What is the difference between impairment and activity limitation in OT?

What is the difference between impairment and activity limitation in OT?

• A. Impairment refers to deficits in body function or structure; activity limitation refers to difficulties in executing tasks or actions.
• B. Impairment refers to environmental barriers; activity limitation refers to social participation.
• C. Impairment refers to deficits in mobility; activity limitation refers to communication challenges.
• D. Impairment refers to temporary conditions; activity limitation refers to chronic conditions.

Answer: (B)

In OT, the key distinction is between body-level functioning and the ability to perform tasks. An impairment is a deficit in body function or structure—things like weakness, pain, limited joint motion, or sensory loss. An activity limitation is the difficulty a person has in executing essential tasks or actions, such as dressing, walking, or writing. These describe the person’s actual performance of activities, not the underlying body deficit. Context helps: environmental factors can influence how an impairment or an activity limitation shows up in daily life, and participation refers to involvement in life situations. But the definitions themselves focus on body function/structure versus task execution. So the correct interpretation is that impairment = deficits in body function/structure, while activity limitation = difficulties in executing tasks or actions.

In OT, the key distinction is between body-level functioning and the ability to perform tasks. An impairment is a deficit in body function or structure—things like weakness, pain, limited joint motion, or sensory loss. An activity limitation is the difficulty a person has in executing essential tasks or actions, such as dressing, walking, or writing. These describe the person’s actual performance of activities, not the underlying body deficit.

Context helps: environmental factors can influence how an impairment or an activity limitation shows up in daily life, and participation refers to involvement in life situations. But the definitions themselves focus on body function/structure versus task execution. So the correct interpretation is that impairment = deficits in body function/structure, while activity limitation = difficulties in executing tasks or actions.