The AKA is a professional association for kinesiologists in the province of Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1995 to promote and regulate the practice of kinesiology in the province.

The AKA offers a wide range of services to its members, including professional development opportunities, networking events, advocacy on behalf of the profession, and access to liability insurance and other benefits.

The AKA works closely with other professional organizations in the field of kinesiology, both within Canada and internationally, to promote the advancement of the profession and the sharing of knowledge and best practices.

The AKA is currently developing a certification program and acknowledges certifications from other organizations that adhere to its standards for education and training.

The AKA is actively involved in advocating for the regulation of kinesiology in Alberta. The organization works closely with government officials and other stakeholders to promote the importance of kinesiology as a profession and ensure that practitioners are held to the highest standards of practice.

While holders of other certifications receive training in both kinesiology and exercise science, what distinguishes AKA members is the comprehensive scope of practice. This expanded scope of practice encompasses the ability to conduct assessments, develop treatment plans, and prescribe exercise programs, allowing AKA members to provide extensive and specialized care in promoting health and wellness.

Step 1

You must hold an active membership with your respective PKA to be entitled to this benefit. In order to transfer your membership between provinces into Alberta, please either ensure you are publicly listed in your PKA’s directory OR submit a request for PKA to “Send the AKA verification of my current membership status”. 

This message must be received directly from your PKA if you choose this option. Appropriate contacts vary between PKA’s but this information can be found on your PKA website.
 

Step 2

We will get in touch with you once we receive confirmation of membership from the other PKA (step 1). Next, for the PKA transfer, you will then be required to apply to the Alberta Kinesiology Association as a “Professional Kinesiologist.”  

In your application submission please attach the following documents:

• Official or Unofficial transcripts of all applicable institutions that are to be sent via:

• Email: admin@albertakinesiology.ca 
• Mail: P.O. Box 4358, Edmonton, AB, T6E 4T3

• Scanned copy of your official degree - program completion letter can be accepted if prior to convocation date.
• PKA Membership Card - In place of the “Course Requirement Checklist”

To be a Practicing Student Member we require the member to be under direct supervision. The supervisor must be an AKA Professional Kinesiologist as they are more aware of the scope of practice.

As for where the Kin is located, supervising can take place virtually as long as you keep them well informed of the services and programs you are offering.

There is a frequent and common misconception of what CSEP certification insurance covers in comparison to Prolink insurance available with the AKA. A perfect example is that CSEP CEP does not cover the following services:

• Return to work planning,
• Ergonomic intervention,
• Wellness intervention at the population level,
• Brain injury, physical demands and functional capacity evaluations, and much more.

As a result, please read the formal statement below that was provided by our insurance underwriter:

The Professional Liability Policy is exclusively available to AKA members and extends to cover the CEP/CPT scope of practice; however, insurance for a CEP/CPT does not cover the full scope of practice for a Kinesiologist, and will not be sufficient to register with the AKA. All AKA members providing professional services related under their CEP/CPT certification will be covered under the AKA Professional Liability policy.  To reiterate, you do not need to purchase a separate Professional Liability Policy to cover your CEP certification under the Professional Liability Policy available to AKA Members under LMS Prolink.

That being said, any job position that lists CSEP-CEP as a requirement should consider AKA membership as superior to CSEP certifications due to the limited scope of practice and professional liability insurance available under CSEP certifications.

Non Practicing Memberships are for people on leave (mat leave, sick leave, management positions, etc) from the practicing of Kinesiology. This membership does not include insurance and does not cover you for the Scope of Practice. A Professional Membership provides you with insurance for our Scope of Practice to practice as a Kinesiologist.

A Practicing Student membership provides you with insurance to practice under an experienced Kinesiologist in order to gain hands-on experience during your time as a student. A Student Membership grants you access to the benefits and perks that are offered by our association.

The AKA offers a range of services to its members, including professional development opportunities, networking events, and access to research and resources related to the field of kinesiology. Members also receive exclusive discounts on products and services from AKA partners.

If you are audited you will be required to prove your PDCs for the audit year. Being selected for an audit is completely random and is not meant to single anyone out. If you have been selected and you have not been a member for more than 2 years, you will be omitted from the audit with a simple email. Every member has 2 years to collect 30 PDCs to keep their membership current.

A member can choose to have alternative insurance, although the insurance you choose must cover everything in our Scope of Practice. Alternative insurance must include a minimum of 2 million liability in addition to the ability to cover for the entire Scope of Practice as described.

All members must provide proof of degree, official transcripts and the Core Requirements checklist. This will all be reviewed prior to the validation of a membership.

If you are having issues with renewal of your membership please contact the Admin email to discuss the issues you are running into.

Students from qualifying universities or selected schools are eligible for discounts on memberships. Please contact the admin email for more information.

A Mature applicant is someone who has been out of school for at least 5 years. In this process you will be required to provide proof of degree, official transcripts and proof of 50 relevant PDCs to Kinesiology in the past 5 years.

All Kinesiologists are expected to register with the association in the province that they reside and provide services within. There is the potential for cross-border service for those kinesiologists who live near borders of other provinces; for example, in the border towns along Highways 1 and 3 between the AB and BC. 

If you have insurance with an alternative provider, you must contact your broker directly to clarify. For those with CKA Professional Liability Insurance policies through Prolink, your policy provides coverage for any advice, services, and training that you provide in a digital format (i.e. online or virtual care)— as long as you ensure that you are operating within your scope as a Kinesiologist as defined by the CKA. 

However, please be advised that this policy will only respond if a lawsuit or allegation is brought against you in Canada.

If you are providing online services to clients and patients based outside of Canada (such as within the US), please contact PROLINK at CKA@prolink.insure. We will help you secure separate coverage for lawsuits and allegations brought against you outside of Canada. 

There are some instances where registration with BCAK is required to treat ICBC motor vehicle clients and bill the corporation directly, but AKA members could still bill the client directly, with the client submitting bills for reimbursement to the corporation. This is only an issue currently while Telehealth treatment is permitted, but will resolve once ICBC reinstates its in-person treatment requirements after the pandemic has resolved. To clarify this instance, please email the BCAK at: office@bcak.bc.ca

While both kinesiologists and personal trainers work with clients to improve their physical performance, kinesiologists have a more extensive education and training in the science of human movement, and they are qualified to work with clients who have medical conditions or injuries that require a more specialized approach.

Kinesiology is the study of human movement, and it encompasses a wide range of topics including exercise physiology, biomechanics, motor control, and sports psychology. Kinesiologists use this knowledge to help people improve their physical performance, prevent injuries, and manage chronic conditions.

The Scope of Practice for kinesiologists in Alberta includes the assessment, prevention, and management of movement-related disorders, as well as the development and implementation of exercise programs for individuals and groups. Please see more on the AKA website.