Registered Kinesiologists vs Personal Trainers: What’s The Difference?
This is an age-old question. What’s the difference between a kinesiologist and a personal trainer? Both professions prescribe exercise, provide sound nutrition advice, and help their clients achieve lifestyle goals. While there is plenty of overlap between the two, there are a number of distinctions that can help one decide who to work with in order to reach specific goals. Both professions strive to ensure that their services enhance the quality of life of the client. They do this by conducting some form of assessment(s), designing exercise programs, and providing accountability and adherence to those programs. There are several studies that conclude that any structured exercise program can manage and mitigate physical, physiological and mental disorders. So if both professions do this, what’s the difference between the two? Why would a client choose to work with kinesiologists over personal trainers, and vice versa?
Let’s do a quick dive into both professions:
Kinesiologist:
According to the Canadian Kinesiology Alliance, “kinesiologists apply exercise and movement science to promote health and wellbeing; prevent, manage and rehabilitate injuries; treat illness and chronic disease; restore function, and optimize human performance in the workplace, clinical settings, sport and fitness. They improve quality of life, often using interventions that include physical activity.” Kinesiologists can work in a number of settings, from clinics, fitness and health facilities, insurance, ergonomics, and hospitals. The scope of practice is so broad that kinesiologists have a lot to offer in the areas of fitness, rehabilitation and performance.
Kinesiology is also a regulated activity under the Regulated Health Professions Act (1991) (RHPA), where other standing health professions under the direction of the RHPA include physicians and surgeons, chiropractors, massage therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, nurses, and dietitians. (Braniff, 2012). This makes “kinesiologist” a protected title, where only qualified individuals can practice (names are listed under a public registrar). The governing body (such as the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario) sets requirements and a code of ethics developed with a high priority to protect the public. This includes developing standards around record-keeping, fees and billing, and providing informed and ongoing consent. There are boards, committees and due processes in place if a member were to have a complaint filed against them.
There are several fields studied in kinesiology/ health science degree, which includes physiology, biomechanics, and human anatomy to great extent and detail. Clients of a kinesiologist can vary from students, adults, seniors, pre and post-natal, military, athletes, kids, workers all with or without pathology. Sectors of employment can be municipal, research, private and public, fitness, military, insurance, communities, outdoors, athletics, work/corporate, and government. As kinesiologists, they have an opportunity to specialize in symptomatic populations, such as metabolic conditions, oncology, cardiovascular rehab, pulmonary disorders, mental health and chronic pain. This can provide a higher quality of service for patients and clients with multiple issues. Collaborating with other health professionals in a multi-disciplinary approach can contribute to patient evaluation with an entire medical team.
Personal Trainer:
Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology defines a personal trainer as “those that work with individuals to meet their healthy lifestyle goals using an evidence-informed approach acquired through post-secondary education. A CSEP Certified Personal Trainer administers an assessment process for assessing, gathering, and applying information about a client's physical activity fitness, and sedentary behaviour levels to inform the development of a client-tailored physical activity, fitness and lifestyle plan.” They are often employed in fitness facilities, group fitness studios, or run their own businesses.
There are a number of certifications that a personal trainer can attain, from a Fitness Instruction Specialist to niches such as Pre-Post Natal and Nutrition. In spite of the amount of education available, there are some studios that do not require their personal trainers to be certified. This leaves some personal trainers available to work and train clients without ever providing proof of certifications. Those that are certified within a registration body must complete Continuing Education Credits per year or biannually. However, there are a number of organizations/associations in which none of them are governing bodies. The difference between an association (such as Can Fit Pro), and a regulatory college (College of Kinesiologists of Ontario), is that an association will advance the interest of the members, where a college will regulate the profession considering the best interest of the public. In Canada, fitness instruction is currently unregulated.
If a client is apparently healthy, with minimal to zero limitations, injury and illness-free, then a Certified Personal Trainer is more than suitable. If a client were to develop/has an injury, has metabolic conditions/limitations, or are using several medications, there is an onus on the trainer to refer that client to their physician/ a specialist. The exercise prescription and its considerations for that client can become complex and meticulous. It would also be outside of the trainer’s scope of practice, even if they are educated and experienced in that area.
A client can be apparently healthy to work with a kinesiologist as well. If the client were to suffer any injuries or limitations to exercise, the kinesiologist can definitely treat, rehabilitate and return the client to their regular activities. However, a kinesiologist does not have the ability to diagnose a client with a condition. Kinesiology is not a medical diagnostic field and must rely on collaborative and multidisciplinary care to acquire a diagnosis if need be. In this scenario, a kinesiologist would also refer out to a specialist, as providing and communicating a diagnosis is also outside of the kinesiologist’s scope of practice.
Regardless of the profession, the patient and client have the right to ask questions and feel comfortable with the standard of care provided to them. A client should feel informed on the rationale behind their exercise prescription, and also has the right to refuse any exercise that they don’t feel comfortable with, especially if it promotes pain. Personal Trainers can be a great fit to provide accountability, motivation, and improve the overall fitness and health of their clients. Kinesiologists have the ability to treat and rehabilitate several conditions using physical activity, with the option to collaborate with other regulated health professionals. Both the personal trainer and kinesiologist must stay within their scope of practice and refer their patients to a practitioner as required. The fitness industry has room for both professions to grow their practice and promote health and wellness to their clientele.
Questions? Email info@getyourfitnessfix.com or www.getyourfitnessfix.com
Braniff, K. , Montelpare, W. and McPherson, M. (2012) Assessing the relative perspective of the regulation of kinesiologists among other health professionals. Health, 4, 464-469. doi: 10.4236/health.2012.48074.
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Francesca McKenzie is a Registered Kinesiologist and Personal Trainer of 15 years with experience in rehabilitation, strength & conditioning, performance and wellness.
