A kinesiologist is a regulated health care professional who uses exercise, movement, and coaching strategies when necessary to improve your health and movement performance, whether you are injured, ill, or fit and healthy. In Ontario, kinesiologists are often seen working in hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, and fitness/wellness centres; however, many senior kinesiologists also work in non-clinical practice which includes ergonomic consulting, case management, research, and health system administration. Kinesiologists in clinical practice (like me!) may also hold different specialized certifications in Personal Training, Athletic Therapy, Exercise Physiology, Pedorthics, and High-Performance Training, which shows a focus in each practice area within the scope of practice of kinesiology. However, since there are no specializations in the profession, most kinesiologists improve their sphere of competence in these areas through years of continuing education and practical working experience. Lastly, merely graduating from university with a kinesiology degree does not make someone a kinesiologist. The titles "kinesiologist" and "regulated kinesiologist" are protected in Ontario and can only be used by professionals who are members of the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario. This is important because kinesiologists, like doctors and other regulated healthcare professionals, are required to follow strict professional standards on evidence-based practice, privacy, informed consent, professional communication, and others, to ensure the appropriate and ethical treatment of their clients. For more information on the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario and the kinesiology profession, here is a short video!

Most people who become my clients have already tried several different approaches to improving their health condition, and most of them have been to at least one physiotherapist in the process. As I mentioned in my blog article on the differences between a kinesiologist and a physiotherapist, there are a lot of services that overlap and can be provided by either myself or a physiotherapist. However the largest difference between my practice and a typical physiotherapist's treatments is in my approach to work on multiple areas that are all associated with your pain, limited movement, or weakness.

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Your initial assessment is a key factor in deciding the best way to achieve your goals. Rather than putting you through a generic fitness test, your assessment is highly individualized to your physical status, health history, and goals. The goal of the initial assessment is to uncover the cause of your pain or condition that restricts or changes your movement. By analyzing your muscle and movement coordination for both compensatory and suppressed patterns, we can identify the source of your problems, not just the symptoms. In this comprehensive evaluation, we will also discuss your primary complaint (symptoms, condition, or diagnosis for example) and progress goals review your medical history (such as any past surgeries, illnesses, and treatments from other health professionals) discuss your current medications and how they could affect your effort level, progress, or risk of injury. discuss the findings of the assessment to collaboratively set realistic and achievable goals for your program set a timeline and follow-up schedule to keep you on track and moving toward your goals. The results of your initial assessment inform your initial exercise program that you will receive by email before the end of the session. Your exercises will be available on any Wi-Fi enabled device and provide images, written descriptions, and high-quality videos of the correct technique for each exercise.

Each follow-up kinesiology appointment is focused on helping you move closer to achieving the goals set in the initial assessment. It is often a blend of coaching, training, and therapy as needed to keep you on track and progressing forward. For the first few minutes I want an update on how things have been progressing since the last appointment. This could include changes in your pain patterns, activities, and progress in your exercise program. If necessary, we may do a couple of tests or retests to see if anything has changed since your last appointment. This informs us of any adjustments that need to be considered to stay on course. Next, we will review your home exercises to see if any need progressing, or to be changed to keep your program targeted to your needs. We can either modify your existing exercises to make them more specific or change them completely to something that is a better choice. For some clients at higher functional levels, we can use this opportunity to complete a specific workout and set training loads, reps, and sets for your own independent workouts at your home or gym. Lastly, we may do some hands-on techniques such as stretching, joint mobilization, or myofascial release to benefit your progress. We also have access to rehabilitation modalities including ultrasound, interferential current, and muscle stim when control of pain and inflammation is a priority for treatment. As always, your updated home exercise program is emailed to you for online access on any mobile device or computer so that you can feel supported between appointments with clear and easy to follow instructions.

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Many clients will often notice an immediate effect on their pain level, tightness, and capacity. While this has a lot to do with the extent of one's condition, most people I work with feel initial benefits right away. The overall number of appointments necessary depends on the distance of the client's goal, their physical/medical status, and any outside factors that could have either a negative or positive effect on progress. I will not try to lock you into an endless cycle of appointments or block packages. Instead, we team up to get you to your goal on terms that work for your schedule, lifestyle, and financial conditions. By using a motor control approach, we avoid the pitfalls typical of more "sports medicine" approaches, such as post-treatment soreness and uncomfortable exercises. ...more soon!

The College of Kinesiologists of Ontario is the regulatory body that governs the health profession of Kinesiology in Ontario. Watch this great video to learn more!: