Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is a healthcare profession that helps people of all ages live more independently by developing, recovering, or maintaining meaningful occupations whether it be at work or in everyday life (ADL- activities of daily living; IADL-instrumental activities of daily living). Occupational therapists use a variety of techniques, including assessment, intervention, consultation, coaching, and PAMS (physical agent modalities) to help people prevent, lessen, or adapt to disabilities and injuries to the person as a whole. Occupational therapy helps to increase patient arm, back, and core strength while improving ROM (range of motion) to improve the person’s overall health and quality of life.

1. Physical limitations: Occupational therapists can help people who have limited use of their hand or arm due to a physical illness.
2. Mental health: Occupational therapists can help people who have developmental disabilities or mental health conditions, such as depression, trauma, or drug or alcohol abuse.
3. Community reintegration:Occupational therapists can help clients who are reintegrating into the community by providing assistance with life skills, such as anger management, time management, and personal hygiene.
4. Decrease Pain: Occupational therapists can decrease pain by use of PAMS (physical agent modalities).
5. Hands-on techniques:Occupational therapists may move parts of a patient’s body that are affected to improve patient joint ROM (range of motion) with manual treatment.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is a healthcare profession that uses a combination of exercises, gait training, hands-on techniques, and physical stimuli to help improve movement/ambulation (walking), relieve pain, strengthen muscles, and improve ROM (range of motion) in joints noted with injury. Physical therapists work with patients to create a recovery plan that focuses on reducing the need for surgery and medication while improving the patient’s overall health and quality of life.

1. Exercises: Physical therapists create customized exercises to help patients improve their range of motion and manage pain.
2. Physical stimuli to decrease pain: PAMS (physical agent modalities). Physical therapy may use heat, cold, electrical currents, or ultrasound.
3. Training: Physical therapists may train patients in how to use equipment like canes, crutches, wheelchairs, and walkers.
4. Hands-on techniques: Physical therapists may move parts of a patient’s body that are affected to improve patient joint ROM with manual treatment.