Kinesiologists are health professionals who work with patients in a wide variety of settings. They serve as exercise physiologists, functional assessment specialists, return to work specialists and medical legal evaluators in hospital, long-term care and clinic settings.
Physical Therapy
A career as a therapist can be rewarding, and also challenging. It is an excellent choice for anyone who loves helping people to get back on their feet after a serious injury or illness and who wants to work in the medical profession. A kinésiologie formation can help prepare you to become a physical therapist.
A degree in kinesiology can also be helpful to those interested in becoming an occupational or physical therapist assistant, which are entry-level positions that don’t require the same level of education as a doctorate. Kinesiology graduates often choose to go into this area of healthcare.
There are many other ways to put a kinesiology diploma to good use in the fitness sector. People who are interested in a fitness career can find work as personal trainers, exercise physiologists or other roles in the fitness field. Kinesiology graduates are also found in the field of health promotion and wellness, where they help to improve a person’s overall health and wellbeing by offering guidance on goal-setting, healthy lifestyle choices, and introducing movement into their daily routine.
Rehabilitation is one of the most sought-after careers for kinesiology students. Many professionals in this field work in hospitals, clinics, and private settings with patients who suffer from musculoskeletal or cardiovascular conditions. Kinesiologists can be found as rehabilitation providers, functional assessment specialists, return to work specialists and case managers.
Neuroplasticity is another area of research in the field of kinesiology. This is the belief that the brain can change and adapt through new experiences, particularly physical experience. It is also based on the idea that when the brain changes, muscle movements will follow suit.
Applied kinesiology is a holistic therapy that uses manual muscle testing to evaluate imbalances in the body. These practitioners claim that these imbalances may be emotional, psychological or biochemical and aim to promote a balance, whole-body wellness through their work. Although applied kinesiology does not fall under traditional medicine, it can be combined with other modalities, such as massage therapy or chiropractic.
Athletic Training
You may be interested in degree programs such as kinesiology, exercise science or health and fitness. Both are focused on the field human movement and provide exciting career options. However, it is important to understand the difference between these two fields before choosing your program. A kinesiology degree addresses movement problems holistically, while a physical therapy degree requires a doctoral degree and applies medical procedures to specific injuries.
A bachelor’s in kinesiology could lead to careers such as personal trainer, massage therapy, exercise physiologist and athletic coach. Some kinesiologists go on to earn graduate degrees in order to become a therapist. This is a highly specialized field that requires additional training.
Kinesiologists can also specialize in applied kinesiology, a holistic form of health care that seeks to identify and treat the root causes of physical issues. This form of wellness has shown to boost mental and emotional health and improve sports performance.
Applied kinesiology utilizes manual muscle testing, a technique that allows professionals to evaluate the structural and functional health of a person’s neuromuscular system. This method of analysis is based on the theory that muscles are linked to organs, and that imbalances in these muscles can cause health problems.
Some kinesiologists serve as consultants to businesses, offering analysis and advice on safety, ergonomics, fitness, and other related topics. These specialists can identify workplace hazards and suggest ways to prevent injury, while promoting productivity and health. They can develop individualized fitness programs to help injured employees get back to their full fitness. These professionals often work closely with occupational therapists and physical therapists, helping them determine the best course of treatment for their patients.
Fitness & Nutrition
If your goal is to become a physical therapist, then you will probably want to consider enrolling in a bachelor’s degree program that includes a pre-physical therapy track. You should also try to take as many science and human anatomy and physiology classes as possible, so that you can have the most up-to-date knowledge of human movement when you graduate.
Another popular area of study is applied kinesiology. It is based on muscle testing. This system of healing uses manual muscle tests to diagnose imbalances in the human body. It has roots in acupuncture, chiropractics and Chinese medicine and it claims to be able to diagnose disease before symptoms occur.
You will need to pass the state exams and complete your degree requirements depending on your chosen career path before you can start working. After that, you can apply for a variety jobs. Some kinesiologists choose to become personal trainers, while others work with athletes at the high school, collegiate or professional level. Still others work in occupational therapy or as ergonomists, helping patients with injuries that happen at the workplace or during daily activities. There are also kinesiologists who specialize in adapted physical activity, helping children and adults stay physically fit despite having a disability.
Research
Researchers with a kinesiology qualification focus on human movements and explore how they affect the health and wellbeing of individuals. They may also examine how different activities can impact the body and how it responds to them. They are interested to know about physical activity in all its forms, such as exercise, work or play. This research can lead new methods of training and preventing injuries.
Researchers in Kinesiology often use a multidisciplinary method to study the positive effects of exercise on the brain. The field of kinesiology intersects with other fields such as neuroscience, biomedical engineering and psychology.
Exercise science and kinesiology are two very different fields. Exercise science is more focused on the physiological responses to exercise, while kinesiology is more about how the body moves and how exercise can be used to prevent injury and promote health.
Both faculty and graduate student conduct research in kinesiology. It can be as broad or as narrow as the area of interest.
In the Exercise and Gastrointestinal Health Laboratory, students examine how physical activity changes the gut microbiome and decreases systemic inflammation in mice. This type of research could be useful for athletes, soldiers, and astronauts.
Another area of research is motor learning. This involves determining how people learn to create coordinated movements and analyzing those with and without movement disorder.
Bachelor’s degrees in kinesiology are a great way to get a job in the field. A kinesiologist working as a physical therapy can help clients recover from strokes and back injuries. They can also give general fitness and exercise tips, and perform ergonomic assessments in order to assess the client’s work environment and recommend improvements.