People always get confused on deciding whether they should go for occupational therapy or physiotherapy. Although, the intention of both health care is to help people who are suffering from mental illnesses and mobility problems. The therapists first examine the medical history and behavior of patients, after that only they decide whether patients require occupational therapy or physiotherapy. When you consider these two therapies, you might feel like they are similar, but let us tell you that there are also many differences. Here, we will look at the difference between occupational therapy and physiotherapy.
Below there are six points on OT vs PT
1) Meaning
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy is a treatment related to fine motor skills. Fine mote skills are activities that help patients to make movements using the small muscles in their hands and wrists. Due to muscular problems, kids can’t do their daily tasks. Such kids should go for occupational therapy as it opens up their jammed muscles.
What is Physiotherapy?
Physiotherapy treatment is provided to patients who have difficulties in mobility and stability. Physiotherapy exercises help to heal back pain, neck pain, jammed muscles, heart problems, and lack of mobility. This kind of problem can be caused by cerebrovascular accidents, injuries, illness, or disabilities. Overall it’s a great health profession that changes the lives of disabled people by delivering them out of critical conditions.
2) Functions:
Occupational Therapy – In occupational therapy, therapists intend to make a patient capable enough to do his daily tasks by himself. They mainly focus on improving fine motor skills, which involves using the smaller muscle of the hands. The fine motor skills activities are beneficial for both kids and adults. With the help of these activities, a patient can develop many skills such as brushing teeth, writing, using scissors, typing, opening lunch boxes, drawing, and much more. Continuously doing the exercises can help to gain more accuracy in performing the daily tasks.
Physiotherapy – Physiotherapy is related to exercises that help to move the big muscles of the body. In physiotherapy, the therapists focus on improving gross motor skills. With the help of this technique, a paralyzed person can develop the skills like standing, walking, running, jumping, sitting upright at the table, etc. In this segment, some exercises also help people to adapt skills such as ball throwing, riding a bike, swimming, etc.
When Your Child Needs Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy
Every child has a particular worldview while growing up. They enjoy their worldview and keep on developing new skills according to their ages. But this is not the case with every child. Some kids find difficulty connecting to others, showing confidence in the work, and making decisions. Occupational Therapy is mainly for such kids. Taking part in this program will help them to adapt skills that will help them be positive in their lives.
If you have an active child and all of a sudden you begin to see the awkwardness in this behavior like problems in running, walking, standing, jumping, etc. then understand that he must be suffering from some kind of injury or disability in his body. Under such conditions, such patients need the guidance of physiotherapists before the problems get worse. Here, the professional therapists work as a team giving proper attention to patients.
4) Objectives of Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy
Occupational Therapy
- Develops a self-dependent ability.
- Helps to gain more control over the mobility of hands.
- It trains to deal with many day-to-day tasks.
- Helps to improve the critical conditions of muscles.
- Building hand-eye coordination.
Physiotherapy
- Relieve from pain.
- Improves the movement of the disabled part.
- Helps to learn to use a walker or cane.
- To access a vast range of mobility.
- Recover from a sports injury.
Roles of Therapist’s in Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy
Occupational Therapists first understand the condition of patients. After that, they conclude what kind of therapeutic exercise would be beneficial for them. Continuously they keep their attention on the activities of patients. Moreover, they also make a report to see if the development is happening or not. If they don’t see any result in the patient, they shift to some other methods.
Physiotherapists’ role is to help disabled people through exercises, movement, manual therapies, education, and advice. They attain people of all ages and work hard on the damaged parts of their bodies to make them functional. They also educate patients to perform certain types of exercises by themselves.
Types of Therapies in Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy
Occupational Therapy
- Mental health therapy.
- OT for autism.
- Geriatric therapy.
- Therapy for eating and swallowing.
- Therapy to retain physical movement.
Physiotherapy
- Range of motion exercises.
- Ultrasound therapy.
- Cryotherapy and Heat therapy.
- Application of hot and cold.
- Electric stimulation therapy.
Need Occupational Therapy for Your Children?
We are the organization that works together as a team to alter the uncommon state of disabled children. We have professionally trained staff who know how to deal with several kinds of disabilities. If you have a disabled child, we invite you to our campus as we always go to extreme measures to develop your child’s skills so that he can also have a bright future. We provides counselling, speech therapy, remedial intervention and Occupational Therapy in Noida center. We have different therapists for different services so that every child can get the proper care. We guarantee you that with our guidance, you will begin to see a progression in your child.
Conclusion
We have given some vital information on occupational therapy vs physiotherapy. We have described six important differences. Go through the whole blog and know for yourself. In the later part, we have described how greatly your child will be helped if you send him into our care.
