Physical Agent Modalities Practice Exam

In occupational therapy, treatments are chosen to enable participation in meaningful daily activities. A physical agent like electrotherapy becomes part of OT only when it serves an occupational purpose—resetting pain, increasing range of motion, or facilitating a specific task such as dressing, cooking, or work-related tasks. If electrotherapy is used exclusively for its own sake, with no tie to improving occupational performance, it doesn’t fit OT practice. In that scenario, the modality would more likely be used by another discipline, such as physical therapy, which focuses on reducing impairment and treating the underlying condition rather than directly targeting engagement in everyday occupations. So when electrotherapy is employed without linking to SAMPLEoccupational performance, it’s not considered occupational therapy.