As a business owner, investing in your employees’ health and well-being is crucial for fostering a productive workforce. Understanding the distinctions between occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) can help you integrate effective wellness strategies into your organization. Each therapy serves unique purposes; OT focuses on enabling individuals to execute daily living activities while PT centers on improving physical mobility and function. The subsequent chapters will delve into specific goals, techniques, roles in rehabilitation, and educational pathways for both disciplines, equipping you with the knowledge to make informed decisions for your team’s health initiatives.
From Movement to Meaning: Distinguishing Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy by Goals and Everyday Impact
Physical therapy and occupational therapy share a common purpose: to help people reclaim everyday life after illness or injury. Yet the path each field follows is shaped by its core aims. When a patient arrives in a rehabilitation setting, clinicians often describe two parallel journeys: one focused on movement itself, the other on the tasks that move a life forward. Understanding how goals guide each discipline clarifies what a patient can expect and why a coordinated plan frequently yields the best outcomes. In this chapter, the emphasis is on goals as the compass. It is not a rigid separation but a map showing where a therapist’s attention lands and how that attention translates into real-world function. This perspective helps patients and families see why a knee-replacement rehabilitation plan might begin with gait training one day and pivot to buttoning a shirt or preparing a meal the next. It also illuminates why professionals from both fields often work side by side during complex recovery, complementing each other to restore not just motion but meaningful living.
The primary aim of physical therapy centers on the body’s mechanics. Physical therapists work with individuals who have injuries, chronic conditions, or disabilities that affect movement, strength, balance, or coordination. Their work seeks to relieve pain, restore mobility, and improve physical function so that a person can move safely and efficiently in daily life. The language of physical therapy is frequently motion and resilience: restoring range of motion after a joint injury, rebuilding muscle strength after a surgical procedure, retraining a nervous system to coordinate movement after a stroke, or improving posture to reduce fatigue. When PT is described in clinical terms, it is as much about how the body moves as it is about what a patient can do when moving. In practical terms, this means structured exercise programs, manual therapies, and guided exposure to movement tasks that progressively challenge the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. The overarching intent is clear: to relieve pain, enhance physical capabilities, and empower individuals to engage in activities they value with less limitation.
Occupational therapy, by contrast, places the emphasis on the activities that constitute a life. The World Federation of Occupational Therapists defines occupational therapy as enabling participation in meaningful life roles through purposeful activity. OT practitioners view functioning through a broader lens that includes physical, cognitive, emotional, and environmental factors. An occupational therapist helps a person regain independence in self-care tasks like dressing and bathing, but also supports the ability to manage work duties, school obligations, home management, and social participation. The hallmark of OT is adaptability: finding a way to perform a task even when capacity is limited, by modifying the task itself, introducing assistive devices, reshaping the environment, or teaching new strategies. The goal is not only to perform a task but to do so in a way that aligns with the person’s priorities, identity, and daily rhythms. When OT speaks to the patient, it often translates into tangible routines: buttoning a shirt with less effort, preparing a simple meal with adaptive tools, or organizing a workspace to reduce cognitive load and error. In short, OT is movement in service of living rather than movement for movement’s sake.
The distinction between these aims becomes particularly evident when we consider typical clinical scenarios. A patient recovering from knee surgery might begin with PT to restore strength and gait, to relearn how to walk without pain, and to guard against compensatory patterns that could cause future problems. The PT plan might include strengthening exercises for the quadriceps and hamstrings, neuromuscular reeducation to improve balance, and gait training with or without assistive devices. It is about the mechanics of movement and the body’s capacity to perform with pain-free efficiency. In parallel, an OT will look beyond stepping and knee mechanics to answer a broader question: how will this person return to the life they want? The OT might analyze the patient’s ability to manage morning routines, organize a kitchen for safe meal preparation, or adapt clothing selections to accommodate a limited range of finger motion. The goal is independence in daily activities, which requires attention to cognitive strategies, emotional stamina, and the environmental realities of the patient’s home and work settings. The OT’s work is often about turning an improved body into an improved life.
This divergence in focus illuminates why the two disciplines, while distinct, frequently overlap and reinforce one another. In a typical rehabilitation trajectory after a stroke, for example, PT may drive early motor recovery by targeting strength, tone, and coordination to enable basic mobility. Once the patient can stand, initiate transfers, and begin safe walking, OT can shift attention to how those gains translate into practical living. At that point, the patient might practice dressing with adaptive devices, negotiate a kitchen task with simplified steps, or implement memory aids to support work-related tasks. The collaboration is not simply additive; it is functional integration. The body’s improvements must become functional outcomes in daily life, and OT’s expertise in environmental modification and activity analysis ensures that gains in movement translate into real independence. In many cases, this joint approach yields outcomes neither discipline would reach alone.
To understand the distinct paths more precisely, one can examine the nature of the interventions themselves. Physical therapy interventions center on exercises and manual techniques designed to restore biomechanical health. Rehabilitative exercises target range of motion, motor control, strength, endurance, and balance. Manual therapy may reduce stiffness and improve tissue extensibility, while balance and gait training reduce fall risk and enhance locomotion. PT often integrates modalities and functional training that promote safe movement in daily tasks, but the underlying aim remains the body’s movement system: how the joints, muscles, nerves, and spine collaborate to produce smooth, pain-free motion. The patient learns not only exercises but also strategies to prevent recurrence of injury and future impairment. As with many medical disciplines, the evidence base supports a practical premise: improving the mechanics of movement correlates with improvements in function and participation in life roles.
Occupational therapy interventions, in turn, begin with an activity-centered perspective. OT practitioners observe a person as they engage in daily tasks, then identify barriers—physical limitations, cognitive demands, emotional responses, or environmental obstacles. They may use task analysis to break down dressing, cooking, or work-related activities into steps, then reassemble them using adaptive techniques. This could involve simplifying a task, teaching body mechanics that conserve energy, introducing assistive devices, or modifying the environment to increase safety and efficiency. OT is equally concerned with cognitive and perceptual challenges, which means strategies for memory, attention, planning, and problem-solving may be central to a treatment plan. The same patient who cannot button a shirt might also struggle with sequencing steps, recalling where the grocery list is, or managing the fatigue that accompanies daily routines. OT addresses these layers, stitching together technology, strategy, and environment to restore a semblance of normal life. The objective is independence in meaningful activities, not merely the satisfaction of a linear set of motor milestones.
Where these goals converge is in the patient’s evolving sense of control and confidence. PT’s emphasis on movement capacity lays the groundwork for independence, but OT’s emphasis on life activities ensures that mobility translates into autonomy. A patient who walks well in a clinic may still need OT support to navigate the bathroom safely, prepare meals, or return to a job requiring specific task sequences. Conversely, OT’s adaptive strategies can unlock PT gains: if a patient cannot manage a task due to cognitive load, streamlining the activity can free cognitive resources to practice a motor skill more effectively. This reciprocity is most evident when clinicians discuss goals with patients. PT goals may be framed as increasing walking speed, reducing pain during movement, and improving symmetry of gait. OT goals may read as performing self-care tasks independently or resuming a work role with accommodations. At the human level, both tracks aim to restore a sense of normalcy and self-efficacy.
For patients navigating these paths, it is important to recognize that the difference in goals does not imply a hierarchy of importance. A well-designed rehabilitation plan often requires both measurements: how well a movement is performed and whether that movement enables a life the patient values. InformedHealth.org captures the PT stance succinctly: the aim of physical therapy is to relieve pain, help you move better, and strengthen weakened muscles, while another crucial goal is to teach patients how to prevent future injuries. OT’s counterpart, grounded in the World Federation of Occupational Therapists definition, centers on enabling participation in life roles through meaningful activity. The synthesis of these viewpoints leads to a robust, patient-centered model in which therapists tailor plans to the person’s priorities, home environment, and long-term aspirations. For readers seeking a concise comparison within the broader literature, one can explore discussions that juxtapose the two disciplines directly, such as the accessible summary found at occupational-therapy-vs-physical-therapy.
The practical implications of these differences extend beyond the clinic walls. When families and patients understand that PT is about how the body moves and OT is about what the person does with those movements, expectations shift in constructive ways. Patients can participate more actively in goal setting, articulating not only pain levels or range of motion but also the specific life activities they want to reclaim. This perspective fosters shared decision-making, where therapists listen for the meaning behind a task—why a shopping trip matters, or how managing finances affects independence. It also clarifies the nature of referrals and the sequencing of care. In some health systems, PT may lead the initial rehabilitation phase after an acute event to stabilize and retrain movement, while OT follows to ensure that the new movement patterns translate into daily competence and safety. In other settings, the two disciplines begin in tandem, reinforcing each other from the outset so that progress in motion is paired with progress in life skills.
A deeper appreciation of goals also shines a light on the patient’s lived experience. Consider a person returning home after a hospitalization who can stand and walk but cannot safely manage morning routines or participate in a family meal because the kitchen layout is unfamiliar. PT can help rebuild the mechanics of standing, reaching, and bending with proper posture and energy efficiency. OT can reimagine the kitchen: reorganizing tools, installing adaptive equipment, and teaching adaptive cooking techniques that preserve independence. The patient’s sense of identity—how they see themselves as a caregiver, a worker, a parent—often hinges on these functional tasks. By aligning therapy with personal values, clinicians help patients persevere through the slow, sometimes nonlinear process of recovery. This alignment is what makes rehabilitation not only effective in measurable terms but deeply meaningful to the person who lives with the changes every day.
For clinicians, recognizing the boundary between movement and meaning does not require a rigid dichotomy. It invites a collaborative mindset, where each discipline informs the other and the patient experiences a seamless continuum of care. When the team communicates goals clearly and translates movement improvements into practical, everyday capabilities, clients experience a coherent path from hospital to home and beyond. The patient learns not only how to move safely but how to live safely and autonomously. The resulting gains are robust: reduced pain, improved function, and an empowered sense of agency that extends into work, leisure, and social participation. This integrated approach resonates with the broader aim of rehabilitation medicine—to support people in reclaiming the life they want, even when obstacles remain.
As you consider the landscape of OT and PT, a practical takeaway emerges. Physical therapy equips the body to perform, while occupational therapy equips the person to live with purpose. Both threads are woven from a common fabric of evidence-based practice, patient-centered planning, and collaborative care. The path you follow depends on where you want to invest your effort and how you measure success. If the focus is on moving well and reducing pain, PT provides the foundation. If the aim is to function with independence and dignity in daily activities, OT translates that foundation into a life that feels whole again. In many cases, the best outcomes arise when patients experience both trained hands working in concert, guided by a shared goal: to enable a person to move through daily life with confidence and meaning. Whether you are a patient, a caregiver, or a professional reading this chapter, the message remains clear: movement matters, but so does the ability to use movement to shape a life worth living.
External resource: For additional context on how physical therapy goals are framed and applied, see InformedHealth.org at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279481/.
Two Paths, Shared Purpose: Unpacking the Difference Between Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy
Rehabilitation is rarely a single-voiced conversation. In many care journeys, two distinct disciplines—occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT)—work side by side, each answering a different but complementary question about recovery. PT asks, at its core, how the body moves, how to restore mobility after injury or illness, and how to reclaim physical independence. OT asks what a person needs and wants to do in daily life, and how to create a path back to those meaningful activities. Together, they form a practical framework that not only rebuilds physical capacity but also restores a person’s agency in everyday life. The distinction is not a hierarchy but a division of labor that reflects a broader aim: to expand a person’s participation in life, whether that life unfolds around a hospital bed, a kitchen counter, or a work desk. When viewed this way, the difference between OT and PT becomes less about superiority and more about scope, goals, and the everyday tasks that give shape and purpose to living.
Physical therapy centers on movement. Its language is kinetic: range of motion, strength, endurance, balance, gait, and the nervous system’s control of movement. A PT’s toolbox is rich with techniques aimed at reducing pain, restoring alignment and coordination, and retraining the body to move safely and efficiently. Think of a patient who has undergone knee surgery. The PT designs a progression of movements to restore knee flexion, retrain a normal walking pattern, and rebuild the leg’s strength to support everyday activities like stairs and standing at length. Or imagine someone with back pain whose treatment plan blends manual therapy, targeted exercises, and modalities such as heat or electrical stimulation to ease pain and restore functional flexibility. The emphasis is systematic, measurable, and often visible in the body’s changing mechanics: improved range of motion, stronger muscles, better postural control, and an enhanced ability to move through space without discomfort.
Occupational therapy, by contrast, places the person in the center of activity and meaning. OT asks not only whether the body can perform a task but whether the task itself remains relevant and feasible given the person’s context, roles, and environment. It asks how a stroke survivor can button a shirt again, how a person with limited dexterity in one hand can prepare a simple meal, or how someone returning to work can adapt a job or workspace to reduce fatigue and maintain attention. OT interventions extend beyond the body to include cognitive and perceptual skills, emotional regulation, and the social and environmental supports that make independence possible. This is why OT emphasizes activity analysis—taking a task apart, understanding the steps, and redesigning both the task and the environment to make it doable. It also involves environmental modifications, such as installing grab bars, rearranging a kitchen for safer navigation, or selecting assistive devices that fit a person’s strengths and daily rhythm. The focus on meaningful occupation aligns therapy with personal goals: the ability to care for a family, to return to a beloved hobby, to resume a job, or to manage household responsibilities with confidence.
In practice, these two streams of therapy intertwine. It is common to hear a clinician discuss a patient’s plan in terms of “movement goals” alongside “participation goals.” The overlap often occurs in the core language of function—how well someone can perform tasks that matter in real life. Both PT and OT rely on careful assessment, goal setting, and progress tracking. They share a commitment to safety, patient education, and collaborative problem solving. Yet they diverge in the primary lens through which they view the person’s needs. PT tends to illuminate the body’s capacity—the raw material of movement—while OT reveals the structure of daily life the body must inhabit. This is not an either/or dichotomy; it is a complementary duet that, when harmonized, yields a fuller recovery.
For many patients, the distinction becomes especially clear in rehabilitation after a stroke or a serious injury. A PT might chart the patient’s journey back to walking, measuring gait speed, cadence, and stability on varied terrains. The therapist will guide lower-extremity strengthening, pelvic control, and posture to reduce fall risk. At the same time, an OT will step into the room with a different but intimately related concern: Can the patient transform the regained mobility into productive action at home and work? The OT might simulate kitchen tasks, practice buttoning and dressing, or teach memory strategies for managing a busy morning routine. The approach is not merely about performing tasks but about reconstituting identity through participation. It is in these moments that the two disciplines reveal their distinct but deeply connected purposes: PT rebuilds the body’s capability to move; OT rebuilds the person’s capability to live within a world that values those movements as meaningful.
The techniques used by PT and OT reinforce this distinction while also illustrating their shared commitment to function. Physical therapy leans on a robust repertoire of movement-based strategies. Range-of-motion exercises keep joints supple and flexible, while muscle-strengthening programs restore the power needed for daily activities. Coordination and balance training reduce the risk of falls, which is a fundamental safety concern across many conditions. Ambulation or gait retraining reorients walking patterns, often with manual techniques that address joint mechanics or soft-tissue restrictions. Manual therapy—a hands-on approach—helps with pain relief and mobility, while modalities such as heat, cold, electrical stimulation, or ultrasound can modulate pain and inflammation to support active treatment. Through these methods, PT translates biomechanical principles into tangible gains, measured by improvements in independence, distance walked, or the ability to perform tasks with less pain.
OT’s toolkit shifts the lens toward the person’s daily life and how interventions translate into everyday competence. Activity analysis becomes the foundation of therapy, dissecting tasks like dressing, bathing, cooking, or work-related activities into discrete steps. Therapists then remap those steps, choosing strategies that reduce complexity, increase efficiency, or align with the person’s strengths. The therapeutic use of occupation—engaging clients in meaningful activities such as gardening, crafting, or computer work—serves not only physical and cognitive goals but emotional and motivational ones as well. Adaptation is a core principle: when the environment is redesigned or tools are redesigned, tasks become possible again. This can involve environmental modifications at home or in the workplace, such as installing grab bars, adjusting countertops, or recommending seating arrangements that minimize fatigue. Assistive technology training is another critical element, teaching clients how to use utensils with better grip, keyboards and software that accommodate cognitive needs, or mobility aids that fit their living spaces. Cognitive and perceptual training may accompany these practices when a brain injury or neurological condition is present, addressing memory, attention, problem solving, or visual-spatial skills that influence day-to-day performance.
One practical way to appreciate the OT-PT distinction is to imagine a patient navigating a morning routine after a stroke. The PT would focus on the legs’ movement and trunk control to facilitate standing and walking, perhaps retraining how to step over a threshold or climb a flight of stairs. The OT would simultaneously examine how the patient dresses, prepares a simple breakfast, and manages reminders or memory cues. If the patient used a shared living space, the OT would optimize the kitchen layout, identify adaptive utensils, and suggest strategies for organizing tasks that respect cognitive load. These parallel tracks illustrate how the two disciplines translate clinical gains into functional reality. For clinicians, the challenge is not only to restore movement but to connect those gains to the patient’s life—so recovery has unmistakable meaning beyond the clinic walls—an objective well captured in the principle that therapy should be both functional and person-centered. For readers who want a deeper dive into the practical methods OT employs, see the discussion of techniques used in occupational therapy.
The synergy between OT and PT is most visible when care teams coordinate their plans around shared goals. In contemporary rehabilitation programs, integrating physical movement with practical daily tasks creates a more resilient recovery. The patient’s progress in walking or moving freely gains additional value when it translates into safer bathing, easier meal preparation, or the ability to return to work with accommodations that support sustained performance. This multidisciplinary collaboration is not a superficial alignment; it is a thoughtful orchestration of two distinct expertise areas that, when united, amplify each other’s impact. It also reflects a broader truth about rehabilitation: independence is not a single endpoint but a collection of capabilities that enable a person to participate in life as they define it.
In thinking about your own or a loved one’s rehabilitation, a practical question emerges: how do you balance these two approaches to maximize outcome while maintaining a clear focus on what matters most to the individual? The answer is not to choose one path but to invite both directions into a single, coherent plan. Ask about movement goals and life goals in the same conversation. Seek a team that can translate mobility improvements into real-world competence. Consider whether the environment—home, work, or school—needs adjustment to support ongoing progress. And recognize that the road to recovery often requires patience, ingenuity, and collaboration between therapists who see the body in motion and therapists who see the person living a life. For further reading on the broader landscape of therapy interventions, the NCBI resource provides a comprehensive overview of therapeutic strategies across disciplines: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5834726/.
Internal resource: techniques used in occupational therapy
External resource: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5834726/
Beyond Movement and Meaning: Weaving Occupational and Physical Therapy into a Life Rebuilt
To connect readers with a concise, digestible comparison in this field, consider exploring a dedicated summary that clarifies how occupational therapy and physical therapy complement one another while highlighting their distinct aims. For deeper understanding, the following internal resource provides a focused contrast and practical guidance: occupational-therapy-vs-physical-therapy. By examining both perspectives side by side, clinicians, students, and patients can appreciate how the goal of rehabilitation extends beyond a single set of skills and becomes a holistic project of restoring independence, dignity, and everyday participation.
Distinct Educational Journeys and Career Trajectories in Occupational and Physical Therapy
Occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) both occupy critical roles within the rehabilitation and healthcare arena, yet their professional focus, educational requirements, and typical career paths reveal distinct characteristics that shape how each discipline serves patients. Understanding these differences not only clarifies the unique contributions of each therapy but also helps aspiring professionals choose a direction aligned with their interests and skills.
Education forms the foundation distinguishing OT and PT careers. Occupational therapists generally pursue a master’s or doctoral degree in occupational therapy from accredited institutions. Their academic programs combine comprehensive study of anatomy, physiology, neuroscience, psychology, and various therapeutic interventions. Crucially, these curricula emphasize restoring clients’ capacity to perform everyday activities that bring meaning and independence. This requires a multifaceted approach incorporating physical, cognitive, and emotional rehabilitation strategies tailored to individual lifestyle needs. Students engage extensively in clinical internships, gaining hands-on experience working in diverse settings such as hospitals, schools, and community health centers. Passing a national certification exam—for example, the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) in the United States—is mandatory before beginning professional practice.
In contrast, physical therapists undertake rigorous doctoral-level education specifically designed to address mobility, movement, and physical recovery. The Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program immerses students in advanced coursework related to musculoskeletal anatomy, biomechanics, exercise physiology, and pain management. Clinical training focuses on evaluating and improving patients’ physical functioning across a spectrum of conditions such as post-surgical rehabilitation, sports injuries, neurological impairments, and chronic pain syndromes. This education prepares PTs to design and implement personalized treatment plans that enhance mobility, strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination. Like occupational therapy, licensure requires successful completion of a national examination, such as the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) in the U.S.
Despite both professions relying on a scientific understanding of the human body, the distinctions in their academic frameworks reflect their differing goals: occupational therapy targets overcoming barriers to daily life activities to foster independence, while physical therapy centers on optimizing physical performance and movement mechanics.
These educational differences naturally influence the professional environments and responsibilities that occupational and physical therapists undertake. Occupational therapists frequently work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, educational institutions, community health programs, and patients’ homes. They address a broad spectrum of functional challenges, assisting individuals recovering from strokes to relearn tasks like dressing or cooking, supporting children with autism spectrum disorders in developing sensory integration skills, or adapting living spaces for older adults to maintain safety and autonomy. OT practitioners often develop creative, client-centered interventions that encompass physical, cognitive, and psychosocial domains, making collaboration with families and multidisciplinary teams essential. Their work is highly individualized, focusing not only on physical capabilities but also on cognitive function and adapting environments to the client’s needs. The occupational therapy profession’s commitment to helping people perform activities that matter in their daily lives reinforces its person-centered, holistic approach. (For insights on occupational therapists’ role in varied environments, see how occupational therapists collaborate with other healthcare professionals.)
Physical therapists, by contrast, are more likely to be found in settings such as hospitals, outpatient clinics, sports medicine facilities, and long-term care institutions. Their primary focus is on evaluating and restoring patients’ physical function, whether that involves facilitating recovery after orthopedic surgeries, managing chronic conditions like arthritis, or rehabilitating athletes from injury. The PT process typically involves biomechanical assessments, exercise prescription, manual therapy techniques, and patient education aimed at improving movement efficiency, reducing pain, and preventing future injury. Physical therapists rely heavily on evidence-based practices drawn from exercise science and rehabilitation research to promote optimal musculoskeletal and neuromuscular health. Their interventions are largely centered on physical tasks and bodily systems, with an emphasis on strength, flexibility, balance, and endurance.
The core distinction between these professions lies in their therapeutic intent: occupational therapy empowers patients to engage in relevant life activities despite physical or cognitive limitations, while physical therapy aims to restore and maximize physical performance and movement. Although they often collaborate—particularly in settings like post-stroke rehabilitation—they approach patient care from complementary, yet distinct, perspectives.
Career trajectories in both fields are robust and expanding, propelled by global demographic trends such as aging populations and increased prevalence of chronic diseases. Occupational therapists can specialize in areas including pediatrics, geriatrics, mental health, hand therapy, or community-based practice, tailoring their focus to suit population needs and personal interests. They may advance into roles involving clinical supervision, research, healthcare administration, or academic teaching. Similarly, physical therapists have opportunities to specialize in sports medicine, orthopedics, neurology, geriatrics, or pediatrics. Experienced PTs often pursue advanced certifications in manual therapy, neurorehabilitation, or other subspecialties, and may also engage in research, education, or leadership positions within healthcare organizations.
Internationally, these professions are recognized and regulated by authoritative bodies such as the World Federation of Occupational Therapists and the World Confederation for Physical Therapy. This global recognition underscores their established importance within multidisciplinary healthcare teams.
For those drawn to supporting individuals through rehabilitation, understanding the nuances in training and professional focus is essential. Occupational therapy appeals to those passionate about facilitating independence through engagement in meaningful activities and adapting environments to individual needs. Physical therapy attracts individuals eager to apply biomechanics and exercise science to help patients regain movement and physical capacity. Both fields demand rigorous education, critical thinking, empathy, and a commitment to lifelong learning.
The evolving healthcare landscape increasingly values interdisciplinary approaches that combine the strengths of both occupational and physical therapy. Patients recovering from neurological events, traumatic injuries, or chronic illness often benefit from integrated care plans that address both physical function and real-world activity participation. This holistic model highlights the interdependence and unique roles of OT and PT professionals.
To explore foundational information about occupational therapy education, certification, and career development, the American Occupational Therapy Association website offers authoritative guidance and resources: https://www.aota.org/
Final thoughts
Recognizing the differences between occupational therapy and physical therapy is essential for business owners aiming to implement comprehensive health strategies. Each discipline plays a vital role in promoting employee wellness, addressing different aspects of health and recovery. By leveraging both PT and OT in workplace wellness programs, organizations can create an inclusive approach that supports their diverse workforce needs. Fostering such awareness not only enhances employee satisfaction and productivity but also contributes to overall organizational success.