Mobility in West Alton, MO. Our bodies are meant to be on the go. But sometimes, our bodies don’t work the way they should and it impedes us from doing what we love most. While experiencing pain and other factors that affect mobility affects us in more ways than just physically, Axes Physical Therapy in West Alton, MO can provide you with solutions that have been proven to work and that are customized specifically to you and your needs. No matter if your mobility limitations are the result of an injury, a chronic condition, or a musculoskeletal condition such as sciatica, start on the road back to your best possible mobility and comfort as soon as possible by scheduling a free evaluation 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 looks like picking up their kids comfortably, while others have more active lifestyle desires like sprinting down the basketball court on a fast break. Whatever you need to improve your movement health for, if can’t complete the activities you want to speak with a physician about professional physical therapy and movement health services.

Functional Mobility in West Alton, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to safely get around their home. This includes simple tasks such as rolling over in bed or bringing a cup of coffee to the next room and sitting on a chair. Fundamentally, functional mobility is typically though of in three different ways:

1. Bed mobility — Your ability to scoot, roll, and get in and out of bed comfortably.
2. Transfers — Your ability to move from one place to another, for example from a chair, bed, or sofa to another.
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 West Alton, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are devoted to helping you regain your autonomy. Whether your currently limited functional mobility was caused by a sports injuryan rotator cuff tear tear, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a degenerative condition like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll guide you through your journey to the best possible movement health. Part of your treatment will likely be simple and safe strengthening, balance, and flexibility training. Our therapists are also specialists vestibular therapy for people who have a debilitating vestibular disorder.

The seven level Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is the staple of how to evaluate functional mobility in West Alton, MO:

1. Complete independence, meaning you are able to achieve specific mobility thresholds safely and without taking an excessive amount of time
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 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 are unable to put in a quarter of the effort required, or that the activity is not safe to test

At Axes Physical Therapy in West Alton, MO, your tailor-made 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 when you and your licensed physical therapist first meet, they will perform a comprehensive evaluation of your health to ensure that the treatment modalities we have in mind for you are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in West Alton, MO

Of course, simply walking up the stairs comfortably does not define optimal movement health for many of us. There are corners to burn on the football field, your children to pick up, and the job-related tasks you need to carry out every day so that you can put food on the table for your West Alton, MO family. At Axes, our occupational and physical therapists can help any individual achieve the activity level they desire. Our services also include:

• Occupational therapy — Our West Alton, 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 West Alton, MO community and supporting your family the best way you can. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to ascertain what functional capacities you are capable of.
• Sports therapy — The last thing anyone who loves playing sports wants to experience is a sudden 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 West Alton, 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 also specialize in injury prevention to help you avoid re-injury.
• Pre/post surgical rehabilitation — Surgery and your recovery from it are delicate matters that make anyone nervous. 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 formulate a proven strategy to get the best possible outcome from your procedure.

Whatever the current level of mobility, and the extent to wish you want to improve it, consult with your West Alton, MO doctor about what physical therapy can do for you, or visit one of our locations for a complimentary injury screening from a licensed physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in West Alton, MO Can Help Improve Your Mobility

Our mobility is based on our strength, flexibility, range of motion, and balance:

• Strength — While physical therapy is effective at rebuilding and maintaining strength, 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, 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 West Alton, MO will be able to identify the source of your limitations in mobility and come up with a safe and effective treatment plan to get you back to the activities you love. 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 required, a physical therapist in West Alton, MO can also mold your very own medically accepted assistive devices including splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to best facilitate movement.

How Physical Therapy in West Alton, 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
• Depending on the nature of your mobility limitations, the potential to avoid surgery by encouraging the body’s own healing methods
• Mobility education, including physical therapy techniques you can safely do at home, 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, decreases your risk of cardiovascular disease, helps control weight, makes you feel better, and promotes better sleep

Other services we offer in West Alton, 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 West Alton, MO | Axes Physical Therapy

Whether you need hand therapy in order to make it easier for you to use a computer, 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 is safe and affective. We take a client-centered approach. To get back your independence and active lifestyle, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or call the location that works best for you.