What is the difference between Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy?

To understand the difference between PT and OT, we first have to define the scope of each of their practices. PT is defined by the APTA as movement experts who optimizes quality of life through prescribed exercise, hands-on care, and patient education. OT is defined as a therapy to maximize participation and engagement with meaningful, everyday life activities. For example, a patient with hip issues would see a PT to increase strength and decrease pain. go upstairs in their home or get into a car with less difficulty. A patient with hip issues would see an OT to better perform daily tasks such as improving the ability to get dressed, go upstairs in their home, or get into a car with less difficulty.
-Josh Ross, PTA