The Difference Between Physical Therapy Jobs & Occupational Therapy Jobs

By Author: Vikram kumar
Total Articles: 9418
Comment this article

The differences between Physical Therapy jobs and Occupational Therapy jobs are few yet vast. Confusing? Well read on and you’ll understand. The common thread for both of these types of jobs is in the rehabilitative aspects that are required in both jobs. They also are a medical field that deals with the rehabilitative aspect that is required.

Physical Therapy, well if you look for a definition of physical therapy it states that: it is the treatment of disease or injury or deformity by physical methods such as massage, heat treatment, and exercise rather than drugs or surgery. Treatment that helps a person’s ability to move, reduces pain, and helps restore posture and balance. This is a rehabilitative therapy that is concerned with a person’s gross motor abilities. Physical Therapy often abbreviated PT, uses massage, heat treatment, and exercise and physical activity to rehabilitate.

Occupational Therapy is a form of therapy for those recuperating from physical or mental illness; it encourages rehabilitation through performance of activities required in daily life. Occupational therapy often abbreviated ...
... OT, encourages health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful occupations. These could include—but are not limited to—work, leisure, self care, domestic and community activities. OT is a rehabilitative service for people with mental, physical, emotional or developmental impairments.

Occupational Therapy jobs are different from Physical Therapy jobs. OT has a much broader range of applications in rehabilitating not only issues with the physical but mental as well. PT, on the other hand, is limited with assisting in improving mostly the motor aspect of a patient; for instance like helping them to walk, stand, and so forth. OT on the other hand can be used for physical therapy for stroke patients for instance and for help in rehabilitating them to be able to do the daily tasks that they used to have no problem doing and at the same time helping them with the rehabilitation mentally of having to deal with their disability. OT is related to PT in that it treats through rehabilitation issues that are physical; but it is much more closely related to the fields of Psychology and Psychiatry in their diagnostic areas but Psychology and Psychiatry are much more likely to prescribe drugs whereas Occupational Therapy professionals are much more likely to prescribe therapeutic means and have a more hands-on application to help the patient overcome the disabling conditions.

So where both professions are to be revered in that they provide the much needed service of rehabilitation to patients that need it they are vastly different in the areas that they can perform this rehabilitative service. Anyone with an interest in these fields as possible jobs should be praised for their willingness to make a difference in the lives of someone who needs these services. Both can be great professions for the right individual. If you like the idea of helping people and have a great liking for science then this may be something that you should consider for a profession.

Resource

Foundation Rehab Staffing has Occupational therapy jobs and Physical therapy jobs just waiting for you.