Occupational therapy VS Physical therapy? What is the difference
Both of these programs are considered as rehabilitative care therapy, and they share lots of similarities as well. Thus, most people think that both of them are the same. However, it is not true. Though they have lots of similarities, we can’t consider them as similar medical interventions.
In this article we’ll talk about their application, similarities, and differences.
Let’s talk about them one by one…
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is basically a rehabilitative medical intervention of adapting, , and altering day-to day activities that a person needs to do for his daily grooming. Occupational therapists used to perform their job in a versatile way by altering the environment or altering the procedure, or implementing the energy conservation technique.
An occupational therapist helps a patient to restore their fine-motor skills, it is basically small small movements done by your upper body.
Our upper body including shoulders, hands, wrist, finger, and thumb help you to accomplish your daily task, but any kind of anomalies in the upper extremity deteriorate quality of life and make the easy job difficult. In these cases, physiotherapists help patients a lot to regain motor nerve activities.
OT improves patient condition by boosting and implementing positive coping strategies that supports a patient to stay motivated and continue the assigned therapeutic program till the end for assured recovery
OT helps patients to improve their problem-solving ability and indirectly helps them to lead a better life by achieving independence after injury, stroke, or any kind of injuries OTs have the ability to patients of all ages right from children to old age people.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy generally resolves problems that associate with movements. They optimize your movements to make your life smooth and effortless.
They usually prescribe exercises, educate patients, and offer hands-on training to provide successful treatment. You can call them as problem solver in your life and motivate patients to stay positive.
In several cases, PTs play an important role to get patients’ lives on track by working on their weak points, and inabilities. They often focus on pain management and overcoming the gross-motor abilities, even promoting functioning and independence, and also prevents disabilities.
They also work on cognitive behaviour which typically developed in child hold along with movement coordination of legs, arms, and other parts of the body.
Physical therapists often work with patients who have recovered from injury but want to regain their range of motion and functionality.
A physical therapist officially not only helps in rehabilitative care but also provides preventive measures to protect the area from further injury.
To lead a quality life you must have functional and no-pain smooth movements and physiotherapists help you to achieve this via their special therapeutic interventions, and practical treatment plan.
All of these treatments are highly effective to restore functionality without surgery and high-dose over-the-counter medication.
Just Check out the difference between occupational therapy and Physical therapy
The basic difference between physical therapy and occupational therapy is the region of scope.
Physical therapist’s main objective is to help people to move better, whereas occupational therapists follow a holistic approach. Apart from boosting physical functioning, occupational therapists also focus on patients’ emotional, social as well as socio-culture related situations.
Clearly say, a physiotherapist basically concentrates upon patients’ physical ailments, whereas an occupational therapist does go beyond that and work on an internal level up to patients’ cognitive behaviour.
The specialized area of an occupational therapy is health & wellness, post-surgery rehabilitation, cognitive behaviour of patients, aging and productivity, mental and physical coordination.
On the other the field of physiotherapists are such as
- Orthopaedic (bone and muscle surgery)
- Sports injuries and associated treatment
- Wound care and pain management
- Clinical electrophysiology
- Paediatric treatment
- Oncology
- Geriatric / problem that linked with aging
- Women health
- Strength related problems
- Lack of functionalities in the upper extremity.
Till now we’ve talk about the difference,
Now we’ll mention the similarities
Occupational therapy and physical therapy have lots of similarities in their treatment plan, and wound-Care, pain-management.
OTs and PTs both make customized treatment plans after analyzing patients’ existing health conditions and body weight and offer customized medication plans. They routinely check your progress and modify treatment plans according to patients’ requirements.
OTs and PTS treat variety of conditions such as sports injury, spinal cord injury, stroke , Parkinson’s disorder, post-surgery rehabilitation, amputation,
How to understand whether you require the assistance of an occupational therapist or physical therapist?
Your orthopaedic surgeon may recommend occupational therapist or physical therapist depending on the condition of health, type of injury, or type of surgery you’ve gone through.
You may need single assistance or sometimes require both at the same time if you’ve behavioural abnormalities along with injuries. In this case PT’s and OTs work together to offer best treatment with promising results. If you have a lack of grip strength, both of them recommend exercise with a hand squeezer for better outcome.
