Physical Versus Occupational Therapy

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class James Stenberg | Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Taj Herbert, occupational therapy technician, Naval Hospital Pensacola, consults a patient about her treatment plan. The Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Clinic is available to all TRICARE beneficiaries on a referral basis only.  

UNITED STATES

12.23.2014

Story by Petty Officer 1st Class James Stenberg 

NMRTC Pensacola

PENSACOLA, Fla. –Therapy can mean several different things, from helping people get through a tough time to strengthening parts of the body. The Physical and Occupational Therapy Clinic at Naval Hospital Pensacola aims to assist patients through any recovery process.

Physical therapy and occupational therapy are often mistakenly thought of as being the same. Although there are similarities between the two, there are also distinct differences.

“In the simplest terms, occupational therapy works with fine motor skills, and physical therapy works on gross motor skills,” said Hospital Corpsman First Class Taj Herbert, occupational therapy technician, NHP. “Between physical therapy and occupational therapy, we cover the whole body.”

Both therapies help restore muscle strength, flexibility and range of motion, but each goes about treating these areas in different ways.

“Occupational therapy concentrates on an individual’s independent function,” said Herbert. “It concentrates on improving activities of daily living (ADL) such as combing your hair, brushing your teeth, using the bathroom, maintaining personal hygiene and feeding yourself.”

The use of occupational therapy can help patients after an injury, the onset of an illness or with developmental delays such as autism and cerebral palsy. Occupational therapists help individuals to function as independently as possible.

Within the field of occupational therapy, there are several specialized tracks for a technician to follow. Occupational therapy technicians first learn to treat basic hand conditions, deficits in ADL performance and basic neurological conditions such as stroke. As technicians gain experience, they begin to specialize in one or more specific areas, such as hand therapy, neurologic conditions, pediatrics, adaptive equipment/assistive technology and ergonomics/industrial occupational therapy to include worksite evaluation.

While occupational therapy focuses on independent function, physical therapy focuses on a specific part of the body that has undergone trauma such as a fracture or a torn ligament. The clinic assists patients in rehabilitation with specific exercises to regain function and mobility.

“Physical therapy is the rehabilitation of muscular skeletal issues and injuries,” said Hospital Corpsman Second Class Christopher Buenrostro, leading petty officer, Physical and Occupational Therapy Clinic, NHP. “We help with injuries ranging from ankle sprains to total knee arthroscopy and restore everyday function to an area of the body.”

Together, physical and occupational therapists can help people maximize their function, maintain independence and continue to lead active lives.

Having physical and occupational therapists located at one Military Treatment Facility is not a very common occurrence. Having both available for patients at NHP allows the hospital to offer its beneficiaries the convenience of treatment without having to send them elsewhere.

When asked about the value of having an Occupational and Physical Therapy Clinic at NHP, Buenrostro said, “Having both physical and occupational therapists at NHP is great.” “It gives patients the rehabilitation they need to get back to everyday tasks and helps maintain the overall well-being of [our beneficiaries].”

The Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Clinic is available to all TRICARE beneficiaries on a referral basis only. Beneficiaries can contact the clinic at [phone] for further information.

• Date Taken: 12.23.2014
• Date Posted: 12.23.2014 13:41
• Story ID: 151011
• Location: US