What Is Kinesiology? Who Are Kinesiologists?

 

Kinesiology interventions are varied and target all Canadians, regardless of age or whether or not they are affected by health problems. Target populations include the following:

 

Asymptomatic populations (without symptoms or pathology):

• Adults in general, including pregnant women
• Specific clienteles (e.g., paramilitary and military services, workers, astronauts)
• Athletes and adventurers
• Children and adolescents
• Students (teaching, scholarship athletes [e.g., Sports-études programs])
• Seniors and aging populations

 

Symptomatic and special populations with clinical conditions:

• Metabolic conditions
• Cardiovascular conditions
• Pulmonary conditions
• Neurological conditions
• Musculoskeletal problems
• Mental health and psychiatric diagnoses
• Other conditions (e.g., chronic pain, sensory disorders)

 

The health and physical activity needs of any population are multifactorial. Therefore, an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach provides a population with a higher quality of service. Kinesiologists frequently collaborate with other health professionals to develop multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary intervention, prevention, and treatment plans. They occasionally support medical teams in evaluations and are involved in enhancing performance, including sport performance.

 

Kinesiologists complement other health care professionals through their wide range of knowledge and broad scope of practice. Here are some examples of what a Kinesiologist brings to the treatment team:

• Prevention, promotion, treatment, and rehabilitation services in various health facilities including mental health clinics and private clinics
• Neuromusculoskeletal and functional evaluations
• Ergonomics in workplace and occupational health cases
• High-performance coaching and fitness training
• Public health promotion
• Clinical management and coordination
• Case management for insurance companies
• Personal training and physical condition coaching
• Researching
• Lecturing, instructing, and teaching
• All other actions targeting the promotion of physical activity and the adoption of a healthy and physically active lifestyle

Kinesiology is an evolving profession. Kinesiologists adapt to the changing demands of their clients’ needs.

 

Complementary Training or Certifications

 

Although the primary mandate of the CKA is to promote kinesiology across Canada, we acknowledge that the initial bachelor's degree for our profession may be used as the basis for further training, for specialization, or as a step to a professional practice other than kinesiology. It is important to be trained appropriately to gain the right to practise in one’s province, especially if certain treatment modalities are regulated. In some provinces, some modalities may be reserved for another health care profession.

Before practising, the CKA recommends that you speak with your provincial kinesiology association to determine if you are legally allowed to perform certain services.

• In some provinces, additional training in kinesiology may allow you to offer other therapeutic services such as occupational therapy. In other provinces, occupational therapy may be supervised by a professional order and require specific and exclusive training. Certain actions are regulated and must be done exclusively by the occupational therapist in their field of practice; such actions are predefined by legislation. Using the title of occupational therapist/ergotherapist in that province or executing professional actions that are not permitted without being a member of the order can lead to criminal prosecution.
• In some provinces, the provincial kinesiology association may restrict the scope of practice. For example, a Kinesiologist who wants to apply osteopathic techniques may need the legal title of osteopath. Also, a Kinesiologist may not be able to use manual therapy techniques in some provinces. In other provinces, this may not be the case.

 

THE DIFFERENT TITLES

 

Kinesiologists

The title of a Kinesiologist may differ from province to province. The use of “Kinesiologist” with a qualifier exists because PKAs are bound by their bylaws or provincial laws. The CKA encourages use of the term “Kinesiologist” (without any qualifiers) where possible. In Canada, Ontario is the only province that legally requires the use of the title “Registered Kinesiologist.”

In addition, there are several professional labels that may sound similar to a Kinesiologist but do not mean the same thing. The titles are becoming more numerous. As a profession, we must be vigilant with regard to the quality of the education, and training, received and the nature of the services provided.

Kinesiologist is a profession recognized under the National Occupational Classification (NOC) issued by Statistics Canada: 3144 - Other professional occupations in therapy and assessment

Some similar titles include the following:

Exercise Physiologist

Although in some Canadian provinces there may be differences in education and in the distinction of terminology, for the CKA, physiology is one of the fields that are integrated into kinesiology. However, it can be the subject of a specialization in the field of kinesiology in the same way as biomechanics, motor skills, anatomy, etc. One may say that exercise physiologists are specialized Kinesiologists who do not perform the entire scope of practice. 

Athletic Therapist

In Canada, a certified athletic therapist (CAT) is a health care professional who specializes in emergency care and in the prevention, identification, intervention, and management of injuries or musculoskeletal conditions, particularly in athletes. This includes acute or chronic musculoskeletal conditions of varying origin. One may say that athletic therapists are specialized Kinesiologists who do not perform the entire scope of practice.

Kinesiologist-kinesiotherapist

A Kinesiologist-kinesiotherapist is not recognized by the CKA because of the wide gap in the profession’s standards of practice. The definition of kinesiologist-kinesiotherapist is as follows [1]:

"Kinesiology-kinesiotherapy is part of a therapeutic treatment framework based on a principle of muscle rebalance with the active participation of the subject in their treatment.

After a personalized clinical observation including visual exams, palpation, and mobilization, the kinesiologist-kinesiotherapist will practise

• Therapeutic massage care with active participation of the subject
• Gentle mobilization maneuvers respecting physiological amplitudes
• Exercise education to achieve musculoskeletal balance for better posture
• Personalized exercise program to avoid relapses
• Therapeutic follow-up to counter the recurrence of musculoskeletal discomfort
• Participate in a multidisciplinary follow-up in association with other members of the health care field to ensure optimal patient care”

The term kinesiotherapist is the name for a physiotherapist in France, and the practice is similar.

Applied Kinesiologist

We must not confuse kinesiology with applied kinesiology, which are two similar areas, but the methods of practice are very different. Our profession is based on recognized scientific data, while applied kinesiology has an esoteric base focused on balancing energy pathways.

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