Mobility in Woodson Terrace, MO. Our bodies are designed to be on the go. But sometimes, our mobility is impeded and it keeps us from doing what we love most. While that loss of physical mobility can affect our mental health as well, Axes Physical Therapy in Woodson Terrace, MO offers solutions that have been proven to work and that are built specifically to getting you back to the life you want to live. No matter if your mobility limitations are the result of an injury, a chronic condition, or a musculoskeletal problem such as sciatica, start on the road back to optimal mobility and a pain-free daily life now by setting up a mobility and injury analysis with Axes today or calling the location nearest you.

The dictionary definition of mobility is, “the ability to move… freely and easily.” For some people that is as simple as getting in and out of a chair without pain, while others need to get back to serving an ace on the tennis court. Whatever mobility means to you, if you can’t live the life you want pain-free consult with a physician to see if physical therapy is the right choice for you.

Functional Mobility in Woodson Terrace, MO

Functional mobility refers to a person’s ability to complete daily tasks. This includes anything from moving around in bed or walking up a flight of stairs. In general, functional mobility can be broken down into three categories:

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 switch between surfaces, for example from one chair to another.
3. Ambulation — Whether or not you can walk, and can do so while carrying things.

While the injury or condition impeding your functional mobility may mean that you currently rely on assistance in order to operate in your daily life, the Woodson Terrace, MO physical and occupational therapists at Axes are committed to helping you restore your independence. Whether you currently lack full functional mobility due to a knee injury, arthritis or other joint pain, or even a degenerative condition like Parkinson’s disease, we’ll design a personalized plan that safely and correctly helps you reach the best possible movement health. We will guide you in strengthening, balance, and flexibility training. We also offer vestibular therapy to help with vestibular disorders that cause sensory dysfunction.

The seven level Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is the main way to evaluate functional mobility in Woodson Terrace, MO:

1. Complete independence, meaning you can achieve specific mobility thresholds safely and without taking an excessive amount of time
2. Modified independence, meaning you need a device such as a walker to complete the task
3. Supervision, meaning you can complete the task by yourself but need someone close by so you don’t hurt yourself
4. Minimal assistance, meaning you can exert 75% of the effort needed to complete the task 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 necessary
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 Woodson Terrace, MO, your customized treatment plan may include gradually allowing you more and more independence until you get the highest level you can. All of our treatment plans are based on what research says can improve your mobility, and your dedicated physical therapist will begin your mobility treatment with a thorough evaluation of your health to ensure that the exercises we have in mind for you are safe for someone in your exact condition.

Beyond Functional Mobility in Woodson Terrace, MO

Of course, many of us desire a higher level of movement health than just rolling over in bed without assistance. There are doubles to hit in your softball league, your children to play with, and the physical demands of the job you perform every day in order to earn a living for your Woodson Terrace, MO family. At Axes, we offer comprehensive physical and occupational physical therapy that can help any athlete, worker, or family member improve mobility they need to get back to the activities they love. Our services also include:

• Occupational therapy — Our Woodson Terrace, 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 contributing to our Woodson Terrace, MO community and providing for your family as you always have. Our advanced work rehabilitation includes Functional Capacity Evaluations to ascertain what activity level you can safely carry out.
• Sports therapy — The worst-case scenario for any athlete is an unexpected injury that keeps them inactive and limited for anywhere from a couple weeks to a year. Our Woodson Terrace, MO physical therapy team knows how to help 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 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 team up with the doctors recommending and performing your surgery to give you piece of mind, and develop a successful plan of action to restore optimal mobility.

However limited you currently are in your mobility, and the level of movement health you desire, consult with your Woodson Terrace, MO doctor about what physical therapy can do for you, or visit one of our locations for a complimentary injury screening from a clinically experienced physical or occupational therapist.

How a Physical Therapist in Woodson Terrace, 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. Having equal muscle balance around joints is crucial in preventing injury and reaching optimal movement health.
• Flexibility and range of motion — To reach the movement health and lifestyle we desire, 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 — Problems with balance are commonly caused by:
  • Problems with eyesight
  • 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

An experienced physical therapist in Woodson Terrace, MO will find the root of your mobility issues 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 good posture education

If necessary, a physical therapist in Woodson Terrace, 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 Woodson Terrace, 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. As we work to reach optimal movement health, you’ll also enjoy:

• Pain relief, whether from an injury or pain that is chronic in nature without needing to depend on painkillers or opioids
• If applicable, the potential to avoid surgery by stimulating the body’s natural way of healing itself
• Movement health 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 increased energy, lowers your odds of developing cardiovascular 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 Woodson Terrace, 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 Woodson Terrace, 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 get back your independence and active lifestyle, request an appointment with Axes Physical Therapy today or find the location most convenient for you.