Other Territory
I was treating a patient and we were alternating between LE and UE exercises. So we rested the legs and worked the arms. I instructed the patient to do "21"s (a fallback to my body-building days) and we really blasted those biceps. Then I was thinking about the poor OTs who had to treat this guy after I am done with him. The guy's arms looked like a couple of wet spaghetti noodles and they were going to want him to don and doff stuff like compression stockings. The patient didn't mind the workout and actually liked the different routine we did but he could barely lift his SPC as we walked (like Lee Haney) back to the room.
Over the years, I have discussed the whole UE/LE thing with the OTs and most don't mind if PT steps in with some UE exercises as long as we don't fatigue the patient too much and they still have energy for functional dressing and ADLs. I doubt the guy I saw will be doing many ADLs but at least his bicep actin and myosin potential will be greater the next day.
Now let's change it up. What if we in PT saw an OT instructing a patient in gait and doing LE exercises with him. Would we say something like, "Hey you can't do that, you don't know what you are doing?" They can though. For activity tolerance and lower-body strengthening for ADLs, OTs could do leg exercises and walk with a patient. Would PTs become even more territorial if OTs did this more? But there are PTs who see nothing wrong with doing UE exercises with a patient who also sees an OT. Can someone explain this?