Occupational Therapy vs Physiotherapy: a Guide for Allied Health Assistants

Occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) are often confused for one another. You need to understand the difference so you can figure out which area suits you best as an Allied Health Assistant.

While both occupations involve hands-on rehabilitative work to help people get back to their best selves, they’re different industries with different day-to-day work. Find out what sets them apart to make an informed decision about your future today. 

Occupational therapy vs phyisotherapy

Let’s take a look at the industries as a whole before we dive into what OT Assistants and PT Assistants do differently.

Occupational therapy

An Occupational Therapist treats the whole person, top to bottom. Whether they’re recovering from injuries or have a disability, OTs help people with daily living.

Unlike in PT, OT does not employ the use of much manual therapy or techniques when dealing with an injury. Instead, they would recommend environmental alterations or introduce assistive equipment to help the patient carry out their daily activities. The focus is on practical solutions to better the quality of life for the patient.

Physiotherapy

Physical Therapists focus on the patient’s actual impairment from a biomechanical perspective. Physical therapy tries to improve the impairment itself by increasing mobility, aligning bones and joints or lessening pain.

They focus on preventing injuries and can help people avoid surgery or a long-term reliance on medications.

OT vs Physio Assistant roles and responsibilities

Understanding how OTs and Physios work differently gives you a good foundation for seeing how the assistant roles vary too. But here’s a bit more on what you could be expected to do in each of these roles.

What does an Occupational Therapy Assistant do?

OT Assistants help people regain independence in their daily life. Under an Occupational Therapist's guidance, you'll help people adapt to disabilities, recover from injuries or manage chronic conditions.

Your responsibilities might include:

• Helping patients practice daily living skills like cooking or personal care

• Setting up adaptive equipment and teaching patients how to use it

• Supporting patients during therapy sessions and activities

• Assisting with home and workplace assessments

• Helping patients develop fine motor skills through therapeutic activities

• Supporting families to understand and continue treatment at home

• Documenting patient progress and reporting to the supervising therapist

What does a Phyisotherapy Assistant do?

Physiotherapy Assistants work under the supervision of Physiotherapists to encourage patients to follow specific exercise and treatment programs related to injury, illness, or disability-related physical issues.

Responsibilities might include:

• Identifying and assessing physical problems of patients

• Designing treatment programs

• Setting up equipment

• Working on exercises with patients

• Showing patients how to use mobility aids, canes, and artificial limbs

• Applying therapeutic techniques (e.g., heat, cold or massage therapies)

• Helping patients prepare for treatment (including helping with dressing and undressing)

• Instructing patients and their families in procedures to be continued at home

How OT and PT Overlap

Although the fields of occupational therapy and physical therapy serve different roles in health care, there is a lot of crossovers between the two.

• Educating people on how to prevent and avoid injuries

• Informing people about the healing process

• Assisting people with improving their ability to perform daily activities through training and education

• Improving mobility

In some cases, patients may start with a Physical Therapist and progress to an Occupational Therapist. For example, someone recovering from a severe stroke might work with a PT to build back muscle strength. Later on, that person would see an OT to practice necessary skills the stroke may have impaired such as bathing, dressing, eating and walking.

Occupational Therapy vs Physiotherapy Assistant  salary

According to PayScale, Occupational Therapy Assistants and physiotherapy assistants in Australia earn a similar average annual salary.

The salary of an occupational therapy assistant in Australia ranges between $45,000 to $75,000 per year or between $22 and $36 per hour.

The salary of a physiotherapy assistant in Australia ranges between $46,000 to $76,000 per year or between $22 and $36 per hour.

As with most occupations, your salary may depend on factors such as qualifications, experience and location.

OT Assistant  and PT Assistant qualifications

A HLT43021 Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Focus will qualify you to work as an occupational therapy assistant or physiotherapy assistant in Australia.

This nationally recognised course is delivered through a combination of online theory and practical work placement in a healthcare environment. It equips you to competently assist with allied health programming, interpret basic medical terminology and comply with infection prevention and control policies.

Upon successful completion of the Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Focus, you’ll have the skills and knowledge you need to provide patient care in a range of health industry settings including hospitals, medical practices, schools and community health centres.

OT vs PT Assistant: Which is right for you?

Both Occupational Therapy Assistants and Physiotherapy Assistants help people improve their lives. If you want to support people with everyday life and independence, OT assisting might be your calling. If you prefer focusing on physical recovery and movement, PT assisting could be the perfect fit.

The good news? You don't have to decide right away. Our allied health course gives you exposure to both areas, so you can discover which specialty connects with you during your studies.

Learn more about a Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Focus with Foundation Education and call our friendly and helpful team on 1300 616 197.

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