Physical therapy and occupational therapy: partners in rehabilitation for persons with movement impairments

SUMMARY The professions of physical therapy and occupational therapy have legitimate roles in the restoration of human movement in the rehabilitation process. This paper first presents a physical therapy perspective on changing trends in therapeutic exercise. Recent trends in physical therapy reflect a shift away from isolating patterns of movement and open kinetic chain exercises toward a new emphasis on functional patterns of movement and closed kinetic chain exercises. Rehabilitation of persons with hip fracture is used as an example of these shifting trends. Next, the paper presents an occupational therapy perspective. Occupational therapy's historical emphasis on the use of naturalistic occupations as the context for therapeutic exercise is described. Theoretical advantages of occupationally embedded movement are listed, and recent research in support of naturalistic occupations is summarized. Physical therapy and occupational therapy are distinct professions with autonomous outlooks and terminologies, but the responsibilities of physical therapists and occupational therapists potentially overlap in the restoration of movement. Suggestions are made for interdisciplinary teamwork whereby the holistically considered welfare of the patient is always the primary concern of all therapists.