Difference Between OT & PT
Physical therapy and occupational therapy have the common goal of getting people better and back to what they were doing before a surgery, an accident, pain, or anything that inhibits them from doing the things that they want and need to do in their daily lives. This is the cornerstone for both disciplines. There are many things that make physical and occupational therapy different from each other and it looks different for each setting. List below are a few key differences that set the two specialties apart.
In outpatient therapy, physical therapy is able to help people prevent surgeries, regain strength, improve mobility or range of motion, and relieve pain. Physical therapists do this through their own lens to get people moving more effectively and efficiently. Occupational therapists help people regain their ability to do everyday tasks safely and independently and examples include cooking, cleaning, work tasks, and much more. Occupational therapists are able to see decreased movement and pain and figure out how to improve these areas so the patient can complete the task. If this is not possible, an occupational therapist can modify the activity or adapt the environment so the patient can still achieve completing the task.
With that said, although physical therapy and occupational therapy are different disciplines, they both strive to improve the quality of life of their patients. No matter what setting you are receiving care from a physical therapist or occupational therapist, you will receive care that gets you back to living a meaningful life to the fullest.
ProTailored Physical Therapy can help! Call us at (260) 739-0300 to schedule your consultation and take the first step toward relief.