People, especially those considering a career in the medical industry, usually confuse occupational and physical therapy with each other, which is understandable. Besides having similar names, the two are alike in a few ways. But if we examine physical vs. occupational therapy in detail, we will find differences in the training and education they require. To pursue a role in these domains, you must understand the differences to assess the better alternative.

Below we will address these differences and discuss some occupational & physical therapy tools you must know how to use.

Physical therapy vs. occupational therapy
The primary difference between the two is that physical therapy enables the patients to cope with pain, have better endurance, build gross motor skills, and increase motion range. On the contrary, occupational therapy helps the clients perform roles and activities crucial to everyday life. It includes sensory, psychological, physical, cognitive, and behavioral skills.

Tools to learn to find the best occupational & physical therapy jobs
If you are interested in occupational & physical therapy jobs, you must be well acquainted with the following tools to be a good caregiver. Consider enrolling in recognized occupational & physical therapy courses to learn about them better.

Gait trainers
Like rolling walkers, the gait trainers offer balance and support for walking. Occupational & physical therapists recommend them to help stabilize individuals regardless of age, relearning to walk following an injury. In addition, gait trainers are the most recommended occupational & physical therapy tools for people challenged with walking because of conditions like cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and other developmental or cognitive disabilities. Gait Trainers can help improve posture and balance, increase muscle memory, strengthen muscle core, and avoid flexion contractures.

Exercise balls
Also known as Swiss balls or Physio Balls, the Exercise Balls are popular occupational & physical therapy equipment with several benefits. They improve posture, strengthen muscles, help with stretching, and keep back pain away. Because of their inflatable design and shape, exercise balls aid core recruitment, joint stability, and balancing. You can find it in a myriad of different sizes. While a big ball is easier to stabilize, it consumes more space, whereas a smaller one can be more tricky. These multi-functional occupational & physical therapy tools help with various challenging exercises you can do with your occupational & physical therapist or at home.

Balance pads
These are semi-firm occupational & physical therapy equipment that help improve stability and balance while performing dynamic movements and exercises. Typically the balance pads are composed of dense foam material and build an unstable, non-compliant surface, forcing you to engage more muscles and stabilize yourself as the surface reacts to your movements. Therapists place the balance pads on the floor where they cannot slip from underneath. While using this tool, ensure you are close to a nearby sturdy surface like the countertop or wall to steady yourself for safety.

Pediatric walkers and rollators
This occupational therapy equipment helps children in different stages of walking non-ability and ability. OTs employ rollators and walkers to offer stability and balance to young clients. Wheeled rollators or walkers are typically suitable for kids having upper body weaknesses. However, the non-wheeled versions assure good support for youngsters carrying the walker between steps. You can find pediatric walkers in both posterior and anterior support styles to cater to the client’s specific needs.

Weighted pencils
Students with learning disabilities and autism usually struggle with proprioception, wherein the person is unaware of their body moving through the space. Consequently, it hampers the ability to control and move the writing instrument and form desired shapes. You can treat it with weighted pencils. It is an excellent occupational therapy equipment that is heavier and bigger to help improve the patient’s awareness of the writing tool in their hand. It enables them to respond better to the stimuli of writing on paper.

Chewables
Some patients experience an oral tick, encouraging them to put body parts or items into their mouths. By giving them safety chewable, therapists can manage their behavior. You can learn about all possible chewable options in your enrolled occupational & physical therapy courses. Chewables can guard the teeth while helping the patient eliminate the energy or urge that results in chewing simultaneously.

Exercise sliders
These are underrated physical therapy tool that helps the patients work on their core, lower body, and upper body. Some people even use towels, but an exercise slider is a more professional and upgraded tool. The problem with towels is that you can only use them on hardwood or tiled floors, whereas you can also employ the exercise sliders on rugs and carpets. The sliders are versatile and affordable and prove beneficial during a workout.