Occupational Therapy vs. Physical Therapy: What’s the Difference?

Occupational therapy and physical therapy aims to help people recover from injuries so they can live active, fulfilling, and independent lives. However, their similarities often cause confusion about how each specialty treats its patients and the services each can provide. It’s important to understand how therapists differ in both their treatments and the benefits of the therapy in order for you to know which therapy is best for you.

How an Occupational Therapist Can Help You

Occupational therapists often mistakenly get confused with vocational counselors, professionals who guide people in choosing their career path. Instead, occupational therapists are healthcare professionals who help people carry on their daily routines at work, home, and school and participate in leisure and recreational activities. One important aspect of occupational therapy is enabling people to care for themselves at home to maintain their independence.

Occupational therapists help you:

·         Learn new ways of performing daily tasks without assistance from others;

·         Regain lost skills and learn new ones that enable you to live independent and fulfilled lives;

·         Implement various materials, equipment, and devices to improve daily life;

·         Remove obstacles for a safer and more productive work and home environment;

·         Recover more quickly and safely from an injury or illness to return to work and daily activities;

·         Cope with a change in mental or physical capabilities; and

·         Develop learning skills to excel at school or work

How a Physical Therapist Can Help You

Physical therapists are also referred to as movement specialists. They can help you move more comfortably and effectively with less pain and more strength, flexibility, and balance. Physical therapists typically help people after an injury or illness that causes a physical impairment that creates pain and limits the ability to live an active lifestyle. An important focus of physical therapy is to help you heal more quickly and minimize the use of potentially addictive pain medications.

Physical therapists are commonly associated with recovery from surgery or an injury, especially sports-related injuries. However, physical therapists provide a wide range of services to people of all ages and health issues. The primary types of patients treated by physical therapists include:

·         Orthopedic. Therapists work with patients to prevent or recover from orthopedic surgery. The goal of this therapy is to restore function to bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons.

·         Neurological. Physical impairments caused by stroke, brain and spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurological conditions often respond well to physical therapy. Physical therapists can help these patients function better to live as independently as possible.

·         Cardiopulmonary. Physical therapy focuses on improving the physical endurance and stamina for recovery from a heart attack, living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or pulmonary fibrosis.

·         Geriatric. Some conditions uniquely affect older adults, such as arthritis, osteoporosis, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease. Physical therapists can help with the complications of these conditions and enhance the lives of older adults.

The Similarities Between Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy

Physical therapists and occupational therapists receive professional training to provide rehabilitative services to help people live active and healthy lives. These two services have several aspects of their care in common, such as:

·         Assessment. Both therapists provide a complete and individualized evaluation and diagnosis of your condition.

·         Collaboration. Unlike some other medical specialties, occupational therapy and physical therapy work with family, caregivers, and others in their client’s support network to optimize the treatment results.

·         Individualized. Each healthcare provider seeks to understand their client’s set of circumstances to provide an individualized custom plan of treatment. Progress is closely monitored, and treatment modalities are modified as needed.

·         Demographics. While older adults and specific populations require more of the services offered by occupational and physical therapists, both healthcare providers serve the broadest possible demographic. Treatments are available for multiple medical conditions found during infancy to older adults.

·         Conditions treated. Occupational therapists and physical therapists often work together to treat some conditions. These include Parkinson’s disease, sports injuries, stroke, carpal tunnel syndrome, amputation, spinal cord and brain injuries, and surgery recovery.

The Differences Between Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy

The fundamental difference between the two is that physical therapists help relieve a patient’s pain and improve their ability to move. Additionally, they aim to help you maintain your body’s strength, flexibility, and range of motion. An occupational therapist focuses on assisting patients with performing the tasks necessary to their daily living.

You receive the physical and occupational treatments you need based on your diagnosis. Before you receive treatment from either a physical therapist or occupational therapist, you receive a thorough assessment that includes a medical history and various tests concerned with your condition.

Physical therapists use treatments such as:

·         Strength training

·         Stretching exercises

·         Balance training

·         Therapeutic activities

·         Functional training

Occupational therapists use several types of treatments, equipment, and technologies to make daily life easier and more enjoyable. This may include:

·         An evaluation of your home, school, or workplace

·         Helping you overcome developmental or mental impairment

·         Exercises and activities that help your recover from a physical injury

·         Strategies to improve your environment and live independently

Schedule an Appointment

Coastal Movement Specialists located on Johns Island, SC, serves the entire Charleston area. Our trained physical and occupational therapists often collaborate to help our clients live active and fulfilling lives. Contact us today to schedule an appointment for a complete evaluation.

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