Occupational Therapy as it is known in physical medicine and Rehabilitation is  the  science  of  treatment  through  day-to-day  activities and even crafts  being  medium sometimes for the purpose of treatment to the physically disabled.

         It  may  be defined as a rehabilitative procedure guided by a qualified Occupationa l therapist who under medical prescription, uses self help, manual, creative, recreational and social, educational, prevocational and industrial activities to gain from the patient the desired physical function and / or mental response.

       This is the treatment medium where active participation of the patient is desired very much by the Occupational therapist to serve one or more of the programs as follows :

1. As specific treatment for restoration of physical function to increase joint motion, muscle strength and co-ordination.

2. As specific treatment to psychiatric patients.

3. To teach self help activities, those of daily living, such as eating, dressing, writing, the use of adapted equipment and prostheses.

4. To help the disabled homemaker re-adjust to home routine, write advice and instruction as to adaptations of household equipment and work simplification.

5. To develop work- tolerance and maintenance of special skills as required by the patients job.

6. As pre-vocational exploration to determine the patients physical capacities, interests, work habits, skills and potential employability.

7. As a suggestive measure - to help the patient to accept and utilize constructively a prolonged period of hospitalization or convalescence.

8. For redirection of recreational and a vocational interests.

     In addition to above, Occupational Therapy is used extensively as a treatment      measure in

(a) Psychiatric Hospitals

(b) General Hospitals

(c) Tuberculosis Sanatoriums

(d) Orthopaedic Hospitals

(e) Children's Hospitals

(f) Rehabilitation Centers

(g) Special schools for Handicapped children

(h) Geriatric Institutions

(i) Home Care Programs

(j) Hospitals for the chronically ill.

      Occupational Therapy works towards the rehabilitation of the patient in conjunction        with :
i. The doctor

ii. The nurse

iii. The physio - Therapist

iv. The speech therapist

v. The social worker

vi. The psychologist

vii. The vocational counselor and

viii. The other specialist to return the patient to the greatest possible independence- Physically, mentally, socially, economically.

                      The unique contribution of Occupational Therapy is that it selects from science such as anatomy, physiology and physics those principles that are pertinent to human motion and systematizes their application in reduction of the affected human functions. The body, being a living machine, is subject to the law both of living matter and of machines. Hence the analysis of human motion is very essential to select the activities and crafts accordingly. The studying of any science is like the opening the door to a new world. The mechanisms which are involve in activities such as walking, throwing a ball or lifting a truck are no less awe-inspiring than are mechanism involved in metabolism or photosynthesis. Nothing is haphazard; nothing is left to chance every structure, which participates in the movement of the body, does so in the obedience to the physical and physiological principles.

                      But Occupational Therapy is not studied merely for the purpose of inciting our interest in fascinating and mysterious subject. It has a useful purpose. We study Occupational Therapy as an essential part of the educational experience of student of physical medicine and rehabilitation. The function of Occupational Therapy, therefore, is to contribute not only to the improvement of the human structure through the intelligent selection of the activities and their application as per requirement of the handicapped concerned. The therapist is primarily concerned with the effect of activities and their techniques upon the patient's body. He/She is concerned particularly with the restoration of the impaired function and the method of compensating for lost functions. But to the therapist an effective performance refers to adequate performance in the activities associated with daily living and concerned with the movement of body, which has suffered from impairment in function. Occupational Therapy seems only half its purpose when it provides the background for learning or teaching motor skills. It must also serve to lay the foundation for perfecting, repairing and keeping in good condition that incomparable mechanism the - human body