Physical therapy and occupational therapy are frequently mistaken for one another, especially by people aspiring to pursue a career in the healthcare industry. Though they have similar goals, these therapies differ in various parameters, ranging from education and training. While physical therapy focuses on improving motor skills, occupational therapy improves a patient’s ability to carry out their daily activities. Keep reading to learn about the factors distinguishing physical therapy from occupational therapy.
Difference between physical therapy and occupational therapy
Physical therapy assists patients with pain management, range of motion, endurance, and the development of gross motor skills. Meanwhile, occupational therapy focuses on how patients carry out activities and roles crucial to their daily lives, including evaluating and treating physical, psychosocial, cognitive, behavioral, or sensory skills.
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy aims to help patients recover from various illnesses (physical, mental, developmental, and emotional) that affect their capacity to carry out daily activities. Most frequently, occupational therapists will work with people dealing with-
- Congenital disabilities or birth injuries
- Abnormalities of sensory processing
- Traumatic brain or spinal cord injuries
- Developmental illnesses like autism
- Behavioral or mental health issues
The purpose of occupational therapy is to give patients the autonomy to make life decisions. Occupational therapists (OTs) restore a sense of independence among patients and enhance their quality of life by helping them acquire or relearn how to execute the tasks associated with daily life. Depending on the patient’s requirement, various strategies may be used to achieve these goals. An occupational therapist could assist a patient in various ways, including by helping them-
- Gain the ability to handle and manipulate objects like a pen, key, utensils, or other instruments through developing fine motor skills.
- Increase the hand-eye coordination needed for interacting with their environment.
- Learn basic and simple activities like eating, bathing, dressing, and using the restroom.
- Regulate and control emotions, which is crucial for kids and people with behavioral issues.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy focuses on treating patients who have undergone disease or injury and are experiencing discomfort, muscle weakness, or a reduced range of motion. Physical therapists assist people who have undergone illness or accident which affected their ability to perform bodily functions. A few such scenarios include the following-
- A sprained joint or a broken bone
- Musculoskeletal ailments like abnormalities of the temporomandibular joint, a torn rotator cuff, and back discomfort
- Cardiopulmonary diseases such as COPD and cystic fibrosis
- Sports injuries
- Female health issues
Physical therapy aims to regulate and manage pain, reduce muscle weakness, build endurance, and improve range of motion. Precise aims of treatment will depend upon the needs of the patient.
Occupational therapy equipment
Some common tools and equipment that occupational therapists use are listed below.
Spirometers
These tools test lung capacity and are especially beneficial for people healing from chest or rib injuries. Since rib fractures can impair breathing, occupational therapists frequently utilize incentive spirometry, a type of lung expansion therapy, to assist patients in regaining their optimum breathing capability.
Multisensory instruments
Multisensory stimulators use multiple tools and environments to enhance coherence and connection by integrating two or more sensory modalities of sight, touch, sound, smell, and motion. These tools encourage cognitive and intellectual engagement. OTs use this therapy for patients with learning disabilities, sensory processing issues, dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other cognitive disorders.
Frames for sitting to stand
Standing even briefly during the day can have significant health benefits for patients who use wheelchairs, including better circulation and respiratory comfort.
Walkers and rollators with wheels
These wheeled walking aids, frequently used by the elderly, are effective for individuals who aren’t relatively stable enough to utilize walkers without wheels.
Physical therapy equipment
Some common types of equipment used by physical therapists are listed below.
Exercise balls
Workout balls, commonly called physio or Swiss balls, are among the most widely used physical therapy equipment. They are good for stretching, strengthening muscles, improving posture, and reducing back problems.
Balance pads
Balance pads are used while performing strength training and dynamic movements and help with stability and balance.
Stretching straps
Stretching straps are excellent for relieving muscle tension, stretching muscles, and testing flexibility. They are affordable and offer multiple advantages, such as better posture, regulated limb movement, and deeper stretching due to the added length (even if you have minimal flexibility).
