As we entered the twenty-first century, a plethora of new jobs and work options came our way. The ambit of the term “profession” has exponentially increased.
Now occupational therapy and physical therapy also happen to be two professions that attract a good chunk of our population, but we might all not be versed with their differences.
Key Takeaways
- Occupational therapy (OT) helps patients regain daily living and work skills, while physical therapy (PT) focuses on improving movement and reducing pain.
- OT addresses fine motor skills, cognitive abilities, and sensory processing, while PT targets gross motor skills, strength, and mobility.
- OTs may adapt to the environment or recommend assistive devices, while PTs develop exercise programs and manual therapy techniques.
OT vs PT
Occupational Therapy (OT) is an allied healthcare profession that enable people to perform daily tasks and activities to attain independence in every area of their life. Physical therapy (PT) is a field in healthcare which promote and maintain physical health through exercises, massages and treatmeants.
OT is the therapy that aims to help people with disabilities that render it impossible or tougher for them to participate in the daily activities of life, to participate in all those activities as they are required to.
The person in charge of conducting the therapy should be well-versed with the client’s prior records.
PT is the therapy in which a person’s ability to move or their strength will be bettered by helping them in ways. For instance, after having met with an accident, your ability to walk has diminished substantially.
This is when PT comes in handy to help you improve your ability to walk properly once again.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | OT | PT |
|---|---|---|
| Full Forms | Operational Therapy | Physical Therapy |
| Meaning | It aims at helping people with disabilities to participate in the daily activities that they are expected to perform. | It is the therapy in which a person’s ability to move or their strength will be bettered by helping them in ways. |
| Aims to Reduce | Mental trauma | Inability to walk or stand |
| Degree of Exercising | Not too heavy exercises are required | The exercises can be intense but depend on the patient’s needs |
| Accessibility | It is not easily available | It is easily accessible |
What is OT?
It is best described as a therapy that aims to help people with disabilities that render it impossible or tougher for them to participate in the daily activities of life, to participate in all those activities as they are required to.
The person in charge of conducting the therapy should be well-versed with the client’s prior records.
This therapy not only builds the person’s mental strength but it has its benefits. Studies indicate that a lot of mental illnesses can be treated by employing this therapy regularly.
The best aspect of this therapy is that the therapists make necessary modifications to the patient’s surroundings, such as in their houses or their offices, to make life easier for them.
This helps the patient overcome their mental trauma, which enhances their chances of regaining their self-confidence to perform the daily activities which had previously become impossible for them to perform without assistance.
For instance, Raj’s grandfather is suffering from dementia. Now, this is quite common in elderlies, but with a bit of care, it can be treated to an extent. This is why Raj should avail an occupational therapist for his grandfather.
What is PT?
It is a therapy in which a person’s ability to move or their strength will be bettered by helping them in ways. For instance, after having met with an accident, your ability to walk has diminished substantially.
This is when it comes in handy to help you improve your ability to walk properly once again.
It is the therapy in which a person’s ability to move or their strength will be bettered by helping them in ways. It aims at rectifying people’s inability to walk or stand. The exercises can be intense but depend on the patient’s needs.
It is very popular among us because it is easily available. They put your body into a routine that happens to be a step closer to leading a healthy life. These exercises can even stop your pain from resurfacing if you perform them diligently.
For instance, if you have an elderly person in your house who recently suffered a hip injury after slipping and falling on the bathroom floor, consequent to which he is unable to perform his daily activities such as walking, then, in that case, you should avail this.
These therapists bring much more than experience to the table. They are licensed and have a diploma. Thus, you shouldn’t be worried about their qualifications at all. They are qualified and know what they are doing.
Main Differences Between OT and PT
- Where OT is more focused on improving the recipient’s ability to function and perform the daily activities that he is expected to perform better, PT is directed towards working on a person’s ability to move, or their strength will be bettered by helping them in ways.
- While OT adopts methods that are aimed to better one’s mental health, PT is aimed at treating the physical pains of the body. If you are contemplating surgery after suffering an injury that doesn’t happen to be life-threatening in any way, then you should most certainly give the latter a try.
- OT is more useful for people who find performing daily activities vexing and tedious due to their mental health, and availing of this therapy is their first step to coping with their mental barriers. In contrast, PT restores the recipient’s ability to perform tasks daily that he was previously unable to perform due to his physical injuries or conditions that rendered it impossible for him to perform them.
- OT is not primarily exercise-based. On the other hand, PT, as the name suggests, is exercise-oriented.
- OT is not easily accessible by all. In contrast, PT can be easily available.
- https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/1389861
- https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/J006v11n04_01
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Sandeep Bhandari holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Computers from Thapar University (2006). He has 20 years of experience in the technology field. He has a keen interest in various technical fields, including database systems, computer networks, and programming. You can read more about him on his bio page.
I greatly appreciate the comprehensive breakdown of the differences between OT and PT. Very well written post.
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It’s quite fascinating to see how OT and PT differ in their approach. The article provides great insight.
Absolutely, the article does an excellent job in presenting the nuances of both professions.
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Absolutely agree. The article is a great resource for understanding OT and PT.