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Physical therapy and occupational therapy are often confused with one another as they are both forms of therapy geared toward helping patients recover from injuries or illnesses. Each discipline, however, may have a different approach.  At Greater Therapy Centers we offer both types of therapy aimed to help people recover from injuries and illnesses related to the musculoskeletal system.  In this blog post we discuss the difference between physical therapy and occupational therapy.

Let’s start with defining each form of therapy.

What is Occupational Therapy or OT?

Occupational therapy is a form a therapy used to help people perform normal activities of daily living.  OT can also include treatment specifically focused on the hand, wrist and elbow aimed at restoring fine motor movement.  Occupational therapy can be useful for patients of all ages and can help patients with things like eating, getting dressed, working and participating in school activities.

What is Physical Therapy or PT?

Physical therapy is used to treat musculoskeletal injuries and disorders involving long muscle groups.  Physical therapy can include exercises, manual therapy, as well as stretching, dry needling and modalities such as heat, ice and electrical stimulation.

What is the difference between OT and PT?

Physical therapists are experts in movement and focus on helping patients who are dealing with injuries and illnesses that limit their movement or cause pain.  Occupational therapists tend to be more focused on maximizing a person’s independence and their ability to perform normal daily activities.

Wrapping up

Even though occupational therapy and physical therapy may have a different treatment approach, they both have a common goal of restoration of function.  Some of the ways OT and PT overlap include a focus on patient education, injury prevention, and helping patients regain quality of life.

Greater Therapy Centers offers physical therapy at all locations and occupational therapy options at their select locations throughout Dallas and Fort Worth.   If you or a loved one has been experiencing pain related to an injury or illness talk to your physician about incorporating physical or occupational therapy into your treatment plan. With more than 20 locations throughout DFW, just search “physical therapy near me” and get started today.

A member of the Therapy Partners Group family of brands.
GTC strives to be the premier provider of physical and occupational therapy in the DFW area. Our therapists apply professional techniques and utilize state of the art tools to ensure that patients recover function and receive relief from pain as quickly and efficiently as possible.
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Suite 530, Lewisville, TX 75077
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