Differences Between Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy

Physical therapists and occupational therapists are skilled healthcare professionals.

The specialties in healthcare span far and wide. There are professionals to help you with any issue or difficulty you may be having. Two of these important specialties are physical therapists and occupational therapists.

Both physical therapists and occupational therapists are skilled healthcare professionals who have the same mission as all health professionals: to help people improve their health and maximize their quality of life – in this case by recovering from illnesses and/or injuries, and reducing the impact of disabilities. While these specialties seem like they have a lot in common, some things differentiate them. Here are key things you should know:

Physical Therapy

Physical therapists help people recover from injuries they have sustained, surgeries they have had or disabilities they were born with. PTs help improve a person’s physical function, range of motion, mobility, and overall strength. They also work to prevent further injury or disability. Physical therapists first conduct physical exams to evaluate a person’s status. From there, they can give short and/or long-term interventions to reduce pain and improve the function of the affected area or limb. These interventions can include exercises, stretches, heat and cold therapy, dry needle therapy, and more.

For example, take someone who has been in a car crash and required surgery for multiple breaks in a leg bone. They are in pain and their leg is at risk of becoming weak and inflexible from inflammation and lack of use. Their surgeon refers them to physical therapy to rebuild strength, restore range of motion and reduce pain and swelling through individually tailored exercises, stretching, manual manipulation and cold therapy. These measures – which the patient is taught how to do at home between sessions – will help the person recover from their injury and return to their normal daily activities, often quicker and more fully than without physical therapy.

According to MedicalNewsToday, physical therapists also help people living with musculoskeletal dysfunctions (back and neck injury, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger), neurological conditions (stroke, Parkinson's disease), pediatric conditions (cerebral palsy), and sports-related injuries (muscle and connective tissue damage, concussions).

Occupational Therapy

Rather than focus on helping a person regain their strength after injuries or surgeries, occupational therapists help people carry out their daily tasks and activities. Occupational therapists work with people with limitations or disabilities that impact their ability to engage in daily tasks such as eating, brushing their teeth, dressing, grooming, and/or working. This is done by practicing and improving motor skills and cognitive abilities as well as using adaptive equipment. They also help people improve their thinking skills, teach children how to fully participate in class, and help people take part in social situations.

For example, an occupational therapist will help an individual who has physical limitations after a stroke identify their goals, design an individualized intervention to help accomplish their goals, learn new ways to perform necessary tasks, and have check-ins to determine if the intervention is working. With the use of these techniques, people with disabilities or limitations are able to gain more independence and improve their quality of life.

PT and OT are appropriate for many people who have had injuries, surgeries or conditions that impact their ability to do the things they want or need to do. Talk to your surgeon or primary care provider to learn more, or visit our Rehabilitation Services page.

St. Mary’s offers PT and OT services throughout Northeast Georgia:

• St. Mary’s Outpatient Center, 2470 Daniells Bridge Road, Athens
• St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital, 367 Clear Creek Parkway, Lavonia
• St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital, 5401 Lake Oconee Parkway, Greensboro
• St. Mary’s Home Health Care/Hospice Services, serving homebound patients a 13-county area

In addition, St. Mary’s offers inpatient rehab care at the Center for Rehabilitative Medicine at St. Mary’s Hospital, 1230 Baxter St., Athens, and through the Swing Bed Program at St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital.