Mobility in St. Genevieve, MO. Our bodies are designed to to make walking and other movements easy. But sometimes, our mobility is impeded and it prevents us from doing what we love most. While experiencing pain and other factors that affect mobility also have an impact on our emotional well-being, Axes Physical Therapy in St. Genevieve, MO can provide you with treatment plans that have been proven to work and that are customized specifically to you and your needs. Whether your mobility is limited because of an injury, a chronic condition, or a musculoskeletal issue such as sciatica, start on the road back to optimal mobility and meaningful pain relief now by setting up an appointment with Axes today or calling the the one of our multiple locations most convenient for you.

The dictionary defines mobility as, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some people that may mean rolling over in bed comfortably, while others need to get back to sprinting down the basketball court on a fast break. Whatever you need to improve your movement health for, if you can’t live the life you want comfortable speak with your doctor about professional physical therapy and movement health services.

Functional Mobility in St. Genevieve, MO

Functional mobility is the capacity one has to safely and efficiently get around their home. This can be simple tasks such as getting in and out of bed or walking up a flight of stairs. In general, functional mobility is typically though of in three different ways:

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 switch between places, 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 cannot currently complete some or all of the activities above without the aid of a person or assistive device, the St. Genevieve, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are devoted to getting your freedom back. Whether you currently lack full functional mobility due to an ACL tear, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a a progressive disorder like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll guide you through your journey to optimal movement health. Most treatment plans include strengthening, balance, and flexibility exercises. Our therapists are also specialists vestibular therapy for people who have a debilitating vestibular disorder.

St. Genevieve, 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 move in a certain way safely 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. Stand-by assist, meaning you can perform the movement by yourself but need someone to monitor you to prevent risk of injury
4. Minimal assistance, meaning you can exert 75% of the work needed to complete the task or more while a physical therapist does the rest
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can perform about 50% of the work needed
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 are unable to put in 25% of the effort required, or that the activity is not safe to test

At Axes Physical Therapy in St. Genevieve, MO, your tailor-made treatment plan may include gradually taking you from the first level to the highest level possible. All of our treatment plans are based on what research says works best for you, and your dedicated physical therapist will begin your mobility treatment with a comprehensive examination of your health to verify that the treatment modalities we use are safe for someone suffering from the same ailment you are.

Beyond Functional Mobility in St. Genevieve, MO

Obviously, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just being to move between furniture without limitations. There are doubles to hit in your softball league, your pets to pick up, and the physical demands of the job you carry out every day in order to provide for your St. Genevieve, 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 St. Genevieve, 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 St. Genevieve, MO community and providing for 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 last thing any athlete wants to experience is an unexpected fall or collision that keeps them off the field or court for weeks, months, or longer. If you suffer an ACL tear, rotator cuff tear, or other sports injury, Axes Physical Therapy in St. Genevieve, 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 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 and your recovery from it are delicate matters that make anyone nervous. Whether your surgery is a matter of choice or a strong recommendation from a physician, we’ll team up with the doctors recommending and performing your surgery to help you feel confident in your treatment, and formulate a successful strategy to restore optimal mobility.

Whatever the current level of mobility, and the level of improved mobility you desire, consult with your St. Genevieve, MO doctor about what physical therapy can do for you, or come see us for a complimentary injury screening from a professional physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in St. Genevieve, MO Can Help Improve Your Mobility

Our mobility is based on 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 essential in preventing injury and reaching optimal movement health.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To improve our mobility to the highest level we can, our muscles, tendons, and other soft tissue need to be able to lengthen so that the joints they control and protect can function properly.
• Balance — Balance issues are typically due to:
  • Vision issues
  • A vestibular issue, or something in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, or the network between your sensory receptors and your nervous system

A professional physical therapist in St. Genevieve, MO will find the root of your mobility issues and come up with a treatment plan, based on evidence to get you back to the lifestyle you enjoy most. 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 your doctor and therapy team agree, a physical therapist in St. Genevieve, MO can also mold your very own medically accepted assistive devices such as splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to best facilitate movement.

How Physical Therapy in St. Genevieve, MO Helps Beyond Mobility

Physical therapy does more than just increase strength and flexibility. Your evidence-based treatment plans:

• Pain relief for both acute and chronic conditions without having to use costly and potentially habit forming prescription drugs
• In some cases, the opportunity to avoid a surgical procedure by motivating your body to heal on its own
• Patient 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 correct posture
• Motivating you to maintain an active lifestyle, carries with it the benefits of enhanced energy, decreases your risk of heart disease, contributes to a healthy weight, makes you feel better, and promotes better sleep

Other services we offer in St. Genevieve, 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 St. Genevieve, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you are looking for hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to type, are in need of meaningful pain management for sciatica, or want to get back on the field after a sports injury, 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 find the location nearest for you.