I am often asked by the industrial employees I work with, “Did you have to go to school for this?” As much as I hate hearing this question, I understand where it’s coming from. Many times, the only contact the industrial workers have with me (or BIOKINETIX) is during our 90-Second Warm-Up or WOW1 presentations. I think it’s only natural to ask, in the ever so subtle way, why should I listen to you? That’s when I got to thinking… I wonder how often my co-workers get this same question? That is why I’m writing this post.
My co-workers and I at BIOKINETIX have a plethora of different educational backgrounds, credentials and certifications. Some of these credentials include the following:
- Certified Athletic Trainer
- Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
- Certified Ergonomics Assessment Specialist
- Registered Kinesiotherapist
- Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator
- Certified Provider of the KEY Functional Capacity Assessments
- Emergency Medical Technician
Let’s dive in together and take a look at each one of these different backgrounds and how they benefit the population with whom we at BIOKINETIX work.
Certified Athletic Trainer
- Who are they? This title may be misleading. Certified Athletic Trainers (ATCs) are not the personal trainers that you see at the gym. ATCs are allied healthcare professionals who specialize in the prevention, assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of injuries and illness. If you have ever watched a professional sporting event where someone has been hurt and people run out on the field, then you have seen an ATC at work. All ATCs hold a bachelor’s degree and 70% hold a master’s or doctoral degree. Additionally, in order to practice in the majority of the United States, an ATC must pass a national board exam and be licensed by his or her individual state.
- How are they beneficial? ATCs can be a crucial asset for an industrial company’s occupational health and safety department. ATCs can provide services for injury prevention, claims reduction and return-to-work programs. These programs keep employees working at full strength, improve productivity and reduce healthcare, workers’ compensation and insurance costs. This is a healthcare professional the craft AND the accountants can agree upon.
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
- Who are they? These guys are more then just the buff trainers standing around at the local fitness club. Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (CSCSs) specialize in training athletes for the precise objective of improving his or her athletic performance. CSCSs utilize scientific knowledge and strategy to administer sport-specific testing, construct and implement strength/conditioning programs, consult on nutrition and apply injury prevention measures. Not just anyone can be a CSCS. In order to be certified, an individual must hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, be CPR and AED certified, and pass a practical/applied exam.
- How are they beneficial? When it comes to injuries, the best way to treat them is to avoid them all together. Who better to help with this then a CSCS? A CSCS can apply their scientific knowledge to accurately assess how you move, where your weaknesses are and how to correct them before an injury happens. In conjunction with strengthening the body’s muscles, a CSCS can help strengthen the body’s internal functions with proper nutritional guidance and education.
Certified Ergonomics Assessment Specialist
- Who are they? Certified Ergonomics Assessment Specialists (CEAS) are trained in carrying out OSHA-compliant ergonomic analysis. CEASs are skilled at recognizing potential threats that can result in musculoskeletal injuries or disorders and implementation of cost-effective, high-impact solutions.
- How are they beneficial? You would be amazed at the numbers of aches and pains that can be attributed to poor ergonomics. That is because the average person does not think about the angle of his or her wrist when he or she is typing or the level of the table he or she is working on. That is where the CEAS come into play. CEASs help identify the little things throughout the day (that you don’t think about) that could lead to constant headaches or low back pain.
Registered Kinesiotherapist
- Who are they? Registered Kinesiotherapist (RKTs) have origins that go back to World War II. They helped wounded or sick soldiers return to their units quicker and at full functionality. Today, RKTs are healthcare professionals who construct scientifically grounded exercise programs to increase strength, endurance and mobility for the intent of rehabilitative therapy. Additionally, RKTs emphasize the psychological aspect of physical exercise to the recovery process. These healthcare professionals are credentialed by the Council on Professional Standards Board for Registration of Kinesiotherapist.
- How are they beneficial? If RKTs are good enough to bring our soldiers back to fighting form, then they have to be good enough to bring our industrial workers back as well. RKTs are like a combination of an ATC and a CSCS. They provide psychological support, physical conditioning, therapeutic exercise, workplace injury prevention evaluations, healthy lifestyle guidance and education.
Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitator
- Who are they? Sticking with the theme of service to public servants, Tactical Strength and Conditioning Facilitators (TSAC-Fs) focus on physically training military, firefighters, policemen, protective services and other emergency people. These highly skilled professionals apply scientific knowledge and principles to improve performance and decrease the risk of injury. TSAC-Fs are trained in conducting physical needs examinations, constructing and implementing safe and applicable strength training and conditioning programs, and providing general nutritional guidance.
- How are they beneficial? Training or preparing for a physical job is not the same as training for the beach. Strength and conditioning professionals recognized this and created a specialized area of study geared specifically towards those with the most physically demanding jobs. That said, a TSAC-F can apply their scientific knowledge to accurately assess movements, weaknesses and corrective actions to prevent injuries from occurring. In conjunction with assessing, a TSAC-F can help make the internal functions of the body perform more efficiently with proper nutritional guidance and education.
Certified Provider of the KEY Functional Capacity Assessments
- Who are they? These individuals consist of ATCs, physical therapists and occupational therapists who have been trained in the KEY Functional Capacity Assessment. The functional capacity assessment is a statistically based exam that defines an injured worker’s abilities to return to work safely.
- How are they beneficial? An individual trained in the KEY Functional Capacity Assessment is a major asset to any company that wants to increase safety, prevent re-injuries, decrease lost work days and lower workers’ compensation costs. By using statistically based practices, these certified healthcare providers are ensuring the highest and most accurate assessments. If I were an employer who wanted to ENSURE my injured employees were receiving precise assessments of his or her capabilities, then I would want an individual trained in scientifically structured methods. Additionally, as an ATC, physical therapist or occupational therapist, I would love having this certification under my belt. With this training I would be up-to-date on the best practices for determining my patient’s or client’s abilities. With that information, I can more effectively and efficiently help someone get back to work and play.
Emergency Medical Technician
- Who are they? When grandma falls down and breaks her hip, who do you call? Hint: It’s not the Ghostbusters! More likely then not, you call 911 who then sends out the emergency medical technicians (EMTs). EMTs are entry-level clinicians trained to react swiftly to emergency circumstances involving medical issues, traumatic injuries and accident scenes. In order to work as an EMT and save some lives, one must complete an accredited course and pass a state/national-licensing exam.
- How are they beneficial? Unfortunately, things like car accidents, fires, fall injuries and even dog bites are actual risks to industrial workers. Having an EMT onsite provides industrial workers access to a health care specialist who is skilled in emergency situations and can provide seamless care from the time of injury to his or her first day back at work.
As you can see, yes, we DID go to school for this. Each one of us at BIOKINETIX is here to help employees achieve a healthier lifestyle while changing the company culture to support preventative behavior. We do this through our vast array of different backgrounds and educations which provides a wide variety of perspectives and experiences.
Michael applies this expertise to drive BIOKINETIX’s promotional and cross-channel marketing efforts, as well as develop initiatives within new technology and media.