensville, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are dedicated 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 develop a tailor-made 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 movements. We also offer vestibular therapy for people who have a debilitating vestibular disorder.

Owensville, 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 can complete a specified task without risk of injury and in a relatively normal amount of time
2. Modified independence, meaning you need a device such as a walker to complete the task
3. Supervision, meaning you can perform the movement independently but need someone to monitor you so you don’t hurt yourself
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 necessary
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 the activity is not safe to test

At Axes Physical Therapy in Owensville, MO, your personalized 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 at your first appointment with your professional physical therapist, they will perform a thorough examination of your health to verify that the exercises we use are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Owensville, MO

Of course, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just walking up the stairs independently. There are corners to burn on the football field, fun activities to share with your family, and the physical demands of the job you carry out every day so that you can provide for your Owensville, 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 Owensville, MO occupational therapists are crucial to your return to work when an injury or condition limits the mobility needed to to do your hob. We serve as an integral member of your workers’ compensation team so you can get back to contributing to our Owensville, MO community and supporting your family the best way you can. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to ascertain if you are ready to return to your job.
• Sports therapy — Every athletes worst nightmare is a sudden injury that keeps them off the field or court for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. Our Owensville, 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 stay off the sidelines.
• 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 work with your physician and surgeons to form a complete surgical team to give you piece of mind, and formulate a successful plan of action to get the best possible outcome from your procedure.

However limited you currently are in your mobility, and the extent to wish you want to improve it, consult with your Owensville, MO doctor about what physical therapy can do for you, or visit one of our locations for a free injury screening from a licensed physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Owensville, 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. Achieving proportionately strong muscles around joints is imperative in preventing injury and reaching optimal movement health.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To improve our mobility to the highest level we can, not only do our muscles need to have the strength to control bones, but our muscles, tendons, 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:
  • Vision issues
  • A vestibular issue, or a problem in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, the sense of awareness ingrained in our muscles and joints

A professional physical therapist in Owensville, MO will find the root of your limitations in mobility and develop a treatment plan, based on evidence 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 good posture education

If your doctor and therapy team agree, a physical therapist in Owensville, MO can also fit you for medically accepted assistive devices such as splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to best facilitate movement.

How Physical Therapy in Owensville, 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 for both acute and chronic conditions without having to use prescription medications
• If applicable, the opportunity to avoid surgery by encouraging the body’s own healing methods
• Mobility education, including exercises you can safely do at home, what you can do to prevent injuries, and correct posture
• Motivating you to maintain an active lifestyle, carries with it the benefits of increased 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 Owensville, 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 Owensville, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you need hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to do basic everyday things, are looking for meaningful pain management for joint problems, or want to get back on the field after a sports injury, Axes’ team of licensed physical and occupational therapists is here to help you get back to what you love doing most. We practice a leads to positive patient outcomes. 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.