Occupational Therapy vs. Physical Therapy: What’s the Real Difference?

First, Occupational Therapists DO NOT HELP YOU GET A JOB. LOL. Sorry for yelling, but it was more for emphasis.

In healthcare, we get the question, “What’s the difference between OT and PT?” more times than we can count if you are a PT, PTA, OTR, or CODA. And even now, it’s still a point of confusion for patients (and occasionally professionals) alike. So I figured it was time to break it down not with textbook definitions, but in real talk.

At the end of the day, both occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) are about helping people get back to doing the things they love. They just go about it in slightly different ways.

So What Does Occupational Therapy Actually Do?

Think of occupational therapists as the strategists of independence. Their job is to help folks relearn how to live life when life gets interruptedwhether that’s getting dressed after a stroke, managing symptoms of a chronic condition like MS, or helping a child with sensory issues brush their teeth without melting down.

What I’ve always appreciated about OT is the holistic lens. It’s not just physical recovery—it’s emotional, cognitive, environmental. It’s the big picture of “How do we help this person be as independent and fulfilled as possible in their actual life?”

An OTR who worked with Click Clinician years ago said, “We basically focus on things that they do day-to-day, with some kind of condition, disease, or injury that has impacted their daily life.” That could be anything from making a sandwich to going back to work. Another way that is put is any ADL- Activity of Daily Living that a person needs to be able to do on their own and safely. It could be cooking, getting dressed, which can be very difficult if you have had a stroke. Getting in and out of the bathroom or shower can impose a risk of falling or hurting oneself if not done safely.

And What About Physical Therapy?

PTs, on the other hand, are the movement experts. They’re all about helping patients rebuild physical strength, restore mobility, and retrain their bodies whether after surgery, injury, or chronic pain management.

Physical Therapy dives into the science of how we move, balance, and coordinate. PTs teach people how to optimize their neuromuscular systems ( A fancy way of saying how the nerves and muscles work together in the Central Nervous System) and often help patients avoid invasive procedures just by getting them to move better.

And here’s the key thing: PT isn’t just about what happens in the clinic or in home health, but. It’s about what happens in the rest of the patient’s week. The best outcomes happen when patients take what they learn and integrate it into real life. That’s something we emphasize all the time with our Click Clinician community therapy can’t be passive.

The Overlap (and Why People Get Confused)

Here’s the thing: OT and PT do overlap. A lot of patients might see both at the same time. A post-op patient recovering from a hip fracture might need PT to regain their strength and OT to relearn how to bathe, dress, or cook safely while healing.

Both disciplines require creativity, problem-solving, and a strong partnership with the patient. And both are deeply rewarding fields where you get to see real transformation.

Why This Matters to Clinicians and Agencies

Whether you're a therapist or an agency partner, understanding the unique value of each discipline helps us build better care plans and better teams. We can’t silo these professions. We need to advocate for both, especially in environments where reimbursement structures don’t always reflect the full value they provide.

I, Dan Silver, PTA and founder of Click Clinician, think, “Physical therapy is often undervalued, especially by insurance companies.” The same goes for OT. That’s why it’s up to us, as a professional field, to keep pushing for awareness and integration.

To Anyone Considering OT or PT as a Career…

Both careers are powerful, high-impact paths. But they’re not easy, and they’re not quick. Expect 6-7 years of education and clinical training, and a whole lot of lifelong learning after that.

But if you love helping people solve complex, real-world problems if you thrive on one-on-one connection and incremental wins OT or PT could be a perfect fit.

Final Thought: It’s Not OT or PT. It’s OT + PT.

It’s not a competition. It’s a collaboration.

At Click Clinician, we’re proud to support professionals in both of these fields. They’re essential. They’re different. And they’re both changing lives every single day.

If you’re a therapist looking to do more of what you love (and less of the paperwork), we’d love to chat. And if you’re still not sure whether OT or PT is right for your situation, feel free to reach out we’ll help you find the best fit. Click Clinician.