What is the difference between a Kinesiologist and Physiotherapist in Ontario?

Kinesiology has been receiving increased attention since becoming a regulated health profession in 2013, which has had some people asking how kinesiologists are different from other health professionals, such as physiotherapists. It is true that their scopes overlap to a great deal, and this can make it difficult to decide on what professional would be the best to consult for your pain or condition.

I've created the chart below to help clarify roles in the more typical areas that people associate with each profession.

Service	Kinesiologist	Physiotherapist
Exercise Therapy for Injuries	****	****
Exercise Management of Chronic Illness	****	*
Injury Prevention	****	**
Manual Therapy	**	****
Spinal Manipulation	x	**
In-Home Appointments	***	*
Private Insurance Coverage	**	****
Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries	***	****
Rehabilitation of Workplace Injuries	****	****
Diagnosis of Musculoskeletal Injury	x	****
Ergonomics	***	*

Legend: x- never; * - rarely; ** - sometimes; *** - often; **** - almost always

So, we can see that kinesiologists and physiotherapists each provide similar services, although by different amounts depending on things such as the specific competencies of each professional, the need for a diagnosis, and especially the payer of the services.

It is important to mention, however, that unlike physiotherapy, kinesiologists can practice in both clinical and non-clinical practice areas. Non-clinical practice includes case management, health administration, and directing health programs, among others.

The problem with the “kinesiologist vs physiotherapist” debate:

Do a Google search on "kinesiologist vs physiotherapist" and you will undoubtedly find blog articles outlining specific duties or skills each profession offers that are based on business practice, not scope of practice. The kinesiologist's job description in these settings was created by the (non-kinesiologist) business owner and often limits the services that are offered to clients. As the table above shows, a large overlap exists and often a kinesiologist's practice is not at all different from that of a physiotherapist - in the same way that a physiotherapist's practice is not that different from that of a chiropractor.

Thankfully, Ontario is not like some provinces that divide services between professions like pieces of a pie. The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, who sets the scopes of practice for Ontario’s health professions, delibera