Occupational Therapy Versus Physical Therapy

Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy are very similar professions. Often people get them confused with one another and use them interchangeably or even think the two are synonyms. However there are significant differences between the two. An easy way to remember is to look at the words themselves. The word occupation means “an activity in which a person is engaged”. The word physical however means “of or pertaining to the body”. The definitions are good clues into their differences. The job duties, schooling, possible fields to go into, and pay with Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy have both similarities and differences. Both Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy job duties vary to many different things. They both require …show more content…
Several of the methods that occupational therapist use physical therapist do as well and vise versa. They both can deal with injuries and disabilities. However they differ into how they look at things and the context in how they look at them. Occupational therapy tends to focus more on evaluating and improving a persons functional abilities, but does not directly treat a persons injury. An occupational therapist is more focused on optimizing a persons independence and their ability to accomplish daily activities from that injury or impairment. Helping people improve their ability to carry out their daily tasks is the prime goal. The physical therapist is more focused on treating the physical source of the problem and wanting to correct that as well as evaluating and diagnosing movement dysfunctions. A physical therapists primary focus is that of an anatomical injury and measuring a persons strength, functional capacity, and motor development. Occupational therapist do focuse some on physical aspects of the therapy process, but more than just that have to have a knowledge and understanding of mental health as well. Not only do they evaluate a persons physical capabilities, …show more content…
As an occupational therapist or physical therapist there are a variety of things you can also do with your degree and what you practice. Physical therapist and occupational therapists have different fields within their fields in which they can choose to focus in. In physical therapy there is orthopedic which is the most comply available form of physical therapy. This therapy treats injuries to the muscles, bones, and other tissues. They are for people who could have sports injuries, while working, or a surgery or chance disease. Wound care which is a therapy in which there are treatments that help with wound care. For chronic wounds, wounds not healing properly after surgery or necrotic wounds. The therapy helps with circulation and increase healing. Pediatric which is a therapy in which it is specific for children. These therapist specialize in treating children of all ages who have problems with movement, strength, or coordination. Cardiopulmonary which is anyone who has undergone a serious cardiopulmonary event like a heart attack which is important because a heart could be weak after recovery. Vestibular which is therapy in which therapists help people who have sustained damage to the mechanisms of the inner ear. Geriatric which is a therapy in which physical problems can start to affect