Eddie Said:

What is the difference between Occupational Therapy and Physical therapy?

We Answered:

Physical therapy is all about getting a patient's body as close back to normal after an illness or injury. Physical therapists help patients move their bodies and regain strength and range of movement. They also move patients to extend their range of motion. They encourage the patient to move and work to aid the speed and efficacy of their recovery.

Occupational therapy is about the patient's activities of daily living and is concerned with how patients can do the things they need to do each day. Examples are; brushing their hair, making a cup of tea, or dinner, getting in and out of bed. Occupational therapists are good at helping patients learn how to do these things within their new limits. They can prescribe aids (such as spoon holders, bread slicers, bed and bath side aids) to help patients do these activities.

Both are very valuable colleagues!

Gina Said:

What sorta physical therapy should i do after breaking little finger?

We Answered:

when working with a hand injury, go to a hand center or see a PT or OT with a CHT (certified hand therapist. They know hands best.

Anita Said:

What is the difference between physical therapy and occupational therapy?

We Answered:

Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy both aim to help a patient improve their abilities. The Physical Therapist will do this primarily by working with the patient to change their muscles, balance, strength, power, or stamina etc. Their treatment will usually include exercises that will work on different muscles or movements so that the patient increases their amount of movement, or relearns to move in a correct way. The physical therapist may need to work on the patient first by applying heat, or moving their arms legs etc for them. A physical therapist can work with sports injuries (as you say), and also with people who have had accidents ie. Stroke, Head Injury, amputation etc. They also work with people who need to improve their balance i.e. the elderly who have lost mobility skills, their input them helps prevent a patient from falling and breaking their hips etc. Physical therapists are also vital in helping children and adults with disabilities learn how to move.
An Occupational Therapist's aim is to help a patient to gain as much independence in daily activities as possible. Activities include being able to do essential things like washing, eating etc, things you need to do like food preparation, getting out etc and things they would like to do i.e. working, hobbies etc. Reasons why activities are difficult vary from person to person - so the patient may not be able to eat because they cannot move their arm / hand. Treatment could therefore start with helping the patient improve their hand/ arm movements. This could look like physical therapy. If a patient cannot achieve the movement required though the occupational therapist will then work to adapt the activity - for example by giving the patient the correct specialist cutlery, or a special plate. The OT knows how to help a patient develop their skills, and adapt the activity and the environment - so they can advise to have ramps, lifts etc put in for a new wheelchair user too.
All the treatment that an occupational therapist gives will be activity based. So an OT uses a task as a means of improving a patent's skill. So a physical therapist will give an exercise ie. making a pinch grip 10 times, but an OT will get the patient to pick up something tiny within an activity that they want to do i.e for a child - playing a game with small counters.
Physical therapist's tend to have a more in depth knowledge of the muscular skeletal system, occupational therapists are expert in task analysis and working out how to enable someone to do things for themselves,rather than requiring assistance. These 2 disciplines frequently work closely together on the the same patient.
I hope this helps!

Marilyn Said:

Any Occupational or physical therapy aides out there? How did you get your jobs?

We Answered:

I am an occupational therapy assistant. An aide is responsible for the setup and break down of therapy equipment. They are also usually involved in transporting patients back and forth from therapy. Filing paperwork is also a duty of the therapy aide. It would also be good to find a job with a company that would provide tuition reimbursement for you to go back to school for an advanced degree. Check out the occupational outlook handbook for more info. Good Luck!

Cory Said:

What is the best school to consider for Physical Therapy?

We Answered:

University of California Long Beach or Loma Linda University. Just jump right into PT, UCLB has masters program and LLU has doctorate. Getting a BS before you go to PT does not get you through PT school any faster, and if you do get a BS, or BA, get it in business if you're plan is PT because you'll do better with finances if you start your own practice.