Roy Utah Wasatch Peak Physical Therapy

Wasatch Peak Physical Therapy

LAYTON

801.876.1676

SYRACUSE

801.528.3028

FARMINGTON

801.290.8443

ROY

801.829.9249
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What Is The Difference Between Occupational Therapy And Physical Therapy?

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Many people don’t realize that there is a difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy since the two fields are so similar and often work in tandem, as they can here at Wasatch Peak Physical Therapy. The truth is that although occupational therapy and physical therapy both work to improve your life and have many similarities, they have different focuses and scopes. It’s said that physical therapy is what will help you go about your day-to-day life, while occupational therapy is what will help you accomplish your daily tasks. 

difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy

Here’s what you need to know about the difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy, in what they are, in what they do, and when a medical professional would recommend you see one over the other – or work with both an occupational therapist and a physical therapist. Let’s dive in!

How Is Occupational Therapy Different From Physical Therapy?

It makes sense that people confuse these two practices and often don’t know that there’s a difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy. At their core, the goal of both occupational therapy and physical therapy is to help your quality of life. Both occupational therapy and physical therapy help people who have been injured or who have had their ability to move and go about their lives impacted. There is overlap between the two practices, hence how people can get them confused. 

The difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy can be simplified to: fine motor skills and gross motor skills. While a physical therapist can help you walk and move easier so that you could get to the store, an occupational therapist would help you with the tasks you’d need to get done once you’re there, such as making a grocery list, getting things off the shelves, and the like. 

The Goal Of Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy Roy Utah

The goal of occupational therapy is to help a person live as independently as possible. Occupational therapists help patients with their ability to perform their day-to-day tasks. Typically, people who have developmental or cognitive disabilities, who have suffered from a stroke or an injury, or otherwise have had their fine motor skills affected and struggle to get dressed on their own, to take a shower, and to otherwise go about their daily life will see an occupational therapist. 

Occupational therapy helps people with all the various tasks that can “occupy” their lives. They help with the fine motor skills that affect how you handle and manipulate objects, improve your hand-eye coordination, learn basic tasks such as eating, emotional regulation and management, and more. 

The Goal Of Physical Therapy

difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy

The goal of physical therapy is to help a person manage their pain and improve their range of motion and how they move their bodies. Physical therapists also help people recover from injuries, but they focus moreso on gross motor skills, such as with actions that require full body movement or that need the big muscles of your body in order to go about daily functions, such as walking, sitting, and standing. 

Typically, people who have been injured, who have a disability, who have undergone surgery or childbirth, and other such conditions that impact how you move will see a physical therapist in order to recover. Physical therapists help with managing and regulating pain, improving muscular strength, increasing endurance, and improving your range of motion. 

Basically, the difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy is that occupational therapy focuses on your ability to perform daily tasks while physical therapy focuses on your ability to move with ease.

Occupational Therapy Versus Physical Therapy: Which Is Right For You?

cardia rehab-wasatch peak physical therapy

Although there is overlap between the two, in how they both aim to improve your body’s overall functioning and your overall quality of life; in the conditions they treat; in their hands-on approach; in the fact that both of them use stretches and exercises; and in the fact that in both, you set goals and monitor your progress towards them, they’re not the same. Whether you see an occupational therapist or a physical therapist will ultimately depend on your specific conditions and concerns. 

If you’re struggling to perform your day-to-day tasks, occupational therapy could be the right choice for you. If you’re struggling to move without pain or strain, a physical therapist could help you. It’s important to consult with your doctor about your specific concerns so that they can advise you on the best type of therapy for your needs. 

Here at Wasatch Peak Physical Therapy, we offer both occupational therapy and physical therapy. We’re here to help you improve your quality of life, whether that be in recovering from an injury or in helping you develop the skills to bathe on your own. Contact us today to learn more about the difference between occupational therapy and physical therapy and which one would be most beneficial for your specific needs. 

Filed Under: Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy

Neck pain is so common, there’s even an everyday phrase for it: “What a pain in the neck.” Fortunately, neck pain is rarely serious, however, that doesn’t make it any less painful or strenuous. Physical therapy for neck pain can reduce your pain and inflammation while restoring your neck’s range of motion. Chronic neck pain, frequent headaches, whiplash, all of these are neck pains that physical therapy can help with. 

physical therapy for neck pain

If you’re suffering from neck pain, it’s important to have it treated sooner rather than later, so you can alleviate the symptoms, avoid additional symptoms popping up, and reduce the risk of complications developing. Physical therapy for neck pain is an excellent way to do just that. Since physical therapy is often associated with rehabilitation after surgery or serious injuries, some people wonder whether or not physical therapy for neck pain is worth it, or whether or not it would be better to just pop some painkillers and wait it out. 

The truth is that anything that improves your quality of life and makes it so that you can go about your day with reduced pain and strain and better range of motion is absolutely worth it – something that physical therapy for neck pain can help you achieve. Here’s what you need to know about neck pain, how physical therapy for neck pain works, and how you can benefit from physical therapy for that persistent pain in your neck that just won’t go away. 

Common Causes Of Neck Pain

Neck pain can be caused by any number of factors, from sleeping in an awkward position to poor posture to car accidents and more. Some of the common causes of neck pain include:

  • Muscle tension and strain, such as that which occurs as a result of poor posture, sleeping in an awkward position, or muscular overuse from repetitive stain
  • Injuries, such as from car accidents, athletic activity, especially sports, and falls
  • Diseases, including but not limited to: arthritis and meningitis
  • Degenerative discs, such as bulging or herniated discs
  • Alignment issues, as your spine runs up your neck, and if it is misaligned, this can cause significant pain and persistent headaches
  • Surgery

Anything from simply sitting in an awkward position for an extended period of time, such as doing office work or being on your phone, to whiplash to other traumas to chronic issues can result in neck pain. 

Signs And Symptoms Of Neck Pain

wasatch peak physical therapy-neck pain-layton

Aside from the obvious – pain in your neck – there are other signs and symptoms that physical therapy for neck pain can help with. Depending on the cause of your specific neck pain, you may experience different symptoms than someone else. Whiplash, for example, is an entirely different type of neck pain than chronic neck pain or neck pain that results from sleeping in an uncomfortable position.

Some common signs and symptoms of neck pain include:

  • Stiffness
  • Headaches
  • Limited mobility
  • Soreness
  • Sharp pain
  • Shooting pain
  • Tingling pain
  • Aching, throbbing pain
  • Radicular pain
  • And more

Neck pain isn’t only felt in one area of your neck, but can be felt anywhere in the general area, from solely on one side, to down into your shoulder blades, to directly within your neck. If you have a pinched nerve in your neck, the pain may even extend down your limbs, causing weakness, tingling, and numbness. 

How Physical Therapy For Neck Pain Works

Chances are, if you’re suffering from neck pain as a result of just sleeping in an awkward position, it will go away within a few days and is nothing to worry about. However, if your neck pain persists, especially if it was caused by a trauma, physical therapy can help. 

terapia fisica Neurological Disorders wasatch peak physical therapy-layton-whiplash

When you see a physical therapist for neck pain, they’ll start with an evaluation that includes questions and an examination, in order to gather information about you, your medical history, when the neck pain started, your specific symptoms, and how it’s affecting you. During the examination, they’ll look at your range of motion, how tender your neck is, your strength, your posture, and your general mobility.

Once they’ve gathered all the necessary information, your physical therapist will then work with you to formulate a personalized treatment plan. This can include passive physical therapy, which refers to when the physical therapist conducts a treatment on you, such as massages or therapeutic modalities or cryotherapy, as well as active physical therapy, which is when the physical therapist guides you through exercises and stretches and other techniques designed to reduce your pain and inflammation while increasing your range of motion. 

Physical therapy is a very customized thing – there is no one size fits all, as everything has different bodies and histories and concerns, and different treatments work for different people. The length of time in which you are in physical therapy will vary, depending on your specific case. With proper treatment, you can expect to see improvement in your neck pain and quality of life – something which makes physical therapy for neck pain worth it beyond a shadow of doubt. 

Do You Need Physical Therapy For Your Neck Pain?

Wasatch Peak Physical Therapy provides professional physical therapy services for a wide range of issues – including neck pain. If you’re suffering from pain in your neck, don’t hesitate to contact us. Physical therapy for neck pain can help you get back to a pain-free life safely and efficiently. 

Filed Under: Physical Therapy, Pain Management

When people talk about pelvic floor muscles and pelvic health, it’s generally thought of as a women’s issue, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Everyone, regardless of their genitals, has pelvic floor muscles, and thus, everyone should work to improve their pelvic health in order to live a happier, less stressful life. Men’s pelvic health is an issue that’s rarely discussed, due to the fact that it’s often misdiagnosed and men are rarely informed of the fact that they can have pelvic floor issues. 

wasatch peak physical therapy-syracuse

While it is true that pelvic floor issues are far more prevalent in people with vaginas, due to experiences such as childbirth, there are still many people with penises who suffer from pelvic floor issues. The sad reality is that many men don’t even know that that’s the problem. At Wasatch Peak Physical Therapy, our mission is to educate people of all genders about their bodies and why they’re experiencing the issues they are, as well as what can be done to prevent them in the future.

Here is what you need to know about men’s pelvic health, issues men face with pelvic floor dysfunction, and how to improve men’s pelvic health. 

What Is The Pelvic Floor?

Your pelvic floor is a group of muscles that stretches from your pubic bone to your tailbone and from one sitting bone to the other. Its job is to support your bladder and bowel, allowing you to maintain continence. Men’s pelvic health is important to prevent loss of stool or urine, supporting your internal organs, assisting in sexual sensation and function, and for stabilizing your trunk. 

How To Find Your Pelvic Floor

In order to improve your pelvic health, you first need to know how to even find your pelvic floor. Women are taught this more frequently than men, and seeing how many men don’t realize they can even have pelvic issues, a key component of men’s pelvic health is identifying and isolating your pelvic floor muscles.

You can do this by stopping urination mid-stream or by tightening the muscles you use to keep from passing gas. If you can successfully do this multiple times, you’ve found your pelvic floor.

Common Issues With Men’s Pelvic Health

As you see, your pelvic floor serves many functions. Men’s pelvic health can be impacted when your pelvic floor muscles are too tight, too weak, or are stretched. These can result in many different problems.

men's pelvic health

Weak Pelvic Floor

Your pelvic floor can be weakened by many things, such as:

  • Heavy lifting
  • Aging
  • Being overweight
  • Constipation
  • Surgery for bladder or bowel issues
  • Persistent, long-term coughing
  • High impact exercise

When your pelvic floor is too weak, it can no longer fully support your pelvic organs, which leads to pelvic floor disorders. These can cause problems such as: 

  • Urinary incontinence 
  • Urgency urinary incontinence
  • Fecal incontinence
  • Overactive bladder
  • Pelvic organ prolapse
  • Painful sex

In nearly all cases where your pelvic floor is too weak, men’s pelvic health can be improved with muscle exercises, such as Kegels.

Pelvic Floor That Is Too Tight

Your pelvic floor can get too tight, the same as any other muscle. When your pelvic floor muscles tense and can’t relax, this can result in problems such as:

  • Constipation
  • Pelvic pain
  • Painful sex
  • Urge incontinence

The physical therapists at Wasatch Peak Physical Therapy provide treatment for pelvic floor issues for people of all genders. We’re experienced in men’s pelvic health issues, as well as women’s, and are dedicated to helping you manage and treat your pelvic floor.

How To Improve Men’s Pelvic Health

men's pelvic health

Your pelvic floor is made up of muscles, which means one of the ways you can improve men’s pelvic health is with regular pelvic floor exercises, such as Kegels. Kegels are an important part of men’s pelvic health, the same as any other gender’s. Once you’ve found your pelvic floor, you’ll be able to tighten the muscles, hold for a few seconds, relax, and then repeat a few times in a row. Within a few weeks to a few months, you can expect a stronger pelvic floor by doing these exercises several times a day every day. 

In addition to pelvic floor exercises, there are a variety of other treatment methods designed to improve your pelvic health. Some of which include:

  • Manual therapy
  • Pelvic floor re-education, strength training, and coordination exercises
  • Core strengthening
  • Education, such as about posture, diets, and more
  • Biofeedback
  • Relaxation techniques
  • And more

Depending on your condition, your treatment options will vary. The professionals at Wasatch Peak Physical Therapy are dedicated to providing you with the treatment you need in order to improve your pelvic health and live a happier life.

We Help Improve Men’s Pelvic Health

Wasatch Peak Physical Therapy has an expert team of physical therapists who know how to help people of all genders improve their pelvic health. If you are struggling with incontinence, sexual function, pelvic pain, or an overactive bladder, there’s no need to grin and bear it. We’re here to help. What works for one man won’t work for another, which is why it’s crucial that you seek out professional help in order to obtain the best treatment method for you.

Contact us today for a consultation, and let us help you restore your pelvic health!

Filed Under: Pelvic Floor Therapy, Physical Therapy

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Layton

1492 West Antelope Drive, Suite #100
Layton, UT 84041
Phone: 801.876.1676
Fax: 801.825.8142

Monday6:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday6:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday6:30 AM - 6:30 PM
Thursday6:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Friday6:00 AM - 6:30 PM

Syracuse

2019 W 1900 S, Suite #200
Syracuse, UT 84075
Phone: 801.528.3028
Fax: 801.773.4355

Monday7:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday7:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday7:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Thursday7:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Friday9:30 AM - 6:30 PM

Farmington

1050 W Shepard Lane, Suite #3
Farmington, UT 84025
Phone: 801.290.8443
Fax: 801.451.9617

Monday7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
FridayClosed

Roy

3443 W 5600 S, Suite #130
Roy, UT 84067
Phone: 801.829.9249
Fax: 801.773.8088

Monday7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
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