Differences Between Exercise Physiology & Kinesiology

All types of activity affect your body on an anatomical and physiological level. Kinesiology identifies the anatomical mechanisms and outcomes of different movement patterns. Exercise physiology shows how workouts influence heart rate, blood pressure, lung capacity and blood profile. Although the two disciplines focus on different aspects of locomotion, the sciences are interrelated. For example, continuous, fast-paced, large-muscle movement elevates heart rate, while an elevated heart rate warms your muscles, making them more flexible.

  1. Exercise Physiology

    • The field of exercise physiology examines the mechanisms by which respiratory, circulatory, digestive, endocrine and neurological systems respond to physical activity. It encompasses energy expenditure, energy transfer and the environmental effects -- such as cold weather, humidity, heat, pollution, pollen and altitude -- on the ability to exercise. Oxygen transport, or the study of how oxygen reaches body tissues, is included in the study. Through exercise physiology, you discover how much activity you need to perform -- and at what intensity -- in order to burn calories, lose weight and protect yourself from heart disease.

    Kinesiology

    • The science of kinesiology encompasses the principles of physics, anatomy, geometry, motor learning and physiology as they apply to the human body and its movements. Through kinesiology, you learn how posture affects your movement efficiency, or lack thereof, and how musculoskeletal injuries occur. Kinesiology also enlightens you about the muscle-building process and how your muscles gain flexibility, agility and coordination.

    Differences

    • Exercise physiology differs from kinesiology in that its primary muscle focus is the heart, as opposed to the other muscles of the body. A lowered resting pulse, body weight and fat percentage and blood pressure indicate the physiological improvements of your exercise program. Kinesiology differs from exercise physiology in that muscles, ligaments, bones, tendons and joints form its primary focus, as opposed to the heart and lungs. Increased muscle strength, tone and flexibility, along with enhanced posture and movement mechanics, indicate kinesiological improvements of an exercise program.

    Exercise Physiology Scope of Practice

    • Board-certified exercise physiologists, cardiologists and pulmonologists all use exercise physiology in determining the cardiovascular health of their patients. They periodically perform exercise stress tests, which indicate whether their patients are improving from either a prescribed exercise program, medication, oxygen treatment or both. Fitness organizations, such as the American Council on Exercise and the American College of Sports Medicine, also engage the services of exercise physiologists in order to determine the effects of different types of aerobic workouts.

    Kinesiology Scope of Practice

    • An office chair, a tennis racket and a resistance-training machine at the gym have one thing in common. Their development received input from a kinesiologist, who studied the movements involved in using the device, determined potential pitfalls and created a efficient and effective design. If, for example, a manager notices an unusual number of workplace injuries, he or she might ask a kinesiologist to conduct a workplace assessment and suggest changes for chairs, desks or other employee work tools. A fitness instructor training program might ask a kinesiologist to compare the efficiency of different exercises for strengthening different body parts.

    Related Practices

    • The inter-dependency of these disciplines means that doctors, physical therapists, orthopedists, personal trainers and athletic coaches study both sciences. A New England skier might perform beautifully on the slopes of Maine, but her technique falls apart in high-altitude Colorado. A pulse oximeter -- a small device placed on the finger to measure pulse and oxygen saturation -- shows that her pulse oxygen has dropped below 90 percent, indicating that insufficient oxygen supply to her muscles has hindered her capacity for coordinated movement. Likewise, unusually high pulse rates during certain athletic fetes might indicate extreme imbalances between muscle groups, forcing the body to use extra energy. The extra energy triggers an elevated heart rate.