Physical therapy taking over Occupational Therapy?

[Healthinfo104]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Do you think physical therapy will eventually take over Occupational therapy since you can do the whole body and they are only limited to upper extremity?

 

[scrawnyguy]

OT's aren't confined to the upper extremities. There is definitely some crossover between the professions (for example when I worked with SCI patients both OTs and PTs incorporated transfers into their treatment plans), but they both have aspects that are unique.

 

[Bones26]

There's a thread that addresses a similar question. I suggest you search for it. This will never happen as PT and OT are very different professions with a little overlap. If you define PT and OT as "full body" and "UE", respectively, you need to dig deeper. Your perspective of OT is limited.

 

[DesertPT]

PTs are focused on helping people recover or improve their ability to move. OTs are focused on helping people recover or improve the skills needed for everyday living and working. There is quite a bit of crossover in the knowledge bases, but the focus is different.

The tradition that says OTs do UE and fine motor, and that PTs do LE and gross motor is just bogus, but is unfortunately still rampant, particularly in the inpatient rehab setting. PTs are experts in human movement. OTs are experts in finding ways to make it easier for people to accomplish everyday tasks. Both of those areas of expertise should encompass all parts of the body. Ideally both the crossover and the differences that exist in PT & OT training should facilitate the two professions working collaboratively to achieve the best functional outcome.

 

[engmedpt]

They collaborate together, theres no competition.....

 

[Bones26]

"Client centered goals" are only specific to OT? That's what they're teaching you in OT school? Nope. PTs do (or should) create client centered goals, no matter the setting. Maybe when you graduate from OT school and spend more time around PTs that will become more apparent.

"Remediation of the dysfunction". What exactly does that mean and how do you measure that?

 

[aroszko]

As a soon to be OT (hopefully), I can say the question is not really one we ask. OT and PT are complimentary disciplines. The old distinction which you are talking about is no longer applicable really (upper vs lower body). These days one of the main distinctions between OT and PT is that OT is more focused on client centered goals, and focusing on ADLs and IADLs whereas PT is more biomechanical and focused on remediation of the dysfunction.

So I whole heartedly disagree.

If I do not write goals that center around my patient that patient is not going to come back to me as a PT. They don't care about then not having x degrees of hip flexion....but they DO care about being able to walk up the stairs (requiring ~60 degrees of hip flexion). Not really sure what you are being taught but in my program (PT, not OT here so can't speak for OT) we are taught to relate the goals to the patent as FUNCTION is most important. Personally its best to combine both clinical and client based aspects in to all goals. Very general example: In 4 weeks patient will achieve 60 degrees of hip flexion to be able to ascend stairs in home independently, this gives me a clinical value (specific number/degree I am looking for and is measurable) as well as incorporates the clients personal needs/wants/goals (being able to move about their home independently).

 

[aroszko]

Do you think physical therapy will eventually take over Occupational therapy since you can do the whole body and they are only limited to upper extremity?

To respond to the OP:

I do think that (or well hope) that there is more to OT than just upper extremity and more to PT than lower extremity. Do i think PT will take over OT...no probably not, the position is there. From the clinical experiences I have had (I can only speak for my own experience) it seems that OT was more working with fine more tasks - which can correlate to ADL such as dressing and eating etc. When it comes to PT I have seen that we focus more on functional mobility - ambulation, transfers, core stability etc. But I have seen OTs work in this aspect as well as PT work in the "OT" aspect as well.