Intent, Area Of Focus, and Other Distinctions That Set These Rehabilitative Services Apart
Whether you’ve sustained major trauma, have a chronic condition, or recently had major surgery, rehabilitation is a major step on the road to restoring functionality. Specifically, physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) can improve your independence, quality of life, and ability to engage in daily activities.
Although these therapies share similar goals, they differ in intent, strategy, and focus areas.
Let’s explore the differences in these two therapy practices.
Occupational and Physical Therapy Intent and Focus
Physical therapy improves physical function by addressing issues related to movement, strength, flexibility, and joint health. It’s geared toward helping you recover from injuries, surgeries, and chronic conditions that affect your musculoskeletal system.
Occupational therapy, on the other hand, teaches you how to perform daily tasks and activities, often by adapting your environment or using alternative methods. OT is more task-oriented than PT, addressing not just physical limitations but also cognitive, emotional, and sensory challenges.
Required Education and Training
Physical therapists must earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and state licensure to practice.
Occupational therapists must complete a master’s degree or doctorate and post-professional programs.
When comparing education requirements for occupational therapists vs. physical therapists, know that both are highly knowledgeable in their fields of allied health.
Occupational and Physical Therapy Patients
PT is ideal if you’re recovering from orthopedic injuries or surgeries, or working to improve a condition that affects your musculoskeletal system. Physical therapists treat patients from all walks of life, including seniors, athletes, and people with chronic pain.
OT is beneficial for those with developmental delays, neurological disorders, or cognitive impairments that affect daily functioning. Occupational therapists support individuals recovering from strokes, living with autism spectrum disorders, or managing degenerative conditions like Parkinson’s disease. They also work with people who have sustained a physical injury that limits their ability to do common tasks.
Occupational and Physical Therapy Settings
Physical therapists work in physical therapy clinics, orthopedic medical practices, outpatient clinics, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and sports facilities. Some physical therapy sessions are conducted in your home, if you’re in post-surgical recovery and eligible for home health services.
Occupational therapy frequently occurs in schools, workplaces, outpatient clinics, and long-term care facilities. Occupational therapy home visits assess and modify your living environment to support your daily activities.
Strategies and Tools Used Used In Occupational and Physical Therapy
Physical therapy includes a combination of strengthening exercises, stretching, manual therapy, and balance training. PT sessions are tailored to you and your unique musculoskeletal issues.
Depending on the exercise or therapy, physical therapists may incorporate resistance bands, weights, ultrasound machines, or electrical stimulation devices to promote restoration of movement or recovery.
Occupational therapy uses a combination of task-based therapy, sensory integration, and adaptive skill training. This action-oriented approach involves problem-solving and repetition to learn common tasks while considering your unique limitations.
Occupational therapists incorporate assistive equipment like grab bars, mobility aids, and ergonomic tools to support function. They also use sensory toys to enhance gross and fine motor skills, improve focus, and improve body self-awareness and familiarity with different stimuli.
Collaboration Between Specialties
Physical therapists collaborate with physicians, nurses, surgeons, and sports medicine doctors when developing individualized care plans. The information clinicians provide to physical therapists guides their planning.
Occupational therapists also have numerous collaborators, including clinicians like nurses and doctors. However, due to the types of patients they treat, occupational therapists have a broader professional network that includes social workers, recreational therapists, and speech-language pathologists.
When making the occupational therapist vs. physical therapist comparison with respect to collaborators, occupational therapists work with additional allied health professionals to achieve optimal outcomes.
Are You a Candidate For Physical Therapy? Contact Mid-America Orthopedics For an Exam
If you have an injury or orthopedic condition that’s causing you pain or mobility issues, you may be a candidate for physical therapy. Schedule an appointment with Mid-America Orthopedics to talk to a physician who can help identify the source of your symptoms and severity of your condition. Your orthopedic doctor will discuss treatment options that address the root cause of your symptoms, including physical therapy.
Call (316) 630-9300 to schedule your appointment.