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Understanding The Difference Between Occupational and Physical Therapy

By on October 25, 2012

Therapy of all types is designed to improve the lives and health of people suffering with physical and mental injuries. The goal of therapy is to return as much normality as possible to the lives of those seeking help. Different kinds of therapy can work together to achieve that goal.

There are many scenarios in which a person might need occupational or physical therapy, or a combination of both. For example, a person who is injured on the job or in a car accident might not be able to function normally or do the same job they could prior to their injury. Our Fort Lauderdale injury lawyer explains that the legal system is designed to make accident victims whole. In other words, to return people who have been injured due to the negligence of others back to their life before the injury, as much as possible. This is accomplished by an award for damages and this could include money for physical and/or occupational therapy.

Physical Therapy

When you suffer an injury, it can turn your life upside down. Outside of the obvious pain and suffering, your future can be forever altered by a severe injury. After the hospital and doctor have done their job treating your injuries, physical therapy can aid you in rebuilding your body. For example, a physical therapist can help a patient strengthen the injured area after months of non-use. They can teach the patient how to start using the injured area normally again and how to exercise it at home to reach maximum function.

Physical therapy is the obvious next step with many orthopedic injuries or surgeries. In some cases, no amount of therapy will ever return full function, and this can affect a person’s ability to do their current job. When a person is injured so badly that they can no longer earn a living, or return to the kind of living they earned prior to the injury, occupational therapy can help them start over.

Occupational Therapy

Even after an injured person has recovered, there are many challenges they face. If a person depends on their arms to do the job they are trained to do but an arm injury means they can no longer do that, occupational therapy can help them get trained for a new kind of work.

Occupational therapy usually starts with testing to determine the best kinds of jobs for the patient, taking into consideration their education, training, physical ability, and intelligence. Once a patient has chosen an area of employment that interests them, the occupational therapist can assist them in finding a school for training, if needed. They can help them prepare for life as a student and to navigate a return to college with a physical impairment. As they move through their training, their therapist will assist with any issues that arise. At the end of their training, an occupational therapist will help the injured person in finding employment.

When someone is injured in an accident, a new kind of life often awaits them. Physical and occupational therapy can work together to return the injured person to a life they recognize. These therapies work well in combination by getting the patients as physically strong as possible and returning them retrained and self-sufficient. 

Georgina Clatworthy is a legal writer who also writes on topics relating to health and lifestyle.  She contributes this post on behalf of Steinger, Lescoe and Green.  As a Fort Lauderdale injury lawyer firm they have many years experience in helping victims of accidents rebuild their lives.  This help includes reclaiming compensation due to them, but also in ensuring their rights are protected and that the claim is made with their best interests in mind.