Studying Kinesiology

The key to great health and wellbeing is achieving a balanced mind, body and soul. When we feel sick or we're not on top of things, it's a telltale sign of an imbalance in the body related to stress, injury, poor nutrition or emotional issues. Studying kinesiology will instill in you the skills for correcting these imbalances, which you can use on yourself and to help others restore good health, prevent diseases and achieve a better quality of life.

What is Kinesiology?

Kinesiology is a form of natural therapy that analyses body movements using muscle monitoring to identify the location of an energy disturbance which manifests as physical, emotional or psychological pain. The concept of kinesiology is based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine framework, including acupuncture, which specifies that the state of a person's health depends on the quality of energy that flows throughout their body. 

A weak muscle indicates an obstruction in the meridians or energy channels in the body, while a firm muscle response implies good health. Each of the meridians corresponds to a specific organ, so a kinesiologist determines the state of a person's health based on the response of their muscles. Then, they use the appropriate correction techniques to restore balance and harmony to their system. 

Kinesiology offers numerous benefits such as the following:

• Relieves pain, including headaches
• Identifies the sources of allergies
• Relieves disorders of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems
• Assists in learning difficulties
• Corrects the posture and body alignment
• Improves range of motion 
• Reduces stress and promote relaxation

It taps into the body's innate wisdom to restore its natural healing mechanism and regain a sense of balance physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Why Study Kinesiology?

Kinesiology is a worthy addition to your healing arsenal because it can address a wide range of conditions. Kinesiologists, as well as other health practitioners who incorporate the modality into their general practice, are capable of helping their clients improve the quality of life faster than conventional means. 

You will learn how to use complex movements to assess the health of your clients as well as recommend an exercise program to address a specific health condition.

Whether you're new to the field of natural health or working on your continuing professional education requirements, completing a kinesiology qualification is a big leap towards a fulfilling career. What's more, you wouldn't want to miss the opportunity to study at one of the best kinesiology schools Australia has.

A kinesiology qualification doesn't limit you to the four walls of a clinic; you can get into the field of education as a qualified university professor, while advanced degrees will pave the way for a career in research. 

What Career Paths Can a Kinesiologist Pursue? 

Kinesiology's unique blend of eastern traditional forms of healing and western understanding of anatomy and physiology make it a fascinating field of study – one that enables you to help others find their sense of balance. Of course, with any course of study, especially in the natural therapies field, you will also learn a lot about yourself.

Kinesiology graduates can establish rewarding careers in different fields. Their exceptional ability in restoring the human body's natural healing mechanism enables them to relieve pain linked to the muscular and nervous systems, identify the root cause of negative emotions and release people from their self-limiting thoughts and habits that hamper their progress in life.

They can work in different healthcare settings, like hospitals, multidisciplinary clinics, rehabilitation clinics, aged care facilities, schools, private health clubs, or set up their own private practice. After earning their qualification, the majority of these health professionals would usually go on to work as:

• Athletic trainers or coaches
• Chiropractors
• Fitness instructors
• Physical therapists
• Massage therapists
• Occupational therapists
• Physical education teacher
• Community health workers

What are the Options for Studying Kinesiology?

Most kinesiology training courses do not have prerequisites, but it's always best to check with the training provider. You can work towards a qualification in kinesiology in many ways. You can complete Diploma of Kinesiology, a Certificate IV or perhaps start off with a one-day taster course to see if the modality is something that you want to do for the long haul. You can even choose an area of concentration based on the program you're enrolled in. Your options may include exercise training, physical education, athletic training or physical therapy, among others.   

The study of kinesiology requires a working knowledge of anatomy, physiology, biomechanics and psychology, but you don't have to be proficient at these subjects. You will learn about them in great detail, along with the relationships between the muscles, meridians and organs, in class. In addition to the lectures and assessments, the course also comes with a supervised hands-on training in a clinical setting where you get to apply a variety of techniques used in muscle testing.

Depending on how deep you want to go into the field, there could be options for using the credits you acquired during your study on a degree course. Check with your preferred education provider for such options.

Most schools allow their students to complete the core units through a learning platform of their choice. That means, you may opt to study on-campus, online or through a blended learning system.

What Skills Does a Kinesiology Student Need?

To succeed in the field of kinesiology, you need good communication and interpersonal skills as the day-to-day work requires extensive consultation and treatment of patients. Empathy and the desire to help others are also important traits. 

As a kinesiology major, you also need to develop important body mechanics and acquire basic skills in business management and first aid.

Whether you're looking to undertake a short course or a degree in kinesiology, you will find the Natural Therapy Pages' comprehensive listing of course providers is a helpful resource for your educational journey. Feel free to go over each school's curriculum. In fact, we suggest speaking to their course advisors so that you can raise your concerns regarding course fees, delivery methods and accreditation, among others.