Mobility in Wildwood, 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 losing your independence because of losing your mobility affects us in more ways than just physically, Axes Physical Therapy in Wildwood, MO offers solutions that have been proven to get results and that are tailored specifically to you, your age, and your desired activity level. No matter if your mobility is limited because of acute trauma, a disease, or an impairment in your musculoskeletal skeleton such as sciatica, start on the road back to your best possible mobility and comfort as soon as possible by setting up an appointment with Axes today or calling the the one of our multiple locations nearest you.

The dictionary definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some of us that is as simple as rolling over in bed without pain, while for others it may mean serving an ace on the tennis court. Whatever you need to improve your movement health for, if can’t complete the activities you want to speak with your doctor to see if physical therapy is the right choice for you.

Functional Mobility in Wildwood, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to safely and efficiently get around their home. This can be anything from getting in and out of bed or bringing a cup of coffee to another room and sitting on a chair. Fundamentally, functional mobility is typically though of in three different ways:

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 surface to a different one, for example from one chair to another.
3. Ambulation — If you can walk on your own while having objects in your hands.

If you cannot currently complete some or all of the activities above without a person or assistive device helping you, the Wildwood, 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 guide you through your journey to optimal mobility. We will guide you in strengthening, balance, and flexibility movements. We also offer 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 Wildwood, MO:

1. Complete independence, meaning you are able to complete a specified task safely and in a relatively normal amount of time
2. Modified independence, meaning you need a device such as a cane to complete the task
3. Stand-by assist, meaning you can complete the task independently but need someone standing by to prevent risk of injury
4. Minimal assistance, meaning you can do 75% or more while a physical therapist helps you the rest of the way
5. Moderate assistance, meaning you can perform about half of the work 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 can complete less than 25% of the task, or that the activity is not safe to test

At Axes Physical Therapy in Wildwood, MO, your tailor-made treatment plan may include gradually taking you up through the seven levels, or at least to the highest level possible. All of our methods are proven to be safe and effective through extensive clinical studies, and at your first appointment with your professional physical therapist, they will perform 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 Wildwood, MO

To be sure, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just being to move between furniture pain-free. 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 Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, 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 helping our Wildwood, MO community and providing for your family as you always have. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to determine if you are ready to return to your job.
• Sports therapy — The worst-case scenario for any athlete is a sudden injury that keeps them inactive and limited for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. Our Wildwood, 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 are big believers in teaching injury prevention to help you reduce the risk of having to go through an injury again.
• 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 ease your worry, and formulate a successful strategy to get the best possible outcome from your procedure.

Whatever the current level of mobility, and lifestyle you are trying to get back to, consult with your Wildwood, MO doctor about whether they think getting you a prescription for physical therapy is right for you, or come see us for a complimentary injury screening from a licensed physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Wildwood, 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 to make sure no muscle is stronger or weaker than it should be in relation to the muscles around it. Achieving equal muscle balance around joints is crucial in preventing injury and improving your mobility.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To reach the movement health and lifestyle we desire, our muscles, ligaments, 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 — Frequent causes of balance issues are:
  • Problems with eyesight
  • A vestibular condition, or something in your inner ear
  • Your proprioceptive system, the receptors in our muscles that monitor length, tension, pressure and noxious stimuli

A professional physical therapist in Wildwood, MO will find the root of your limitations in mobility and develop a treatment plan, based on evidence to improve your movement health. Beyond 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 required, a physical therapist in Wildwood, MO can also fit you for medically accepted assistive devices such as splints, braces, crutches, or canes in order to aid you in your mobility and reduce risk of injury.

How Physical Therapy in Wildwood, MO Helps Beyond Mobility

The benefits of physical therapy go beyond just getting around easier, getting back to work, or getting back on the field. Your proven treatment plans:

• Pain relief for both acute and chronic conditions without the need of prescription medications
• In some cases, the potential to avoid a surgical procedure by stimulating the body’s natural way of healing itself
• 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 the best postures for improved mobility
• Encouraging better physical health, which leads to increased energy, decreases your risk of heart disease, helps control weight, improves your mood, and encourages your body to get a full 8 hours of sleep

Other services we offer in Wildwood, 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 Wildwood, 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 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 take a 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 most convenient for you.