Physical and Occupational Therapy for Vehicular Accident Victims

01 Dec Physical and Occupational Therapy for Vehicular Accident Victims

Physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) are both types of rehabilitation therapy that assist people to perform the regular activities they do each day. Rehabilitative care aims to improve the condition and quality of life of patients who have been affected by injury, surgery, or illness. While there are similarities between physical therapy and occupational therapy, there are also major differences.

Differences between physical and occupational therapy

The root of the differences between physical therapy and occupational therapy is the different approaches they take to therapy. The most notable difference between physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) is their focus.

Physical therapy is focused on healing and strengthening patients’ bodies and getting them back to normal after an injury. Occupational therapy on the other hand focuses on teaching patients to adapt to their challenges and become more efficient in their performance of daily living activities.

Similarities between physical and occupational therapy

Based on general-purpose, both physical and occupational therapy has the goal of improving the overall functioning, quality of life, and understanding of how to maintain healthy living. The health conditions for which these therapies are recommended will usually overlap considerably because they are both designed to provide hands-on care specifically tailored to the patient’s needs.

Physical and occupational therapy work with set goals and progress assessment, and some tasks performed do overlap. For instance, occupational therapists may also teach patients to exercise and stretch. Physical therapists on the other hand may work with the patients on movements that can help with daily activities, like getting in and out of the tub.

Physical therapy and occupational therapy for accident and injury victims

Both physical therapists and occupational therapists work with patients to manage or improve their pain after an injury. However, the process taken to achieve this is different in each case. For instance, a physical therapist (or physiotherapist as popularly called) may do hands-on therapy and teach clients how to do strengthening exercises that will help them recover from injuries or prevent, while an occupational therapist may teach patients how to rearrange furniture and use assistive devices to prevent more injuries.

Physical therapists will usually do the following for accident injuries;

• Carry out physical evaluations of different injuries to better understand how the injury is and can restrict daily activities.
• Develop a treatment plan that includes exercises, ice or heat, elevation, and compressions.
• Develop a program to help improve overall fitness after an injury mishap.
• Offer hands-on therapy, such as therapeutic massage and trigger point therapy.

Occupational therapists may do the following for accident injuries;

• Assess patients’ needs by meeting with them in their homes, offices, schools, or another social setting.
• Recommend assistive and teach how to use devices that can make it easier to do necessary daily activities.
• Help clients learn to do day-to-day activities like they used to.

If you have been injured in a vehicular accident and need urgent rehabilitation therapy, Colorado Accidents & Injuries offers physical therapy in Colorado Springs. Contact us today!