R. Kin vs. CSEP-CPT
Differences between R.Kin (Registered Kinesiologist) vs CSEP-CPT (Certified Personal Trainer) in Ontario and Canada
See: https://spennyraposo.medium.com/r-kin-vs-csep-cpt-fce8bb8313d0 for original article.
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OVERVIEW
R.Kin or Registered Kinesiologist is a Regulated Health Profession in Ontario.
CSEP-CEP or Certified Exercise Physiologist is a certification for Exercise Physiology in Canada.
R.Kin (Registered Kinesiologist)
R.Kin- Designation for Kinesiologists as a Regulated Health Profession in Ontario by the College of Kinesiologists of Ontario (COKO)
COKO defines: The scope of practice of kinesiology is defined as “the assessment of human movement and performance and its rehabilitation and management to maintain, rehabilitate or enhance movement and performance.” This scope is broad and includes many distinct areas of practice, which may be referred to differently, but are considered kinesiology services. Some examples include athletic therapy, ergonomics, exercise physiology, strength conditioning and rehabilitation therapy. At the same time, there are many types of therapies, competencies or practices that are not within scope, such as psychological counselling or vision testing.
Kinesiology incorporates the sciences of biomechanics, anatomy, physiology, psychology and neuroscience into an all-encompassing healthcare practice. Kinesiologists use the latest evidence-based research to treat and prevent injury and disease, and to improve movement and performance. Kinesiologists work with people of all ages and physical abilities in many settings to help them achieve their health and wellness goals, and improve quality of life. Some areas of kinesiology practice include:
- Health promotion
- Injury rehabilitation
- Pain and chronic disease management
- Ergonomics and workplace safety
- Fitness training and athletics
- Return to work planning and disability management
- Public health
To register with the College, an individual must:
- Have a degree in kinesiology that is at least four years in length, or a degree that is similar (e.g. physical education, human kinetics).
- Submit a criminal record check to the College.
- Pass the College’s entry-to-practice exam.
Once registered, they are permitted to use the titles “kinesiologist”, “registered kinesiologist” and the designation “R.Kin”. All kinesiologists have a registration number which they should provide on their invoices.
Kinesiology services are not covered by OHIP. However, some extended health plans cover kinesiology services and/or treatments and assessments under the scope of practice of kinesiology; check your individual plan. You may also submit out-of-pocket kinesiology expenses on your annual tax return.
Kinesiologist’s in Canada (CKA)
DIFFERENT THAN R.KIN
CKA: Core Areas of Study — Applicant must have university credit in each of the following four Core Areas of Study:
- Human Anatomy: gross human anatomy of the neuromuscular system.
- Human Physiology: physiology and patho-physiology of the muscular, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, endocrine, gastrointestinal and neural systems.
- Biomechanics: anthropometric, neural and Newtonian mechanical considerations in the qualitative and quantitative analysis of human movement.
- Psychomotor Behaviour / Motor Control & Learning: information processing in human motor performance and the principles of learning and performing motor skills.
Services provided by Kins according to CKA:
- Clinical/ Rehab
- Health promotion
- Ergonomics
- Health and safety
- Disability management
Members are registered with their respective PKA (Provincial Kinesiology Association) and CKA. In addition, for Kinesiologists practicing in Ontario, they also must be registered with the Ontario College of Kinesiologists (COKO).
CSEP-CPT (Certified Personal Trainer)
CSEP- CPT: Certification for Personal Training in Canada by the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology (CSEP).
A CSEP-CPT works with individuals to meet their healthy lifestyle goals using an evidence-informed approach acquired through education.
The CSEP Certified Personal Trainer® (CSEP-CPT) is a professional with, at minimum, the equivalent of two years of full-time study (or 60 credits) of University/College coursework in specific core competency areas related to the exercise sciences, from an accredited post-secondary institution. A CSEP-CPT works with apparently healthy individuals or those with a stable health condition who are able to exercise independently.
A CSEP-CPT:
- Conducts pre-participation health screening assessments on all clients using evidence-informed tools, and gathers information about physical activity and lifestyle behaviours.
- Administers various fitness assessments on clients including submaximal aerobic fitness, musculoskeletal fitness (muscular strength, endurance, power, flexibility and balance), and anthropometry.
- Gathers and applies information about the physical activity, fitness, and lifestyle of a client or group of clients to design, implement, and monitor client-tailored sub-maximal exercise programs for healthier living.
- Recognizes their own area of expertise and refers clients who fall outside that expertise to a CSEP Clinical Exercise Physiologist™ (CSEP-CEP), physician, or other appropriate health care provider.
A CSEP-CPT is not authorized by CSEP to:
- Utilize any assessment protocols or design exercise programs that require maximal aerobic or anaerobic effort.*
- Assess muscular strength using maximal 1RM assessment protocols or design programs based on resistance loads exceeding 90% of the predicted 1RM. *
- Use an ECG for any purpose.
- Administer fitness assessments, or design, implement and monitor client-tailored exercise prescription strategies for populations with unstable medical conditions or more than one medical condition, or that the CSEP-CPT feels ill- equipped to address.
- If the CSEP-CPT has successfully completed the CSEP High Performance Specialization™, they may use maximal assessment protocols (including maximal 1RM) and design programs that require maximal aerobic or anaerobic effort for apparently healthy clients.
Scope of Practice: https://csep.ca/csep-certification/csep-cpt-scope-of-practice/
Main Differences:
- R.Kin is billable by insurance as a regulated health profession in Ontario; Personal training is not billable by insurance as a healthcare service.
- All R.Kin’s can become a CPT, not every CPT can become an R.Kin.
- R.Kin is involved more in healthcare and CPT is involved more in health & fitness.
- R.Kin is a self-regulated profession. This means that the government has allowed the profession, through a college, to develop rules to regulate that profession. In exchange for this privilege, these rules must protect the public’s right to competent, safe and ethical care. CPT is governed by the Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology.
We hope this article helped clarify the main differences between the two designations/certifications. Let us know if we missed anything. We’d also like to hear your thoughts about this subject. Do you feel like there is a need to regulate Kinesiology or should we just leave it to the personal trainers to help us with our exercise? LET US KNOW!
Spencer at Kinformation
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