Mobility in Shrewsbury, MO. Our bodies are meant to to make walking and other movements easy. But sometimes, our bodies don’t work the way they should and it keeps us from doing what we love most. While losing your independence because of losing your mobility affects us in more ways than just physically, Axes Physical Therapy in Shrewsbury, MO can develop safe, effective, and evidence-backed treatment plans that are built specifically to you and your needs. Whether your mobility is limited because of acute trauma, a disease, or a musculoskeletal condition such as sciatica, begin your journey to your best possible movement health and a pain-free daily life as soon as possible by scheduling an appointment with Axes today or calling the location nearest you.

The dictionary definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some Shrewsbury, MO residents that looks like picking up their grandchildren without pain, while others need to get back to making a diving catch in their softball league. Whatever it 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 Shrewsbury, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to safely move around in their home environment. This can be 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 can to comfortably move around in bed, including rolling, scooting, sitting up, and lying down.
2. Transfers — Your ability to switch between places, for example from one chair to another.
3. Ambulation — Your ability to walk freely without the need of assistance. This also includes walking while being able to carry objects.

If you cannot currently complete some or all of the activities above without a person or assistive device helping you, the Shrewsbury, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are devoted 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 guide you through your journey to optimal mobility. Most treatment plans include strengthening, balance, and flexibility exercises. We also offer vestibular therapy for people who have a debilitating vestibular disorder.

Shrewsbury, MO physical therapists often rely on the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) of seven levels to evaluate someone’s functional mobility:

1. Complete independence, meaning you can achieve specific mobility thresholds safely and in a timely manner
2. Modified independence, meaning you can perform specific movements but only with a walker, a cane, or crutches
3. Supervision, meaning you can complete the task by yourself but need someone to monitor you to prevent risk of injury
4. Minimal assistance, meaning you can do 75% or more while someone else does the rest
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can exert 50% of the effort required
6. Maximal assistance, meaning you can put in a quarter of the work of the task without assistance
7. Total assistance or not testable, meaning you are unable to put in a quarter of the work required, or that the activity is not safe to test

At Axes Physical Therapy in Shrewsbury, MO, your customized treatment plan may include safely taking you from the first level to the highest level you are able to achieve. 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 thorough examination of your health to verify that the exercises we use are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Shrewsbury, MO

To be sure, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just being to move between furniture without assistance. There are corners to burn on the football field, your pets to play with, and the occupational tasks of the job you perform every day in order to earn a living for your Shrewsbury, MO family. At Axes, our occupational and physical therapists can help any athlete, worker, or family member achieve the activity level they desire. Our services also include:

• Occupational therapy — Our Shrewsbury, MO occupational therapists are an essential part of getting you back to work after a work-related injury. We serve as an integral member of your workers’ compensation team so you can get back to being an integral member of our Shrewsbury, MO community and providing for 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 — 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. If you suffer an ACL tear, rotator cuff tear, or other sports injury, Axes Physical Therapy in Shrewsbury, MO will help you restore 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 avoid re-injury.
• Pre/post surgical rehabilitation — Surgery is a complex and nerve-racking procedure for anyone. 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 ease your worry, and develop a successful game plan to restore optimal mobility.

Whatever the current level of mobility, and lifestyle you are trying to get back to, consult with your Shrewsbury, MO doctor about what physical therapy can do for you, or visit one of our locations for a complimentary injury screening from a professional physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Shrewsbury, 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 achieve muscle balance. Surrounding our joints with healthy and equally strong muscles is vital to preventing injury and reaching optimal movement health.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To reach the movement health and lifestyle we desire, our muscles, tendons, 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 — Problems with balance are usually due to:
  • Vision issues
  • 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 Shrewsbury, MO will determine what is causing your mobility issues and develop a treatment plan, based on evidence to get you back to the activities you love. 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 good posture

If necessary, a physical therapist in Shrewsbury, MO can also fit you for medically accepted assistive devices including splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to aid you in your mobility and reduce risk of injury.

How Physical Therapy in Shrewsbury, MO Helps Beyond Mobility

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

• Pain relief, whether from an injury or pain that is chronic in nature without needing to depend on prescription medications
• In some cases, the opportunity to avoid a surgical procedure by encouraging the body’s own healing methods
• Movement health education, including physical therapy techniques you can safely do at home, injury prevention techniques, and the best postures for improved mobility
• Motivating better physical health, which leads to 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 Shrewsbury, 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 Shrewsbury, 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 joint problems, 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 works best for you. We pride ourselves on our leads to positive patient outcomes. 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.