Kinesiology

Academic and professional aspects

Kinesiology encompasses human anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, exercise physiology, exercise psychology and sociology, history, and philosophy of sport. The relationship between the quality of movement and overall human health is also studied.

Kinesiological information is applied in such fields as physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, osteopathy, kinesiotherapy, massage therapy, ergonomics, physical education and athletic coaching. The approach of these applications can be therapeutic, preventive, or high-performance. The application of kinesiology can also incorporate knowledge from other academic disciplines such as psychology, physiology, sociology, cultural studies, ecology, evolutionary biology, and anthropology. Related interdisciplinary fields in motor skills, skills research are graphonomics, i.e. the study of handwriting movement control and the study of motor control in speech.

The study of kinesiology is often part of the curriculum for some of the areas in which kinesiological information is used (akin to a medical study – see sports medicine). Despite being a scientifically valid discipline, there is a perception that Kinesiology is an academically anemic major designed for athletes.

There are some professional physical therapists who are also fully credentialed as "Registered Kinesiologists." The general difference between the job of a kinesiologist and a physical therapist is that a kinesiologist will assess movement, or problems in movement with regard to physiology, anatomy and biomechanics, while a physical therapist will actually assess and apply therapeutic techniques to correct the identified problems.

Motions

Below is a (slightly simplified) table of the motions available at the different joints of the body: