Kinesiotherapy is the application of scientifically based exercise principles adapted to enhance the strength, endurance, and mobility of individuals with functional limitations of those requiring extended physical conditioning.

Contents [hide] 1 Occupational description 2 Job description 3 Employment characteristics 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Occupational description

The kinesiotherapist is academically and clinically prepared to provide rehabilitation exercise and education under the prescription of a licensed physician in an appropriate setting. Kinesiotherapists are qualified to implement exercise programs designed to reverse or minimize debilitation and enhance the functional capacity of medically stable patients in a wellness, sub-acute, or extended care setting. The role of the kinesiotherapist demands intelligence, judgment, honesty, interpersonal skills, and the capacity to react to emergencies in a calm and reasoned manner. An attitude of respect for self and others, adherence to the concepts of privilege and confidentiality in communicating with patients, and a commitment to the patient's welfare are standard attributes. At a minimum, a kinesiotherapist is educated in areas of basic exercise science and clinical applications of rehabilitation exercise. Training is received in orthopedic, neurological, psychiatric, pediatric, cardiovascular- pulmonary, and geriatric practice settings.

[edit] Job description

Kinesiotherapy is the application of scientifically based exercise principles adapted to enhance the strength, endurance, and mobility of individuals with functional limitations or those requiring extended physical conditioning.

The kinesiotherapist is a health care professional competent in the administration of musculoskeletal, neurological, ergonomic, biomechanical, psychosocial, and task-specific functional tests and measures. The kinesiotherapist determines the appropriate evaluation tools and interventions necessary to establish, in collaboration with the client, a goal-specific treatment plan.

The intervention process includes the development and implementation of a treatment plan, assessment of progress toward goals, modification as necessary to achieve goals and outcomes, and client education. The foundation of clinician-client rapport is based on education, instruction, demonstration, and mentoring of therapeutic techniques and behaviors to restore, maintain, and improve overall functional abilities.

The scope of practice for kinesiotherapy identifies the job tasks that registered kinesiotherapists are qualified to perform. The individual kinesiotherapist may obtain additional training and credentials in areas beyond the scope of practice. The Standards of Practice for registered kinesiotherapists serves as a guideline for practicing registered kinesiotherapists and provides a basis for assessment of kinesiotherapy practices.

[edit] Employment characteristics

Registered kinesiotherapists are employed in Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, public and private hospitals, medical fitness facilities, rehabilitation facilities, learning disability centers, schools, colleges and universities, private practice, and as exercise consultants.

The types of treatments carried out by kinesiotherapists focus on but are not limited to: therapeutic exercise, ambulation training, geriatric rehabilitation, aquatic therapy, adapted fitness and conditioning, prosthetic/orthotic rehabilitation, psychiatric rehabilitation, driver training, and adapted exercise for the home setting.^[1]

A registered kinesiotherapist is an allied health^[2] professional competent in the administration of musculoskeletal, neurological, ergonomic, biomechanical, psychosocial, and task specific functional tests and measures. The kinesiotherapist determines the appropriate evaluation tools and interventions necessary to establish, in collaboration with the client, a goal specific treatment plan.

The intervention process includes the development and implementation of a treatment plan, assessment of progress toward goals, modification as necessary to achieve goals and outcomes, and client education. The foundation of clinician-client rapport is based on education, instruction, demonstration and mentoring of therapeutic techniques and behaviors to restore, maintain and improve overall functional abilities.

Kinesiotherapists can administer treatment only upon receipt of a prescription from qualified physicians, nurse practitioners and/or physicians' assistants.

Kinesiology, derived from the Greek words kinesis (movement) and kinein (to move), also known as human kinetics, is the science of human movement. It is a discipline that focuses on Physical Activity. ^[1] A kinesiological approach applies scientific based medical principles towards the analysis, preservation and enhancement of human movement in all settings and populations.^[2] Kinesiologists work in research, the fitness industry, clinically, and in industrial environments.^[3] Studies on human motion may be supported by computer vision, using stereo camera systems for pose recognition and motion modeling.^[4][5] It is not to be confused with applied kinesiology, a controversial^[6][7][8] alternative medicine technique related to chiropractic techniques.

Contents [hide] 1 Basics 2 Physical activity 3 Scope of practice 4 Licensing, regulations 5 Health services 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

[edit] Basics

The definition of physical activity is a highly debated topic. Not all individuals who are associated within the field of kinesiology agree on the technical definition of physical activity.^[1] In North America, kinesiologists are conferred a Bachelor of Science degree (or higher) in Kinesiology or Human Kinetics, while in Australia or New Zealand, they are often conferred an Applied Science (Human Movement) degree (or higher). Kinesiologists assess human movement, performance, and function by applying the sciences of biomechanics, anatomy, physiology, and motor learning. Kinesiologists are involved in the rehabilitation, prevention, and management of disorders to maintain, rehabilitate, or enhance movement, function or performance in the areas of sport, recreation, work, and exercise. Kinesiologists also provide consulting services, conduct research, and develop policies related to rehabilitation, human motor performance, ergonomics, and occupational health and safety. The bodily motion utilized from physical motion sets the rhythm for the organs in the body.

[edit] Physical activity

There is a large debate centered on the technical definition of physical activity. These debates range from whether or not an action is voluntary or involuntary, purposeful in direction within a specific activity, as well as the difference between movement and physical activity.^[1] One way to think about the relationship between movement and physical activity is this: Movement is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for physical activity. If you are performing a physical activity, you are using movement; but not every movement is a physical activity - e.g., blinking an eye, swallowing, contraction of diaphragm.^[1] One definition of physical activity is as follows: Voluntary movement intentionally performed in order to achieve a goal in sport, exercise, or any other sphere of life experience. In relation to this definition of physical activity, one definition of movement is as follows: Includes any change in the position of your body parts relative to each other.^[1]

Kinesiotherapist

Occupational Description The kinesiotherapist is academically and clinically prepared to provide rehabilitation exercise and education under the prescription of a licensed physician in an appropriate setting. Kinesiotherapists are qualified to implement exercise programs designed to reverse or minimize debilitation and enhance the functional capacity of medically stable patients in a wellness, sub-acute, or extended care setting. The role of the kinesiotherapist demands intelligence, judgment, honesty, interpersonal skills, and the capacity to react to emergencies in a calm and reasoned manner. An attitude of respect for self and others, adherence to the concepts of privilege and confidentiality in communicating with patients, and a commitment to the patient's welfare are standard attributes. At a minimum, a kinesiotherapist is educated in areas of basic exercise science and clinical applications of rehabilitation exercise. Training is received in orthopedic, neurological, psychiatric, pediatric, cardiovascular-pulmonary, and geriatric practice settings. Job Description Kinesiotherapy is the application of scientifically based exercise principles adapted to enhance the strength, endurance, and mobility of individuals with functional limitations or those requiring extended physical conditioning. The kinesiotherapist is a health care professional competent in the administration of musculoskeletal, neurological, ergonomic, biomechanical, psychosocial, and task-specific functional tests and measures. The kinesiotherapist determines the appropriate evaluation tools and interventions necessary to establish, in collaboration with the client, a goal-specific treatment plan. The intervention process includes the development and implementation of a treatment plan, assessment of progress toward goals, modification as necessary to achieve goals and outcomes, and client education. The foundation of clinician-client rapport is based on education, instruction, demonstration, and mentoring of therapeutic techniques and behaviors to restore, maintain, and improve overall functional abilities. The Scope of Practice for Kinesiotherapy identities the job tasks that registered kinesiotherapists are qualified to perform. This document reflects the evaluation procedures and treatment interventions for medically stable individuals who need extended physical conditioning. The individual kinesiotherapist may obtain additional training and credentials in areas beyond the scope of practice. The Standards of Practice for Registered Kinesiotherapists serves as a guideline for practicing registered kinesiotherapists and provides a basis for assessment of kinesiotherapy practices. Employment Characteristics Registered kinesiotherapists are employed in Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, public and private hospitals, sports medicine facilities, rehabilitation facilities, learning disability centers, schools, colleges and universities, private practice, and as exercise consultants. The types of treatments carried out by kinesiotherapists focus on but are not limited to: Therapeutic exercise Ambulation training Geriatric rehabilitation Aquatic therapy Adapted fitness and conditioning Prosthetic/orthotic rehabilitation Psychiatric rehabilitation Driver training Adapted exercise for the home setting Depending on the particular job setting, the average projected starting salary for registered kinesiotherapists is $30,000 to $36,000 annually. Educational Programs Length. The kinesiotherapy program is 4 to 5 years. The total minimum requirements are 128 semester hours. Minimum requirements for years 1 and 2 are 59 semester hours and for years 3 and 4 are 67 semester hours. Prerequisites. Applicants should have a high school diploma or equivalent and meet institutional entrance requirements. Curriculum. The program has a comprehensive academic and clinical curriculum plan that fulfills or exceeds the minimum requirements for kinesiotherapy accreditation. The curriculum plan includes an organized and sequential series of integrated learning experiences designed to achieve or exceed minimum competencies. All academic and clinical courses are guided by written measurable behavioral objectives and use case-based, patient-centered, problem-solving activities. The curriculum plan includes academic learning experiences, which lead to the attainment of all academic competencies listed in the Minimum Core Competencies of Kinesiotherapists. Students must complete the following content areas: human anatomy, human physiology, exercise physiology, kinesiology/biomechanics, therapeutic exercise/adapted physical education, growth and development, motor learning/control/performance, general psychology, organization and administration, tests and measurements, research methods or statistics, and first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Introduction to Kinesiotherapy, pathophysiology, clinical neurology, rehabilitation procedures, patient assessment and management, and therapeutic activities. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the following academic courses: abnormal psychology or mental health, physiological psychology, exercise testing and prescription, gerontology, medical ethics, medical terminology, pharmacology, health/medical/functional outcomes management, health education, and Kinesiotherapy I and II.

Kinesiotherapy is defined as the application of scientifically based exercise principles adapted to enhance the strength, endurance, and mobility of individuals with functional limitations or those requiring extended physical conditioning. A registered kinesiotherapist can administer treatment only upon receipt of a prescription from qualified physicians, nurse practitioners and/or physician's assistants who have been privileged to make such referrals.

http://www.akta.org/about/timeline.shtml

Physical therapy (British English: physiotherapy) is a health care profession that provides treatment to individuals to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and function throughout life. This includes providing treatment in circumstances where movement and function are threatened by aging, injury, disease or environmental factors.

Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, treatment/intervention, habilitation and rehabilitation. This encompasses physical, psychological, emotional, and social well being. It involves the interaction between physical therapist (PT), patients/clients, other health professionals, families, care givers, and communities in a process where movement potential is assessed and goals are agreed upon, using knowledge and skills unique to physical therapists.^[1] Physical therapy is performed by either a physical therapist (PT) or an assistant (PTA) acting under their direction.^[2]

PTs use an individual's history and physical examination to arrive at a diagnosis and establish a management plan and, when necessary, incorporate the results of laboratory and imaging studies. Electrodiagnostic testing (e.g., electromyograms and nerve conduction velocity testing) may also be of assistance.^[3]

Physical therapy has many specialties including cardiopulmonary, geriatrics, neurologic, orthopedic and pediatrics, to name some of the more common areas. PTs practice in many settings, such as outpatient clinics or offices, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, skilled nursing facilities, extended care facilities, private homes, education and research centers, schools, hospices, industrial workplaces or other occupational environments, fitness centers and sports training facilities.^[4]

Education qualifications vary greatly by country. The span of education ranges from some countries having little formal education to others requiring masters or doctoral degrees.

Contents [hide] 1 History 2 Education 3 Specialty areas 3.1 Cardiopulmonary 3.2 Geriatric 3.3 Neurological 3.4 Orthopedic 3.5 Pediatric 3.6 Integumentary 4 See also 5 References

[edit] History

Physicians like Hippocrates and later Galenus are believed to have been the first practitioners of physical therapy, advocating massage, manual therapy techniques and hydrotherapy to treat people in 460 B.C.^{[5][verification needed]} After the development of orthopedics in the eighteenth century, machines like the Gymnasticon were developed to treat gout and similar diseases by systematic exercise of the joints, similar to later developments in physical therapy.^[6]

The earliest documented origins of actual physical therapy as a professional group date back to Per Henrik Ling “Father of Swedish Gymnastics” who founded the Royal Central Institute of Gymnastics (RCIG) in 1813 for massage, manipulation, and exercise. The Swedish word for physical therapist is “sjukgymnast” = “sick-gymnast.” In 1887, PTs were given official registration by Sweden's National Board of Health and Welfare.

Other countries soon followed. In 1894 four nurses in Great Britain formed the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.^[7] The School of Physiotherapy at the University of Otago in New Zealand in 1913,^[8] and the United States' 1914 Reed College in Portland, Oregon, which graduated "reconstruction aides."^[9]

Research catalyzed the physical therapy movement. The first physical therapy research was published in the United States in March 1921 in The PT Review. In the same year, Mary McMillan organized the Physical Therapy Association (now called the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). In 1924, the Georgia Warm Springs Foundation promoted the field by touting physical therapy as a treatment for polio.^[10]

Treatment through the 1940s primarily consisted of exercise, massage, and traction. Manipulative procedures to the spine and extremity joints began to be practiced, especially in the British Commonwealth countries, in the early 1950s.^[11][12] Later that decade, physical therapists started to move beyond hospital based practice, to outpatient orthopedic clinics, public schools, college/universities, geriatric settings (skilled nursing facilities), rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and medical centers.

Specialization for physical therapy in the U.S. occurred in 1974, with the Orthopaedic Section of the APTA being formed for those physical therapists specializing in orthopaedics. In the same year, the International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapy was formed,^[13] which has played an important role in advancing manual therapy worldwide ever since.

[edit] Education

Main article: List of physical therapy training

World Confederation of Physical Therapy (WCPT) recognises there is considerable diversity in the social, economic, cultural, and political environments in which physical therapist education is conducted throughout the world. WCPT recommends physical therapist entry-level educational programs be based on university or university-level studies, of a minimum of four years, independently validated and accredited as being at a standard that accords graduates full statutory and professional recognition. [2] WCPT acknowledges there is innovation and variation in program delivery and in entry-level qualifications, including first university degrees (Bachelors/Baccalaureate/Licensed or equivalent), Masters and Doctorate entry qualifications. What is expected is that any program should deliver a curriculum that will enable physical therapists to attain the knowledge, skills, and attributes described in these guidelines.

Professional education prepares physical therapists to be autonomous practitioners in collaboration with other members of the health care team.[7]

Physical therapist entry-level educational programs integrate theory, evidence and practice along a continuum of learning. This begins with admission to an accredited physical therapy program and ending with retirement from active practice.[2]

202 of 211 accredited physical therapy programs in the US are accredited at the doctoral level.

[edit] Specialty areas

Because the body of knowledge of physical therapy is quite large, some PTs specialize in a specific clinical area. While there are many different types of physical therapy,^[14] the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties list seven specialist certifications, including Sports Physical Therapy and Clinical Electrophysiology.^[15] Worldwide the six most common specialty areas in physical therapy are:^[16]

[edit] Cardiopulmonary

Cardiovascular and pulmonary rehabilitation physical therapists treat a wide variety of individuals with cardiopulmonary disorders or those who have had cardiac or pulmonary surgery. Primary goals of this specialty include increasing endurance and functional independence. Manual therapy is used in this field to assist in clearing lung secretions experienced with cystic fibrosis. Disorders, including heart attacks, post coronary bypass surgery, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pulmonary fibrosis, treatments can benefit^{[citation needed]} from cardiovascular and pulmonary specialized physical therapists.^{[16][verification needed]}

[edit] Geriatric

Geriatric physical therapy covers a wide area of issues concerning people as they go through normal adult aging but is usually focused on the older adult. There are many conditions that affect many people as they grow older and include but are not limited to the following: arthritis, osteoporosis, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, hip and joint replacement, balance disorders, incontinence, etc.

Geriatric physical therapy helps^{[citation needed]} those affected by such problems in developing a specialized program to help restore mobility, reduce pain, and increase fitness levels.^{[16][verification needed]}

[edit] Neurological

Neurological physical therapy is a discipline focused on working with individuals who have a neurological disorder or disease. These include Alzheimer's disease, ALS, brain injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, and stroke. Common impairments associated with neurologic conditions include impairments of vision, balance, ambulation, activities of daily living, movement, speech and loss of functional independence.^[16]

[edit] Orthopedic

Orthopedic physical therapists diagnose, manage, and treat disorders and injuries of the musculoskeletal system including rehabilitation after orthopedic surgery. This specialty of physical therapy is most often found in the out-patient clinical setting. Orthopedic therapists are trained in the treatment of post-operative orthopedic procedures, fractures, acute sports injuries, arthritis, sprains, strains, back and neck pain, spinal conditions and amputations.

Joint and spine mobilization/manipulation, therapeutic exercise, neuromuscular reeducation, hot/cold packs, and electrical muscle stimulation (e.g., cryotherapy, iontophoresis, electrotherapy) are modalities often used to expedite recovery in the orthopedic setting.^{[17][verification needed]} Additionally, an emerging adjunct to diagnosis and treatment is the use of sonography for diagnosis and to guide treatments such as muscle retraining.^[18][19][20] Those who have suffered injury or disease affecting the muscles, bones, ligaments, or tendons of the body will benefit^{[citation needed]} from assessment by a physical therapist specialized in orthopedics.

[edit] Pediatric

Pediatric physical therapy assists in early detection of health problems and uses a wide variety of modalities to treat disorders in the pediatric population. These therapists are specialized in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of infants, children, and adolescents with a variety of congenital, developmental, neuromuscular, skeletal, or acquired disorders/diseases. Treatments focus on improving gross and fine motor skills, balance and coordination, strength and endurance as well as cognitive and sensory processing/integration. Children with developmental delays, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, or torticollis, may be treated^{[citation needed]} by pediatric physical therapists.^{[16][verification needed]}

[edit] Integumentary

Integumentary (treatment of conditions involving the skin and related organs). Common conditions managed include wounds and burns. Physical therapists utilize surgical instruments, mechanical lavage, dressings and topical agents to debride necrotic tissue and promote tissue healing. Other commonly used interventions include exercise, edema control, splinting, and compression garments.

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