Difference Between OT and PT
Occupational therapy and physical therapy sounds to be the same and people are often mistake their senses and use one for the other. However, there are some very important factors that make a big difference between the two professions.
Definition:
 • OT, or Occupational Therapy, is aimed towards providing the patient a better understanding of their capabilities and how they can manage their health in a better way. It is a very common therapy for those suffering from a physical injury which does not allow them to work independently, or normally.
 • PT, or physical therapy, on the other hand focuses on treating the actual injuries of a patient that directly affects him physically and adversely affect their normal life. It’s more attached to the treatment of injuries of the patient.
Technical differences:
 • OT involves paying deeper attention to the human capacity to deal with difficult situations in life and how they can achieve a balance between them. The practitioners also explore the home and emotional environment of the patient and renders support in these fields.
 • PT, on the other hand, focuses on the injury part and tries to prevent further injuries. It is mandatory for the therapist to have extensive knowledge of anatomy and musculoskeletal system of the body to be able to do its job properly.
Working Environment:
 • An Occupational therapist concentrates his services with the rehabilitation centers, with individuals who are permanently disabled and those who are in need of counseling regularly to deal with such disabilities. They usually work with very sophisticated equipment and can help supply the patient with the helping hands to ensure they are kept correctly.
 • Physiotherapists work with hospitals and clinics where there is a regular admittance of patients with injuries due to accidents, and the most common of these injuries are often related to are the neck and spinal cord. They work to help speed up the recovery process and help provide quick relief to the patient.
Although PT and OT require similar training, the key difference is that more of training as well as hand an oral skill interventions are needed in case of OT, while PT requires training in more of postural as well as gross motor development. To start exercising in either field, the therapists should have received a Bachelor’s or a Masters degree in their respective fields.
Additionally, it is often seen OT helps the patient to overcome his injuries in one way or another and that PT aims at helping the patient to understand the reasons behind the injury and how to care for them by means of education. There are cases where both the OT and PT work together to help a patient under severe traumatic conditions.
Summary:
1. OT is designed as a tool to help those who need assistance on personal well being even under adverse conditions.
2. PT is designed as a tool to help heal physical injuries faster.
3. OT is basically made use of in rehabilitation centers and PT in clinics and hospitals.
4. In spite of the fact that both of them refer to two different treatment methods, they do complement each other at times.