Physical Therapy
Physical Therapists are experts in movement and function, and are trained to evaluate and treat changes in “normal” movement that can cause dysfunction. They look for abnormal movements that can be caused by many things, including:
Loss of strength or range of motion
Muscle and tissue tightness or restriction
Neurological impairments
Balance problems
Poor postural alignment or body mechanics
Physical therapists use a variety of treatment techniques to normalize these movements to return the patient to maximal functional tolerance. |
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapists focus on assisting people who have mental, physical, developmental, or emotional disabilities. Their goal is to help clients have independent, productive, satisfying lives.
This can be achieved with treatment by:
Improving their ability to perform tasks in their daily lives and working environments
Helping clients develop, recover, or maintain daily living and work skills
Teaching clients to compensate for permanent loss of function
Occupational therapy gives people the “skills for the job of living”. |
Speech Language Pathology
Speech-language pathologists, sometimes called speech therapists, assess, diagnose, treat, and help to prevent disorders related to speech, language, cognitive-communication, voice, swallowing, and fluency. Examples of dysfunctions they see are:
Inability to produce speech sounds or cannot produce them clearly
Speech rhythm and fluency problems, such as stuttering
Voice disorders, such as inappropriate pitch or harsh voice
Problems understanding and producing language
Cognitive communication impairments, such as attention, memory, and problem solving disorders
Swallowing difficulties |
