Mobility in Parkway, MO. Our bodies are designed to move. But sometimes, our mobility is impeded and it impedes us from doing what we love most. While losing your independence because of losing your mobility also have an impact on our emotional well-being, Axes Physical Therapy in Parkway, MO can provide you with treatment plans that have been proven to get results and that are customized specifically to you, your age, and your desired activity level. Whether your mobility is limited because of an injury, a chronic condition, or an impairment in your musculoskeletal structure such as sciatica, start on the road back to your best possible mobility and comfort as soon as possible by requesting a mobility and injury analysis with Axes today or calling the location nearest you.

The one definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some Parkway, MO residents that may mean walking up the stairs without pain, while others need to get back to making a diving catch in their softball league. Whatever it means to you, if your mobility is severely restricted speak with a physician to see if physical therapy is the right choice for you.

Functional Mobility in Parkway, MO

Functional mobility is the capacity one has to safely move around in their home environment. This can be anything from rolling over in bed or carrying a cup of coffee to the living room and sitting on the couch. Fundamentally, functional mobility is typically though of in three different ways:

1. Bed mobility — Whether or not you can to scoot, roll, and get in and out of bed comfortably.
2. Transfers — Your ability to switch between surfaces, for example from one chair 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 activities above without a person or assistive device helping you, the Parkway, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are devoted to getting your self-sufficiency back. Whether you currently lack full functional mobility as a result of 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 movement health. We will guide you in strengthening, balance, and flexibility training. We also offer vestibular therapy for people who have a debilitating vestibular disorder.

Parkway, 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 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 perform the movement independently but need someone standing by so you don’t hurt yourself
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 perform about 50% of the work required
6. Maximal assistance, meaning you can put in a quarter of the work 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 Parkway, MO, your customized 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 proven to be safe and effective through extensive clinical studies, and your dedicated physical therapist will begin your mobility treatment with a thorough examination of your health to ensure that the treatment modalities we have in mind for you are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Parkway, MO

To be sure, simply rolling over in bed comfortably does not define optimal movement health for many of us. There are doubles to hit in your softball league, your children to pick up, and the vocational tasks you need to carry out every day in order to provide for your Parkway, MO family. At Axes, we offer comprehensive physical and occupational physical therapy that 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 Parkway, MO occupational therapists are essential to your recovery 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 contributing to our Parkway, MO community and supporting your family as you want to. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to ascertain if you are ready to return to your job.
• Sports therapy — The last thing any athlete wants to experience is an unexpected injury that sidelines them and keeps them from what they love for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. Our Parkway, 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 team up with the doctors recommending and performing your surgery to give you piece of mind, and develop a proven plan of action 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 Parkway, 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 professional physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Parkway, 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 ensures that no muscle is disproportionately strong or weak. Surrounding our joints with healthy and equally strong muscles is crucial in preventing injury and improving your mobility.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To reach the movement health and lifestyle we desire, 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 — Balance issues are usually due to:
  • Problems with eyesight
  • A vestibular disorder, or a problem in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, the receptors in our muscles that monitor length, tension, pressure and noxious stimuli

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

If necessary, a physical therapist in Parkway, MO can also create custom medically accepted assistive devices including splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to best facilitate movement.

How Physical Therapy in Parkway, 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 improve your movement health, you’ll also enjoy:

• Pain relief, whether from an injury or pain that is chronic in nature without needing to depend on costly and potentially habit forming prescription drugs
• In some cases, the potential to avoid surgery by stimulating the body’s natural way of healing itself
• Mobility education, including exercises you can do in the comfort of your own home with no risk to injury, what you can do to prevent injuries, and the best postures for improved mobility
• Motivating better physical health, carries with it the benefits of increased energy, decreases your odds of developing heart disease, helps control weight, improves your mood, and promotes better sleep

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

Whether you are looking for hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to write, are looking for 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 is here to help you get back to the activities you love. We practice a client-centered approach. 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.