Mobility in Preston Woods, MO. Our bodies are meant to move. But sometimes, our bodies don’t work the way they should and it 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 Preston Woods, MO can provide you with solutions that have been proven to work and that are built specifically to getting you back to the life you want to live. No matter if your mobility limitations are the result of an injury, a disease, or an impairment in your musculoskeletal structure such as sciatica, start on the road back to optimal movement health and comfort now by scheduling an appointment with Axes today or calling the the one of our 15 locations most convenient for you.

The dictionary defines mobility as, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some people that may mean getting in and out of a chair comfortably, while others need to get back to sprinting down the basketball court on a fast break. Whatever mobility means to you, if can’t complete the activities you want to consult with a physician to see if physical therapy is the right choice for you.

Functional Mobility in Preston Woods, MO

Functional mobility is the capacity one has to safely and efficiently get around their home. This includes anything from comfortably laying down in bed each night or walking up a flight of stairs. In general, functional mobility can be broken down into three categories:

1. Bed mobility — Your ability 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 one chair to another.
3. Ambulation — Whether or not you can walk, and can do so while carrying things.

While the injury or condition affecting your functional mobility may mean that you currently rely on assistance in order to complete basic tasks, the Preston Woods, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are dedicated to getting your freedom back. Whether you currently lack full functional mobility as a result of a knee injury, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a a progressive disorder like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll develop a customized plan that has been proven to help people like you return to optimal mobility. We will guide you in strengthening, balance, and flexibility movements. We also offer vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause dizziness and vertigo.

The seven level Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is the main way to evaluate functional mobility in Preston Woods, MO:

1. Complete independence, meaning you are able to achieve specific mobility thresholds without assistance and without taking an excessive amount of time
2. Modified independence, meaning you need a device such as a cane to complete the task
3. Supervision, meaning you can complete the task independently but need someone to monitor you for safety
4. Minimal assistance, meaning you can do 75% or more while a physical therapist does the rest
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can exert 50% of the effort necessary
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 Preston Woods, MO, your tailor-made treatment plan may include gradually allowing you more and more independence until you get the highest level you can. All of our methods are based on what research says works best for you, and your dedicated physical therapist will begin your mobility treatment with a comprehensive evaluation of your health to ensure that the exercises we have in mind for you are safe for someone suffering from the same ailment you are.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Preston Woods, MO

Needless to say, simply being to move between chairs pain-free 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 occupational tasks of the job you perform every day in order to provide for your Preston Woods, 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 Preston Woods, 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, workers’ compensation lawyer and employer so you can get back to being an integral member of our Preston Woods, MO community and providing for 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 an unexpected pop or crack that sidelines them and keeps them from what they love for weeks, months, or longer. Our Preston Woods, MO physical therapy team knows how to help those who are sidelined because of ACL tears, rotator cuff tears, and a variety of other injuries. Our Certified Athletic Trainers also specialize in injury prevention to help you avoid re-injury.
• Pre/post surgical rehabilitation — Surgery makes anyone anxious. Whether your surgery is elective or medically necessary, we’ll work with your physician and surgeons to form a complete surgical team to help you feel confident in your treatment, and formulate an effective 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 Preston Woods, MO doctor about whether or not physical therapy is advisable, or come see us for a no-risk, no-obligation injury screening from a qualified physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Preston Woods, 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 ensures that no muscle is disproportionately strong or weak. Surrounding our joints with healthy and equally strong muscles is essential 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 properly.
• Balance — Frequent causes of balance issues are:
  • Vision issues
  • A vestibular issue, or a problem 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 Preston Woods, MO will determine what is causing 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 teaching correct posture

If your doctor and therapy team agree, a physical therapist in Preston Woods, 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 Preston Woods, MO Helps Beyond Mobility

Physical therapy does more than just increase mobility. Your customized treatment plans:

• Pain relief, whether from an injury or pain that is chronic in nature without the need of costly and potentially habit forming prescription drugs
• If applicable, the potential to avoid surgery by motivating your body to heal on its own
• Movement health education, including physical therapy techniques 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
• Motivating you to maintain an active lifestyle, carries with it the benefits of enhanced energy, lowers your risk of cardiovascular disease, contributes to a healthy weight, improves your mood, and promotes better sleep

Other services we offer in Preston Woods, 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 Preston Woods, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you are looking for hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to do basic things around the house, are looking for meaningful pain management for arthritis, or need to return to optimal movement health following a devastating injury, Axes’ team of licensed physical and occupational therapists is here to help you get back to the activities you love. We employ a client-centered approach. To restore the level of mobility you deserve, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or find the location most convenient for you.