Adult Therapy
Occupational, physical, and speech therapy are not only for children. Adults use them after surgery and injury, after a stroke, to manage long-term conditions, to stay steady on their feet, and to keep doing the things a day is made of. This section is organized by therapy specialty, because that is how care is actually delivered.
Browse by specialty
Orthopedic
Musculoskeletal pain, injury, and recovery after surgery — back, neck, shoulder, hip, and knee.
Neurologic
Stroke, Parkinson's, MS, brain and spinal cord injury, and peripheral neuropathy.
Geriatric
Falls and balance, deconditioning, and staying independent.
Sports
Athletic injury, return to sport, and performance.
Neurodivergence
Adults with sensory processing differences, ADHD, and autism.
Pain and chronic conditions
Persistent pain, including fibromyalgia — where the nervous system, not the tissue, is what changed.
Which of the three do I need?
People are often referred without being told why one discipline rather than another, and the distinction is more useful than it sounds.
- Physical therapy is about movement — strength, balance, walking, pain, and recovery after injury or surgery.
- Occupational therapy is about the activities a day is made of — dressing, cooking, working, driving, managing fatigue, and the hand and arm in particular.
- Speech-language pathology covers communication and swallowing, including after a stroke or with a progressive neurological condition.
There is real overlap, and many people see more than one. If you are not sure, say what you are struggling to do rather than which therapist you think you need — a good clinic will route you.
Finding a therapist
One directory, all ages. What each clinic treats varies, so open its profile or contact it to confirm.
Find a physical therapist · Find an occupational therapist · Find a speech-language pathologist
Disclaimer. For general educational purposes; not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Speak to a qualified clinician about your own situation.