- Although you can study kinesiology in a four-year college program, most kinesiologists get their training as part of a professional certification program. This training includes study of biology, anatomy, physiology and often fitness or sports training. Three common certifications include chiropracty, physical therapy and massage therapy.
- A massage therapist requires the least training of any of these healing professions, but still receives significant education in kinesiology. Massage therapists stimulate the muscles of a patient to relax, energize and heal. There are nearly 100 kinds of massage, each of which has a specific training program. Massage therapists rarely work full-time jobs, but rather operate as independent contractors. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports massage therapists earned $35,000 per year on average in 2009.
- A physical therapist guides a patient through a program of exercise and diet in order help him recover after a debilitating accident. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median 2009 wage for physical therapists was $72,790. Physical therapy licensure comes after completion of an undergraduate degree in a related subjects, such as anatomy or sports science, and a two- to four- year graduate program in physical therapy.
- Chiropractors perform adjustments in skeletal alignment and muscle position in order to cure an array of chronic ailments. Although generally associated with auto accidents, some chiropractors claim their work can cure migraine headaches, repetitive stress injuries and even some forms of organ failure. The BLS reports the average 2005 salary for chiropractors was approximately $104,000. Training is similar to becoming a doctor: four years of undergraduate work, three in a Master's program and four more in a doctoral and certification program.
- Advertisement -
- Advertisement -