Who Is This Article For?

This guide is written for fitness professionals, exercise science students, and healthcare practitioners who want a thorough understanding of kinesiology and how it connects to advanced graduate study. 

If you’re considering a master’s degree in exercise science or a related field, understanding kinesiology is an essential starting point. If you’re already working in athletics, physical therapy, or fitness, this article will help you articulate and formalize the science behind what you do every day. 

Key Takeaways: 

  • Kinesiology is the scientific study of human movement, and it sits at the foundation of exercise science, sports medicine, physical therapy, and rehabilitation. 
  • The field draws on three core disciplines: anatomy and physiology. 
  • Kinesiology careers span clinical, athletic, public health, and corporate wellness settings. 
  • Keiser University’s MS in Exercise and Sport Science is built on kinesiology principles and is designed for health and fitness professionals ready to advance. 

If you work in fitness, athletics, physical therapy, or any health-related field, the science of kinesiology underpins much of what you do (whether or not you’ve ever used the term). Understanding kinesiology formally gives you the conceptual vocabulary and clinical framework to take your practice, and your career, to the next level. 

What Is Kinesiology?

A simple working definition: kinesiology is the study of how and why the human body moves, and how movement can be optimized, rehabilitated, or prevented from breaking down. It is both foundational science and applied practice. Kinesiology is relevant in clinical rehabilitation, elite athletic performance, occupational health, and public health equally.

Kinesiology refers to the study of human movement, but there are a few components you will need to focus on to understand how different parts of the body move and work together. These basic areas of study include anatomy, physiology and biomechanics.

Anatomy

Anatomy refers to the study of the human body. Understanding all the different muscle groups and bones and how they interact is a must in kinesiology because these concepts are so often interrelated. This is especially true when it comes to anatomical position, which is used in kinesiology to understand the region or part of the body in a specific position or stance and how it relates to human movement.

Advances in imaging technology have deepened anatomical understanding significantly, allowing kinesiologists and sports scientists to study the interactions of muscle groups and connective tissue in motion with a precision that was unavailable even a decade ago. This has improved injury prevention protocols and rehabilitation outcomes across sports medicine and physical therapy.

Physiology

Known as the science of life, physiology focuses on understanding the mechanisms of the body and how they function under normal circumstances. When applied to a field like physical therapy or exercise science, physiology may answer important questions about how body parts function and can be improved upon or maintained through exercise and stretches.

While both physiology and kinesiology are concerned with exercise and performance, it’s important to understand that these are two different branches of science. Within the field of kinesiology, physiology is generally considered to be a subset. In other words, it is a concept that needs to be understood and applied to achieve effective practices.

Biomechanics

Another part of kinesiology is the study of mechanical laws as they relate to the movement of the human body. Also known as biomechanics, this area of science looks closely at different parts of the body (including muscles, bones, tendons and ligaments) and how they move. These parts of the body must often work together to perform various movements, so understanding how these components work together is a vital part of kinesiology as a whole.

In some cases, musculoskeletal conditions or other health issues may prevent these parts of the body from working together effectively, so knowing how to identify these issues is crucial within kinesiology and related fields, such as physical therapy and exercise science.

Why Kinesiology Matters: Applications Across Health and Medicine

Why is kinesiology so important, anyway? For starters, kinesiology is at the core of many areas of medicine, including exercise science, sports medicine and physical therapy. The way the human body moves directly impacts just about every aspect of life, including health and wellness and mental well-being.

With a solid understanding of kinesiology, it is possible to work in such positions as:

  • Exercise physiologist
  • Exercise scientist
  • Fitness instructor
  • Public health officer
  • Strength and conditioning coach
  • Lifestyle management consultant
  • Occupational health specialist
  • Corporate wellness director
  • Sports performance analyst
  • Rehabilitation specialist
  • Kinesiologist (in regulated provinces/countries)
  • Health coach (clinical or corporate settings)
  • Athletic trainer (with additional clinical training)
  • Physical therapy assistant (with additional clinical training)

History of Kinesiology

While kinesiology may now be part of our everyday study of the human body and its mechanics, this wasn’t always the case. By understanding how the field of kinesiology got its start and how it has evolved over the years, you can see how far this area of study has come and how its principles are applied in everyday medicine.

Foundations of Kinesiology

According to the Alberta Kinesiology Association, the field has a rich history that dates back thousands of years to ancient Greece. During these early years, it is believed that the philosopher Aristotle first observed the movements of both humans and animals in his analysis of natural science. By the 19th and 20th centuries, researchers started applying principles of physics and engineering to kinesiology.

By the second half of the 20th century, kinesiology concepts were applied to more practical matters, including exercise and physical therapy, for the first time. These new studies, combined with innovative technologies (like the MRI) made it possible for scientists to study human movement in ways that were previously impossible.

In the 21st century, the field has been further transformed by digital technology and data science. Motion capture systems originally developed for film production have been adapted for biomechanical research.

Licensing and Regulation

One of the most common questions people tend to have about working in the field of kinesiology is “What kind of licensing or certification is required?”

If you are interested in working as an athletic trainer, then you may need to get certified by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or a similar governing body. Likewise, if you want to work as a physical therapist, then a degree in kinesiology or a related field may be required.

Other relevant certifications by role: 

  • Exercise Physiologist: Certified Exercise Physiologist (EP-C) or Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-CEP) through the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) 
  • Personal Trainer / Fitness Professional: Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through NASM, ACE, or ACSM 
  • Strength and Conditioning Specialist: CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) through the NSCA 
  • Health Coach: NBC-HWC (National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach) 

Kinesiology Techniques

Many kinesiology techniques can be applied in physical therapy, exercise science and sports medicine to help build muscle strength, improve motor skills and increase range of movement.

All kinesiology techniques and treatments are custom-tailored to meet a patient or client’s precise needs and goals. However, some of the most utilized techniques within the field include:

  • Resistance training
  • Cardiovascular training
  • Postural assessments
  • Balance and agility training
  • Gait analysis and movement screening
  • Neuromuscular re-education
  • Functional movement screening (FMS)
  • Blood flow restriction (BFR) training
  • Sport-specific conditioning protocols
  • Wearable technology-assisted movement monitoring

Principles of Kinesiology

Within the broad field of kinesiology, there are a few principles that professionals must keep at the forefront of their practice. These include such principles as adaptation through exercise, neuroplasticity and motor redundancy. Ultimately, all these principles must be applied to best serve clients and patients who need physical therapy, rehabilitation or any related treatment. They include:

  • Adaptation Through Exercise: The idea is that exercise can help the body adapt and build strength over time to address symptoms, relieve pain, and help patients achieve health and wellness goals. For example, balance intervention programs for seniors can help reduce trip and fall risks 
  • Neuroplasticity: Another key concept behind kinesiology is the idea of neuroplasticity, which refers to the relation between movement and actual changes in the brain. The concept of neuroplasticity includes both adaptive and maladaptive plasticity, with the former referring to the direct impact of physical activity on brain function. 
  • Motor Redundancy: Finally, the idea of motor redundancy, as it relates to kinesiology, refers to the idea that there is essentially an unlimited number of ways in which the body’s nervous system can achieve a task performed by the human body. 

Key technological developments shaping kinesiology practice include: 

  • Wearable movement technology: Consumer and clinical-grade wearables. From smartwatches that track activity and heart rate to medical-grade IMU sensor arrays that capture three-dimensional joint kinematics. 
  • AI-assisted movement analysis: Computer vision and machine learning tools can now analyze movement from standard video footage. These tools are being deployed in physical therapy clinics, sports facilities, and even remote telehealth applications. 
  • Telehealth and virtual rehabilitation: Remote physical therapy and exercise physiology services have expanded dramatically since 2020 and have maintained elevated utilization since. 
  • Exercise as medicine integration: Electronic health records increasingly include exercise prescription modules, and some healthcare systems are piloting exercise referral pathways as a standard component of chronic disease management. This integration is creating structured clinical roles for kinesiologists that did not exist five years ago. 

Interested in Studying Kinesiology?

The way our bodies move can have a major impact on our overall quality of life, which is why anyone who aspires to go into exercise science, sports medicine or any number of related fields should have a solid understanding of the driving principles behind kinesiology. Likewise, understanding how kinesiology techniques can be applied to other fields (such as physical therapy) can help professionals better serve their patients and clients.

If you’re interested in studying kinesiology and other aspects of exercise science, Keiser University’s Master of Science in Exercise and Sport Science may be right for you. This program is offered entirely online and can be completed in as little as 12-24 months, with courses covering topics such as kinesiology, nutrition and physiology among others.

Get in touch with one of Keiser University’s graduate admissions counselors to learn more about our kinesiology program or start your application today.