Physical therapy focuses on movement itself: strength, mobility, balance, walking and getting back to activity after an injury or surgery. Occupational therapy focuses on the tasks of daily life, such as dressing, cooking, working and using your hands, and adapts the task or environment when needed. Both are licensed professions and they often overlap, especially in hand and stroke rehabilitation. The network in Carmel connects people with physical therapists.
Last reviewed By the Monon Therapy Collective editorial team
What does an occupational therapist do that a physical therapist does not?
An occupational therapist helps you do the specific activities that fill your day, the occupations in the name, such as bathing, dressing, cooking, writing or returning to a job. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics describes occupational therapists as helping people with vocational, daily living and other skills that promote independence.
That often means training a skill, changing how a task is done, or changing the environment: a shower chair, adapted utensils, a different keyboard setup, or strategies for memory and planning after a brain injury. Occupational therapists also work in mental health settings and with children who have developmental conditions.
An occupational therapist also looks at the thinking side of daily tasks: attention, memory, sequencing and planning. After a concussion or stroke, for example, they might work on how someone manages medications, cooks a meal safely or organizes a workday, which is outside the usual focus of a physical therapist.
What does a physical therapist focus on compared with an OT?
A physical therapist focuses on how your body moves: joint motion, strength, balance, walking, running, lifting and the pain that limits them. The aim is to restore physical capacity so that you can return to work, sport and daily life. The answer on what a physical therapist does covers the role in more detail.
In practice, a physical therapist is the usual choice for back and neck pain, sports injuries, knee and hip problems, rehab after joint replacement and balance training. Most of that work is exercise-based, with hands-on techniques and education alongside.
Take a shoulder injury as an example. A physical therapist works on reaching overhead, rotator cuff strength and the ability to lift a bag into the car, while an occupational therapist, if involved, might focus on getting dressed one-handed or adapting tasks at work while the arm recovers. Same injury, different questions.
How is training different for physical and occupational therapists?
Physical therapists complete a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, while occupational therapists need at least a master’s degree, with some completing an occupational therapy doctorate. Both pass a national exam and must hold a state license, and occupational therapists earn the OTR credential after passing their exam, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Both professions are licensed in Indiana through the Professional Licensing Agency. Each may also pursue extra specialty training, such as the Certified Hand Therapist credential, which is open to both.
Their day-to-day settings differ as well. Physical therapists are found most often in outpatient clinics, sports settings and hospitals, while occupational therapists are common in hospitals, rehabilitation units, schools, skilled nursing facilities and home health, reflecting their focus on daily function in the places people live and work.
Where do physical therapy and occupational therapy overlap?
The biggest overlaps are hand and upper limb rehab, stroke and neurological recovery, and helping older adults stay safe at home. A person recovering from a stroke might see a physical therapist for walking and balance and an occupational therapist for dressing and arm use at the same time.
Hand therapy is often delivered by occupational therapists, though physical therapists provide it too, and a Certified Hand Therapist can come from either profession. The answer on hand therapist or physical therapist explains how to choose, and the hand therapy page describes the training to look for.
- After a wrist fracture or carpal tunnel release: often hand therapy by an OT or PT
- After a stroke: commonly both, working on different goals
- After a knee or hip replacement: usually physical therapy
- Difficulty dressing or cooking after an illness: usually occupational therapy
- Back pain at a desk job: usually physical therapy, sometimes with workstation advice
How do I know whether I need a PT or an OT?
Ask what is limiting you. If it is pain, weakness, stiffness or balance during movement, start with a physical therapist. If you can move but are struggling to complete particular daily tasks, or need equipment or adaptations to do them, an occupational therapist is often the better fit.
Your physician or surgeon can help decide, and many hospital rehab programs involve both. The network connects people with physical therapists in Carmel; if your needs point to occupational therapy or to a specialty such as neurological physical therapy, the matching team tells you honestly before anything is booked and points you elsewhere when a therapist in the network does not offer it. Start with the two-minute questionnaire.
Related questions
Does insurance cover occupational therapy like physical therapy?
Most plans cover both when they are medically necessary, though some count them separately and others share one visit limit. Medicare Part B covers both as outpatient therapy services.
Can I see an OT and a PT at the same time?
Yes, and it is common after strokes, major surgery and serious hand injuries. The two therapists usually coordinate so their goals do not overlap.
Do I need a referral to see an occupational therapist in Indiana?
Referral rules for occupational therapy are different from the 42-day direct access rule for physical therapy, and many insurance plans have their own requirements. Check with the occupational therapy practice and your plan.
Who helps with returning to a physical job after an injury?
Both can, from different angles. A physical therapist rebuilds strength and lifting capacity, and an occupational therapist may focus on the job tasks and equipment themselves.
Is a physical therapist assistant the same as an occupational therapy assistant?
No. Each profession has its own assistant role with separate training and licensing, working under the supervision of a therapist in that profession; see physical therapist vs physical therapist assistant.
Keep reading
- What does a physical therapist do?
- Should I see a hand therapist or a physical therapist?
- Home health physical therapy vs outpatient: which do I need?
- Orthopedic physical therapy in Carmel
- Carpal tunnel release rehab
- Balance and fall prevention therapy
Sources
This page is general education, not medical advice. A physical therapist can only advise on your situation after an examination.
