Mobility in St. George, MO. Our bodies are built to to make walking and other movements easy. But sometimes, our mobility is impeded and it keeps us from our favorite activities, or even just being able to carry out or daily live comfortably. While that loss of physical mobility also have an impact on our emotional well-being, Axes Physical Therapy in St. George, MO offers solutions that have been proven to work and that are customized specifically to you, your age, and your desired activity level. Regardless of whether your mobility is limited because of acute trauma, a disease, or a musculoskeletal problem such as sciatica, take the first steps in optimal mobility and meaningful pain relief as soon as possible by scheduling a free evaluation with Axes today or calling the location nearest you.

The one definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some St. George, MO residents that is as simple as getting in and out of a chair without pain, while others have more active lifestyle desires like making a diving catch in their softball league. Whatever mobility means to you, if your mobility is severely restricted consult with your doctor to see if physical therapy is the right choice for you.

Functional Mobility in St. George, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to complete basic tasks. This can be simple tasks such as comfortably laying down in bed each night or bringing a cup of coffee to another room and sitting down. Fundamentally, there are three types of functional mobility:

1. Bed mobility — Whether or not you are able to to scoot, roll, and get in and out of bed comfortably.
2. Transfers — Your ability to move from one place to a different one, 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 St. George, 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 degenerative condition like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll design a tailor-made plan that safely and correctly helps you reach 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 sensory dysfunction.

The seven level Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is the staple of how to assess functional mobility in St. George, MO:

1. Complete independence, meaning you are able to complete a specified task without risk of injury and in a timely manner
2. Modified independence, meaning you need a device such as a cane to complete the task
3. Stand-by assist, meaning you can perform the movement 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 perform about half of the work needed
6. Maximal assistance, meaning you can complete about 25% 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 St. George, MO, your personalized 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 can improve your mobility, and at your first appointment with your professional physical therapist, they will perform a thorough evaluation of your health to confirm that the exercises we have in mind for you are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in St. George, MO

To be sure, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just being to move between furniture comfortably. There are doubles to hit in your softball league, your pets to pick up, and the occupational tasks of the job you carry out every day in order to provide for your St. George, MO family. At Axes, we offer comprehensive physical and occupational physical therapy that can help any athlete, worker, or family member achieve the activity level they desire. We also offer:

• Occupational therapy — Our St. George, MO occupational therapists are essential to your recovery when an injury or condition limits the mobility needed to to do your hob. We serve as an integral member of your workers’ compensation team so you can get back to contributing to our St. George, MO community and providing for your family as you always have. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to determine if you can safely go back to work either fully or in some capacity.
• Sports therapy — The worst-case scenario for any athlete is an unexpected fall or collision that keeps them off the field or court for weeks, months, or longer. Our St. George, 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 stay off the sidelines.
• 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 work with your physician and surgeons to form a complete surgical team to give you piece of mind, and formulate an effective plan of action to restore optimal mobility.

However limited you currently are in your mobility, and lifestyle you are trying to get back to, consult with your St. George, MO doctor about whether they think getting you a prescription for physical therapy is right 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 St. George, 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 to make sure no muscle is stronger or weaker than it should be in relation to the muscles around it. Having proportionately strong muscles around joints is crucial in preventing injury and improving your mobility.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To improve our mobility to the highest level we can, not only do our muscles need to have the strength to control bones, but our muscles, tendons, 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 — Frequent causes of balance issues include:
  • Vision issues
  • A vestibular condition, or something in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, the sense of awareness ingrained in our muscles and joints

A professional physical therapist in St. George, MO will be able to identify the source of your limitations in mobility and come up with a treatment plan, based on empirical research to improve your movement health. In addition to therapeutic strength, flexibility, and core exercises, We can help you improve your mobility with:

• 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 St. George, MO can also create custom medically accepted assistive devices including splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to help you achieve the best possible mobility.

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

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

• Pain relief, whether from an injury or pain that is chronic in nature without needing to depend on painkillers or opioids
• Depending on the nature of your mobility limitations, the potential to avoid surgery by stimulating the body’s own healing methods
• Movement health 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 correct posture
• Motivating better physical health, carries with it the benefits of enhanced energy, decreases your risk of cardiovascular disease, contributes to a healthy weight, improves your mood, and promotes better sleep

Other services we offer in St. George, 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. George, 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 is here to help you get back to what you love doing most. We employ a client-centered approach. To get back your independence and active lifestyle, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or call the location nearest for you.