What is the difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy?

Physical therapists help people who have injuries or illnesses improve their movement and manage their pain. They are often an important part of rehabilitation and treatment of patients with chronic conditions or injuries. Physical therapists typically do the following: Diagnose patients’ dysfunctional movements by watching them stand or walk and by listening to their concerns, among other methods Set up a plan for their patients, outlining the patient's goals and the planned treatments Use exercises, stretching maneuvers, hands-on therapy, and equipment to ease patients’ pain and to help them increase their ability to move Evaluate a patient’s progress, modifying a treatment plan and trying new treatments as needed Educate patients and their families about what to expect during recovery from injury and illness and how best to cope with what happens Occupational therapists treat injured, ill, or disabled patients through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. They help these patients develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily living and working. Occupational therapists typically do the following: Observe patients doing tasks, ask them questions, and review their medical history Evaluate a patient's condition and needs Develop a treatment plan for patients, laying out the types of activities and specific goals to be accomplished Help people with various disabilities with different tasks, such as leading an autistic child in play activities Demonstrate exercises—for example, joint stretches for arthritis relief—that can help relieve pain for people with chronic conditions Evaluate a patient’s home or workplace and, based on the patient’s health needs, identify potential improvements, such as labeling kitchen cabinets for an older person with poor memory Educate a patient’s family and employer about how to accommodate and care for the patient Recommend special equipment, such as wheelchairs and eating aids, and instruct patients on how to use that equipment Assess and record patients’ activities and progress for patient evaluations, for billing, and for reporting to physicians and other healthcare providers http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/occupational-therapists.htm#tab-2 - occupational therapy http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/physical-therapists.htm - physical therapy

Occupational therapy involves assisting and providing education to enable a person to get back to their normal daily routines (such as cooking, bathing, going to work). It is much more person based as they look mainly at the things a person finds meaningful and important. I can only speak for Occupational therapy as that's my area of concern, but physical therapy is different from OT as it only mainly focuses on body functioning rather than the person's life and the effect injury, disease or trauma causes on their well-being.

"While physical therapy aims to increase mobility and function, occupational therapy is focused on helping people live as independently as possible. There is some overlap between the two; several methods of physical therapy are used as part of occupational therapy." This website may help: http://www.diffen.com/difference/Occupational_Therapy_vs_Physical_Therapy

Focussin on daily livin activies ....functional independenc in performin these is the primary goal of the proffession occupational therapy....To achieve dis initially excercis therapy ,followed by involvement in activities dat help in attainin productiv outcome to d patient leadin to independenc or dependenc on nly self is aimed..... Also in this process assistanc thru adaptations ,adaptive devices,orthosis,prosthesis, work n environment modifications for the patient can b made....Howevr physical therapy limits to achievmnt of pain free movements at joints with excercises and physical agent modalities .

to put it simply, physical therapy work on muscle and joint function, occupational therapy work on regaining independence with daily activities that have complex medical situations. but there is definitely some overlap

Physical therapy can help restore strength, movement and abilities and relieve pain. Occupational therapy teaches people how to perform daily tasks in different ways that can protect their muscles and increase strength. This site can explain the differences more and also other types of therapy as well: http://www.parrishmed.com/programs-services/parrish-medical-center/orthopedic-programs/physical-and-occupational-rehabilitation/default.aspx

The easiest way to describe the difference between physical therapy and occupational therapy is that a physical therapist (or physical therapy assistant) treats the patient’s actual impairment, while an occupational therapist (or occupational therapy assistant) treats that impairment in action.The PT tries to improve the impairment itself by increasing mobility, aligning bones and joints or lessening pain. The OT or OTA helps the patient complete necessary everyday tasks with the http://citimedny.com/services/chiropractic-treatments/ impairment. Doing so may involve applying new tools and techniques.If you need more assistance then go to: http://citimedny.com/

I tell my patients (I'm an OT) that the PT will make sure they can walk and I will make sure they can do what they need to do when they get where they are going!

The difference between http://www.myomh.org/occupational-therapy and http://www.myomh.org/physical-therapy is that physical therapy is focused on rehabilitation of an individual that has suffered an injury and occupational therapy focuses on focuses on returning patients with pathological conditions - resulting from trauma, disease, and congenital or acquired deformity - to the maximum level of independence through graded activities of daily living.