Introduction: Many people tend to associate kinesiologists with exercise instructors who teach fitness classes or work as personal trainers. However, in Canada, a registered kinesiologist is actually a regulated health practitioner. The following are parenthetical, sentence, and expanded definitions of registered kinesiologist.
Target Audience and Situation: General Public
Term: Registered Kinesiologist
Parenthetical Definition:
Registered kinesiologists (provincially regulated health practitioners who study human movement, physical and sport activity, and apply their knowledge to promote public health, enhance athletic performance, increase physical activity in society, and improve the quality of life) are specialists in the human movement who are governed by provincial professional kinesiology associations, except in Ontario
Sentence Definition:
Registered kinesiologists are provincially regulated health practitioners who study human movement, physical and sport activity, and apply their knowledge to promote public health, enhance athletic performance, increase physical activity in society, and improve the quality of life.
Expanded Definition:
Registered kinesiologists are university-educated professionals who have extensive knowledge about human movement science. They can help you to prevent and treat movement disorders caused by illness or injury through appropriate exercise prescription, improve your physical performance in sports, work, and daily activities, oversee or assist with the implementation of your individual health care plan, assess workplace demands and provide workplace ergonomics design services to help prevent and/or recover from injury and provide support in rehabilitation and wellness management.
Figure 1 Study field of Kinesiology
Regulation:
The Canadian Kinesiology Alliance (CKA) and its affiliated provincial kinesiology association partners are the official reference bodies with respect to the standards of practice and requirements of the profession. Since 2013, the profession of kinesiology in Ontario has been a legislated health profession with the creation of the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario (CKO). Requests for formal recognition of the profession have been made in several provinces, and work is proceeding with the relevant authorities. At present, the CKA and its recognized provincial partners (PKAs) are the only official associations that maintain and advocate for the standards of kinesiology practice and the requirements of the profession.
Work:
Kinesiologists usually work in interdisciplinary teams, such as physicians, dietitians, physiotherapists, and other members, to ensure patients receive integrated best-practices care for safe and effective treatment. They may also work independently in the community depending on their clients’ needs.
Functions:
Kinesiologists work in various industries, including health promotion, clinical/rehabilitation, ergonomics, health and safety, and disability management and case coordination. In health promotion, they work with individuals to enhance their health, fitness, and well-being. In clinical/rehabilitation, they work with individuals with disabling conditions to help them regain optimal physical function. In ergonomics, they work in the industry to assess the suitability of workstation design and provide suggestions for modifications and assistive devices. In health and safety, they consult with the industry to identify hazards and provide recommendations and solutions to optimize the health and safety of workers. In disability management and case coordination, they provide a plan of action for returning an injured individual to their optimal function in all aspects of life.
Figure 2 Ergonomic workstation
Works Cited:
About Us. School of Kinesiology. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://kin.educ.ubc.ca/about/
Canadian Kinesiology Alliance. (n.d.). What is kinesiology? Canadian Kinesiology Alliance. Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://www.cka.ca/en/what-is-kinesiology
Ergonomics. Environmental Health & Safety. (2022, December 20). Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://ehs.utoronto.ca/our-services/occupational-hygiene-safety/ergonomics/
Kinesiology. BCAK. (n.d.). Retrieved February 9, 2023, from https://bcak.bc.ca/for-the-public/what-kinesiology/
Kritzer B. (2019). Importance of registered kinesiologists. Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien, 65(2), 89–90.
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