What is the Difference between Physical and Occupational Therapy?
There are many professionals who are trained to improve your overall safety and independence, but it can be difficult to know which ones will best meet your needs. Threshold Therapeutic, LLC offers both physical and occupational therapy services, addressing the areas of home safety, pain management, strength, balance, mobility, and self-care. Here is a description of each profession, what they specialize in, and how they work together.
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational Therapy is the practice of assessing the human body, within its specific environment to maximize independence for daily tasks and routines. In short, an occupational therapist (OT) is a clinical, professional problem-solver with a focus on function. An occupational therapist is a clinical professional who is trained to assess safety in the context of your daily routine and environment. They are trained to look at both the physical and environmental factors that may be contributing to decreased safety, pain, or loss of independence. Interventions include home modifications, education on adaptive techniques and adaptive equipment for self-care and leisure activities, as well as exercises and activities to improve physical functioning and balance, specific to these tasks.
What is Physical Therapy?
Physical Therapy is practice of training the body to produce optimal movement. A physical therapist is a clinical professional with expertise on body mechanics, and joint and muscle function. They are trained to assess your full-body system to find and remediate areas of pain, instability, and impairment to improve your strength, agility, range of motion, balance, and gait. The goal of physical therapy is to restore function to reduce pain, improve function and reduce risk of falls or injury.
Which one do I Choose?
The truth it, there is a lot of overlap between these two fields. Often, physical, and occupational therapists work in teams to help clients restore optimum function. Many people see both clinicians at the same time, for fully integrated care. If your primary goal is strength, balance, or pain management, you may be a good fit for a physical therapist. But, if these issues are impacting your ability to complete daily self-care tasks, you may benefit from both interventions. If your primary concern is bathroom safety and you want to consult with someone on installing grab bars or a shower chair, then occupational therapy may be your best option. But, if your fear of falling in the bathroom is stemming from a decline in your balance, then physical therapy may also be a good addition to your treatment plan.
