Neuro vs Orthopedic OT - What’s the Difference?

Learn the difference between neuro OT and orthopedic OT. Orca Therapy in Vancouver WA specializes in neurological rehabilitation with no waitlist.

What Makes Neuro Occupational Therapy Different?

When searching for occupational therapy in Vancouver WA, you may find clinics that offer neuro occupational therapy or orthopedic occupational therapy.

Both help people regain independence and function, but they focus on very different systems of the body.

At ORCA Therapy, we specialize in neurological occupational therapy (neuro OT) as well as orthopedic conditions — helping clients recover after stroke, concussion, brain injury, and other nervous-system conditions — with same-week evaluations and no long waitlists.

1️⃣ What Each Specialty Treats

Neuro OT treats injuries or diseases that affect the brain, spinal cord, or nerves.

Common reasons to see a neuro OT include stroke, traumatic brain injury, concussion, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, or other neurologic conditions.

Orthopedic OT focuses on bones, joints, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

This includes post-surgical rehab, fractures, arthritis, or repetitive-strain injuries.

2️⃣ Different Underlying Challenges

Neuro OT helps retrain the brain and body connection. It targets motor control, coordination, sensory processing, and cognition to support neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to rewire itself.

Ortho OT addresses biomechanical recovery: improving strength, range of motion, and pain after injury or surgery.

Research consistently shows that occupation-based, neuro-specific therapy improves function and daily participation after neurological injury (Rao et al., 2012).

3️⃣ What Therapy Looks Like in Each Setting

In Neuro OT:

Focus on motor relearning and functional retraining.

Tasks broken down into meaningful daily activities—cooking, dressing, driving, or work skills.

Cognitive and sensory integration techniques to improve attention and awareness.

Environmental or equipment adaptation to support independence.

Research supports these evidence-based approaches (Nowa et al., 2020).

In Orthopedic OT:

Manual therapy and strengthening.

Joint protection, ergonomic training, splinting.

Gradual exercise progression for pain-free movement.

4️⃣ Goals and Outcomes

Neuro OT goals: rewire the nervous system, restore independence in self-care and roles, and improve cognitive-motor integration.

Orthopedic OT goals: restore strength, mobility, and return to previous levels of activity or work.

Neuro recovery is often gradual, but each session builds functional progress and confidence.

5️⃣ Choosing the Right Occupational Therapist

Selecting the right type of occupational therapist is key for optimal recovery.

If your main concern is neurological—for example, a stroke, concussion, or brain injury—seeing a neuro-trained OT will lead to faster, more targeted progress than general orthopedic approaches.

At Orca Therapy in Vancouver WA, we focus on solutions for both orthopedic and neuro rehabilitation, combining advanced techniques with compassionate, individualized care.

✅ No long waitlists

✅ Same-week evaluations available

✅ Evidence-based neuro expertise

References:

Rao A.K., Berry J.W., Shumway S. Occupational Therapy in Neurological Disorders. Am J Occup Ther 2012. Link

Nowa J. et al. Comparison of Motor Relearning and NDT in Adults with TBI. 2020. Link

Blanchette A.K. et al. Current Practices in Spasticity Assessment and Treatment. 2017. Link