Physical Therapy

Physical Therapy Physical therapy takes a personal and direct approach to meeting an individual's health needs and wants, whether a patient's goal is walking independently or breaking a high-jump record. Along with the patient and other health care practitioners, the physical therapist shares the hard work and commitment needed to accomplish each individual patient's goals. For people with health problems resulting from injury or disease, the physical therapist assists in the recovery process to make them stronger, relieve their pain, and help them to regain use of an affected limb or to relearn such activities of daily living as walking, dressing, or bathing. Because recovery does not end for patients as soon as they are out of the physical therapist's direct care, physical therapists must teach patients and their families what to do so that healing continues through self-care at home. Physical therapists also seek to keep people well and safe from injury. They do this by teaching the importance of fitness and showing people how to avoid hurting their bodies at work or play. By designing and supervising individualized conditioning programs, physical therapists promote optimal physical performance and help health-conscious people to increase their overall fitness level and muscular strength and endurance. Treatment includes: ¿ Therapeutic exercise ¿ Cardiovascular endurance training ¿ Training in activities of daily living

*Information taken with permission from the APTA website

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy uses meaningful occupations (the tasks and roles that occupy time in our everyday lives) to promote and restore the health of people whose ability to engage in these tasks and roles may be diminished. Factors that diminish the ability to engage in meaningful occupations include illness, injury, aging, developmental delays, adjustment problems, grief and loss, lack of resources, etc.

The occupational therapist and the individual work together to identify the individual's personal goals and desires, and work together to achieve these. The occupational therapist may assist the individual by adapting the task, the environment, or the individual's approach to a task, to allow goals to be accomplished as independently as possible, and restore the ability to engage in meaningful occupations to the degree desired for maximum personal satisfaction.

*Provided by Cynthia Grapczynski, Assistant Professor - Occupational Therapy Department

Services typically include:

• Customized treatment programs aimed at improving abilities to carry out the activities of daily living
• Comprehensive evaluation of home and job environments and recommendations as necessary
• Adaptation
• Assessments and treatment for performance skills
• Recommendations and training in the use of adaptive equipment to replace lost function
• Guidance to family members and attendants in safe and effective methods of caring for individuals
  
  *Information taken with permission from the AOTA website

Athletic Training

Athletic training deals with the prevention, care, and treatment of athletic injuries. The athletic trainer is often a member of a sports medicine team, which also includes a physician, a physical therapist, and an exercise physiologist. Each member of the team has defined duties and responsibilities. The athletic trainer, usually the first person to see the athlete after an injury, is responsible for planning the best course of action. Career Opportunities: Athletic trainers work in various settings. They are hired by professional sports teams, colleges, and high schools. In most colleges and high schools, the athletic trainer is a member of the teaching faculty. A more recent area in which athletic trainers are being hired is in sports medicine clinics, which are housed in a hospital setting, or they may be private clinics operated by physicians for physical therapists.

Movement Science at GVSU - http://www.gvsu.edu/move-sci/

*Information taken with permission from the GVSU Movement Science website

So... I still don't see the difference?

In short,

Physical therapy focuses on restoration of physical strength, endurance, coordination, and range of motion.

Occupational therapy focuses on improving personal and work activities of everyday life.

Athletic Training focuses on the rehabilitation and prevention of injuries affecting athletes.

Comments regarding this site should be directed to Chris Lewis at (616) 895-3958