Physical Therapy or Occupational Therapy: What's The Difference?

While occupational and physical therapy providers may see you for similar conditions and reasons, their goals during treatment are often different and each provider has very unique skills that set them apart.

What is Physical Therapy?

The National Library of Medicine describes physical therapy as including things like exercise, massage therapy and a variety of treatments executed through different physical stimuli like heat and cold.

The goal behind physical therapy is pain relief, strengthening weakened muscles as well as improving movement.

Depending on your condition and physical fitness, you and your provider may adjust your approach to physical therapy.

However, physical therapy is often critical to successful rehabilitation after an injury, surgery or long-term medical issues.

What is Occupational Therapy?

The main goal of occupational therapy is to help you live more independently, improving not only your quality of life but also making it easier to manage psychological conditions.

EvergreenHealth's occupational therapy includes:

• Treatment programs customized to improve your ability to perform daily activities
• Recommendations for adaptive equipment and training to assist you in your daily life
• Guidance for loved ones and caregivers

You may benefit from occupational therapy if you have:

• Physical limitations following a stroke or heart attack
• Vision or cognitive conditions that impact your daily life
• Arthritis, multiple sclerosis or other serious chronic conditions

Many of the exercises and guidance you receive in occupational therapy are meant to be continued beyond your treatment to maintain and continuously improve on your results.

What Are the Differences and Similarities?

The biggest similarities between physical and occupational therapy are that both types of providers:

• Deliver treatment in a variety of facilities and health care settings
• They treat individuals at every stage of life
• Often give you exercises that should be done outside of treatment

Differences between physical and occupational therapy can likely best be understood through the different goals each have for treatment. Physical therapy most often focuses on helping you move around better, while occupational therapists are interested in taking a holistic approach, improving your functioning in social, emotional, work and household situations.

For example, if you are having difficulty going to the grocery store, a physical therapist will help you get the physical strength you need to make it through the door and around the store, and an occupational therapist will give you what you need to organize a list, navigating the aisles and checking out.