American Kinesiotherapy Association (AKA)

About American Kinesiotherapy Association
Kinesiotherapists provide sub-acute or post-acute rehabilitative therapy focusing on therapeutic exercise, reconditioning and physical education. Kinesiotherapists emphasize the psychological as well as physical benefits of therapeutic exercise for rehabilitation. Following a prescription from a licensed practitioner, kinesiotherapists provide rehabilitative exercise and education to patients

These therapeutic exercises enhance the strength, mobility and endurance of functionally limited patients, or those requiring long-term reconditioning. Kinesiotherapists emphasize the psychological as well as physical value of therapeutic exercises. Developed during World War II, kinesiotherapy originally helped wounded or sick soldiers return to their units quickly and at full functionality.

Education
A Kinesiotherapist is a graduate of a CAAHEP (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs) accredited university. The typical length of the kinesiotherapy program is 4 to 5 years. The total minimum requirements are 128 semester hours. Minimum requirements for years 1 and 2 are 59 semester hours and for years 3 and 4 are 67 semester hours. Applicants should have a high school diploma or equivalent and meet institutional entrance requirements. Upon completion of theDidactic Curriculum Kinesiotherapy students are required to complete a minimum of 1,000 hours of clinical internships supervised by a Registered Kinesiotherapist (RKT). The experiences may be done on campus, or at CoA-KT approved off-campus sites. It is strongly suggested that students obtain experiences working with a wide variety of patient populations, with different diagnoses. Internships are most commonly with, but not limited to, the following situations: