Mobility in Portage Des Sioux, MO. Our bodies are designed to move. But sometimes, we sustain an injury or other condition that prevents us from our favorite activities, or even just being able to carry out or daily live comfortably. While experiencing pain and other factors that affect mobility also have an impact on our emotional well-being, Axes Physical Therapy in Portage Des Sioux, MO can implement solutions that have been proven to be successful and that are tailored specifically to you and your needs. Regardless of whether your mobility limitations are the result of an injury, a degenerative condition, or a musculoskeletal issue such as sciatica, take the first steps in optimal movement health and meaningful pain relief now by scheduling an appointment with Axes today or calling the location nearest you.

The dictionary defines mobility as, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some people that is as simple as rolling over in bed comfortably, while others need to get back to making a diving catch in their softball league. Whatever you need to improve your movement health for, if your mobility is severely restricted speak with a physician about professional physical therapy services.

Functional Mobility in Portage Des Sioux, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to safely and efficiently move around in their home environment. This includes simple tasks such as moving around in 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 easily move around in bed, including rolling, scooting, sitting up, and lying down.
2. Transfers — Your ability to move from one surface to another, 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 Portage Des Sioux, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are dedicated to helping you restore your self-sufficiency. Whether your currently limited functional mobility was caused by an ACL tear, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a central nervous system disorder like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll guide you through your journey to optimal mobility. We will guide you in strengthening, balance, and flexibility movements. Our therapists are also specialists vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause dizziness and vertigo.

Portage Des Sioux, MO physical therapists often use the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) of seven levels to determine someone’s functional mobility:

1. Complete independence, meaning you can achieve specific mobility thresholds without assistance and in a timely manner
2. Modified independence, meaning you need a device such as crutches to complete the task
3. Supervision, meaning you can complete the task by yourself but need someone standing by to prevent risk of injury
4. Minimal assistance, meaning you can exert 75% of the effort needed to complete the task or more while a physical therapist does the rest
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can exert half of the effort required
6. Maximal assistance, meaning you can put in a quarter of the work of the task yourself
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 Portage Des Sioux, MO, your personalized 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 at your first appointment with your professional physical therapist, they will perform a comprehensive evaluation of your health to verify that the treatment modalities we use are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Portage Des Sioux, MO

Needless to say, simply being to move between chairs comfortably does not define optimal movement health for many of us. There are pickleball leagues to dominate, fun activities to share with your family, and the job-related tasks you need to carry out every day so that you can put food on the table for your Portage Des Sioux, MO family. At Axes, our occupational and physical therapists can help any individual reach the optimal movement health they need to get back to the activities they love. Our services also include:

• Occupational therapy — Our Portage Des Sioux, MO occupational therapists are crucial to your return to work 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 being an integral member of our Portage Des Sioux, MO community and supporting your family as you always have. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to determine what functional capacities you are capable of.
• 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 Portage Des Sioux, 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 are big believers in teaching 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 ease your worry, and develop an effective game plan to restore optimal mobility.

Whatever the current level of mobility, and the extent to wish you want to improve it, consult with your Portage Des Sioux, MO doctor about what physical therapy can do for you, or come see us for a no-risk, no-obligation injury screening from a licensed physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Portage Des Sioux, MO Can Help Improve Your Mobility

The four tenets 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 achieve muscle balance. Surrounding our joints with healthy and equally strong muscles is imperative 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 at their highest level.
• Balance — Balance issues are typically due to:
  • Vision issues
  • A vestibular issue, or something in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, the receptors in our muscles that monitor length, tension, pressure and noxious stimuli

A clinically experienced physical therapist in Portage Des Sioux, MO will determine what is causing your mobility issues and develop a treatment plan, based on empirical research to get you back to the lifestyle you enjoy most. Beyond therapeutic 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 Portage Des Sioux, 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 Portage Des Sioux, 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 needing to depend on costly and potentially habit forming prescription drugs
• If applicable, the potential to avoid surgery by stimulating the body’s natural way of healing itself
• Mobility education, including physical therapy techniques 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, lowers your odds of developing cardiovascular disease, helps control weight, makes you feel better, and encourages your body to get a full 8 hours of sleep

Other services we offer in Portage Des Sioux, 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 Portage Des Sioux, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you need hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to open jars, are in need of meaningful pain management for arthritis, or want to return to your active lifestyle following acute trauma, Axes’ team of licensed physical and occupational therapists will develop and implement the treatment plan that is safe and affective. 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 that works best for you.