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| {{mergefrom|Diagnostic kinesiology}} | |||
| What is "Applied Kinesiology"? | |||
| ''See also: ]'' | |||
| A new system of evaluation began to develop in chiropractic called applied kinesiology. Dr. George Goodheart of Detroit, Michigan, found that evaluation of normal and abnormal body function could be accomplished by using muscle tests. Since the original discovery in the mid-1960's, the principle has been broadened by chiropractic, osteopathic, medical, dental, nutritional, and acupuncture researchers to include the evaluation of the nervous, vascular, and lymphatic systems, nutrition, acupuncture, and cerebrospinal fluid function. | |||
| Muscle tests are applied to different areas of the body in a manner that evaluates a specific muscle. Patients notice during their examination that some muscles test strong and others appear extremely weak — perhaps the same muscle functions well on one side of the body and poorly on the other. The “weakness” indicates not only poor muscle function, but also possible trouble with the organ and/or other tissue on the same nerve, vascular, and nutritional circuit. Further evaluation by the doctor reveals the “controlling” factor that might be at fault. If correction is successful, there will be a remarkable improvement in the muscle test, apparent to both the patient and their doctor. | |||
| '''Applied kinesiology''' (AK) is a form of ]. It is a method used to give feedback on the physical properties of the body. Proponents say that when properly applied, the outcome of an AK test, such as a muscle strength test, will determine the best form of therapy for patients. This claim has been refuted by scientists. | |||
| Since nerves control body functions, including all the major systems in the body, it is essential that a doctor be able to evaluate all the nerves in the body. For many years it has been easy for doctors to generally evaluate the peripheral nervous system, which controls muscles and elicits sensations such as hot, cold, deep touch, and soft touch. Applied kinesiology gives a doctor added ability to evaluate function of the nervous system, which controls organs, glands, and other tissues. This information is combined with other diagnostic findings to enhance the examination. Actually, the common patterns of control are much more complex. The “neuronal pools” or meridian system may be involved, as well as many other factors. When any problem in human function has become a chronic one, there is usually an involvement of many other parts of the body that has been trying to adapt and compensate to the original dysfunction. Applied kinesiology allows the physician a mode of investigation and treatment that can discover these many component parts of what may appear to be just a single, chronic problem. The muscle involvement provides the chiropractor with an opportunity to determine when the nerve or some other factor is returned to normal and the body is “turned on.” | |||
| Applied Kinesiology is distinct from ], which is the scientific study of human movement and its application. Applied Kinesiology is considered an application of ] by some,{{fact}} mostly chiropractors, while mainstream scientists consider AK to be a ]. | |||
| Since AK seeks to draw together the core elements of many complementary therapies, it provides an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to health care. George J. Goodheart, D.C., a ], originated AK in 1964. Subsequently, its use spread to other chiropractors and a few medical doctors. In 1976, the was founded. Studies from ICAK have been shown to have "no valid conclusions." | |||
| ==Basic applied kinesiology== | |||
| == Therapy Localization == | |||
| AK tests muscles as a diagnostic method. Commonly, AK patients lie down and raise their dominant arm. Next, the AK practitioner instructs the patient to resist as the tester exerts downward force on the subject's arm. The tester subjectively evaluates the force exerted by the subject to determine the strength of the muscle. This is supposed to give a baseline for further testing. | |||
| For example, the tester might repeat the test with a particular substance under the subject's tongue; if the muscle tests weaker than the first test, that substance is determined to be harmful. The tester may also have the subject touch a particular body part with the opposite hand. For example, to "localize" testing to the heart, the subject would place a hand over the heart. A strong arm muscle test suggests a healthy heart, while a weak test suggests a problem. | |||
| Instead of sublingual testing, some practitioners have the subject simply hold a substance or place the substance near a particular ]. Some AK practitioners go as far as to hold a sealed container of the substance to be tested on the forehead, chest, etc. and then perform the strength test. Another commonly used technique in AK is to have the subject wear colored glasses (blue, green, red, etc.) and perform the strength testing while wearing each color of glasses. The color that causes the greatest (or least) perceived strength gains are believed to reveal information about the subject's condition. | |||
| During an AK examination, the doctor may test a muscle and then have you place a finger or hand in a certain spot. The doctor will then re-test the same muscle; sometimes there will be a remarkable change in its apparent strength. What the doctor is doing is using your hand to stimulate nerve receptors, or otherwise add or subtract energy from different areas in your body that are involved in the particular muscle’s weakness on testing. By so doing, one is able to obtain additional information that might indicate abnormal function. These tests, along with other clinical findings, help indicate the most effective treatment for the problem. | |||
| Because nearly all AK tests are subjective, many regard the practice with skepticism. The AK practitioner performing the test applies pressure opposite the patient, but this practitioner is also the one who decides whether one push is stronger than another. Without an objective method of measuring strength, applied kinesiology will likely remain in the realm of ]. | |||
| == |
== Debate about kinesiology == | ||
| *Pascale and Ronan Boucher, who lived in ] (]), applied kinesiology to care Kerywan, their little 16 month baby. They totally refused to bring their children in a hospital because they had a bad idea of this institution and did not want to attend their baby with an other method than kinesiology. They finally called the aid center on the 12th of november 2000 at 9:32pm because of the very serious state of health of their baby. Kerywan died one hour later. He had the weight of a 4 month baby. | |||
| * | |||
| Muscles support joints and give them stability. A basic tenet in human biomechanics is that “muscles move bones.” If the muscles of one side of the knee or lower back are not functioning properly, there may be joint instability. This may cause joint fatigue, pain, easy injury, and — eventually — joint disease. Nearly all joints of the body can be involved, including the entire spine, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, and ankles. | |||
| * | |||
| After this tragedy, some people in France (doctors, authorities..) began to take seriously the kinesiology drifts. Kinesiology is not recognized in France, and it can be considered in some cases as an illegal practice of medicine. Some people suspect kinesiology to be a "dangerous sect". | |||
| == Cranial Bone Movement == | |||
| ==Scientific view of AK== | |||
| Practitioners of conventional medicine tend to consider AK to have no scientific validity. For example, Stephen Barrett, M.D. that muscle testing cannot distinguish a test substance from a ] under ] conditions. | |||
| AK has been disproved using the ] . This is evidenced by ] studies, plus research and reviews listed at the ] | |||
| Until fairly recently it was thought that the skull was a solid mass primarily protecting the brain. In reality, there is minute movement of a predictable nature between the bones that is necessary for normal function of the nerves that pass through and then exit the brain and for the movement of cerebrospinal fluid. Spinal fluid surrounds the brain and spinal cord, providing nutrition, lubrication, and hormone movement. A bump on the head can jam the bones of the skull, causing abnormal or no movement. This is a very common factor in the perpetuation of neck and head and low back pains after whiplash injuries today. Improper nerve function may result that can cause problems in many organs or structures of the body. | |||
| . | |||
| There are several methods for evaluating the function of the skull in applied kinesiology. The doctor may test a muscle, press on various bones of your skull in different directions, and then re-test the muscle. This is called the AK challenge procedure where the physician momentarily increases the fault pattern of a single bone or group of cranial bones, with the intention that this vector of force placed into the skull will cause a temporary increase in the tension of the membranes of the cranio-sacral system. If this vector of force increases the tension it will produce a momentary lowering of the overall muscle tone of an indicator muscle. If this vector of force decreases the tension it will produce an improvement in function in a muscle that was inhibited by the cranial fault. | |||
| ==Notable practitioners and theorists== | |||
| You may be asked to take a deep breath and hold it, and then a muscle is re-tested to determine any change. The doctor may have you touch various areas of your skull while a muscle is tested. Dysfunction of the skull is called a cranial fault. If one is found, a specific gentle pressure, the direction of which is determined by examination, will be applied to the skull, usually with a specific phase of respiration. If the correction is successful, there will be an immediate improvement of the previously poor muscle test. | |||
| * George J. Goodheart, D.C. | |||
| * ] | |||
| ==External links== | |||
| * | |||
| * Skeptic's Dictionary | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * (search "applied kinesiology") | |||
| * | |||
| * "An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural" applied kinesiology | |||
| * | |||
| * | |||
| * was reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School with final editing approved by Natural Standard. | |||
| {{alt-med-stub}} | |||
| == Meridian Therapy == | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| The ancient Chinese developed a system of treating disease and maintaining health that balances the energy in what are called meridians. In modern times, acupuncture — or more accurately “meridian therapy” — has proven a valid method of treatment. Dr. Goodheart et al. have provided some of the first advancements in this treatment in the Western world. By using applied kinesiology techniques, the flow of energy in the meridians can be evaluated and corrected if off-balance. Correction can be made by many methods of stimulation, such as electrical, needles, small tape patches with metal balls, or simply by touching certain spots. You will note an immediate improvement in muscle function after meridian balancing. | |||
| ] | |||
| == Nutrition and Adverse Chemicals == | |||
| The effect of nutrition and chemicals on health is not totally understood. Modern science is making great strides in furthering this knowledge. Examination to find the cause of a health problem or to generally enhance health should take many factors into consideration. Your doctor’s knowledge about you begins with observation. Hair and skin quality, color of the whites of the eyes, feeling of glands, organs and muscles, and other observations offer initial clues for further examination procedures. Laboratory examinations or special tests may follow. In addition to these usual procedures, your doctor may test various muscles before and after you chew or inhale nutritional or chemical factors. | |||
| Nutritional items, when chewed, stimulate the nerve endings in the mouth. This may have an immediate effect on muscle function. For example, if the muscle clinically associated with the liver is weak and vitamin A is indicated for liver support, chewing vitamin A or a carrot may cause immediate and dramatic improvement of the muscle’s function, as indicated by the manual muscle test. Conversely, if a toxic chemical is causing a problem in the liver, a muscle associated with the liver will test poorly immediately after the substance is chewed or inhaled. | |||
| All aspects of the examination should correlate and lead to the final diagnosis and recommendation for treatment. Applied kinesiology muscle tests for nutrition and chemicals do not take the place of a complete, thorough examination; rather, they augment it by evaluating how hour body responds to the substances being tested. This adds a functional evaluation that takes into consideration the biochemical individuality of people. | |||
| AK not only helps the doctor determine the type of treatment needed, it also helps both the doctor and the patient determine the progress being obtained. As treatment progresses, patients observe muscles that once functioned poorly now test strong. This, of course, is because the body is now functioning in a normal manner. | |||
| When health is back to its maximum level, your doctor can use applied kinesiology procedures to help you maintain it by finding poor function and correcting the problem before symptoms develop. | |||
| == Applied Kinesiology Research Literature == | |||
| The International College of Applied Kinesiology has understood from its founding that research will help insure chiropractic’s future, and publishing this research helps protect the future of AK. The Collected Papers of the International College of Applied Kinesiology has been published both annually and bi-annually since the founding of the ICAK in 1976. There has been a concerted effort by the organization to present the research, outcomes assessment, and clinical investigations of its members to the organization as a whole and to the scientific, biomedical, and chiropractic community at large. There have been over 2,000 papers in 40 Annual Yearbooks published by members of the organization. | |||
| These research papers demonstrate the commitment within AK to staying current and progressive within chiropractic art and science, as well as to testing the principles upon which AK is based. | |||
| Hundreds of peer-reviewed research papers have been published that describe the neurological, anatomical, and clinical reasons why applied kinesiology works as well as it does. The websites listed below offer The key technical factor about applied kinesiology that makes it such a comprehensive form of therapy was provided by the discovery that the musculoskeletal system is an accessible and representational system for the rest of the physiology. | |||
| The muscular system is completely integrated with the spinal system, and so spinal joint dysfunction will produce weakness on manual muscle testing. Muscular imbalance, verifiable by manual muscle testing, functions in two ways -- by providing the doctor with a non-invasive, painless method of diagnosis -- and by indicating the treatment necessary to help the patient get well. | |||
| The AK Research Compendium that you can link to below presents an exhaustive review of the research literature about AK’s clinical methods in peer-reviewed scientific journals, that summum bonum of 21st century research validity. Research will help insure chiropractic’s future, and publishing this research helps protect the future of AK. These studies include research from chiropractic, biomedical, and osteopathic literature and cover the diagnosis, treatment, reliability, and outcome measurements of AK methods. Applied kinesiology’s relevance to neuroimmunology, pediatric, and emotional health is also documented here. | |||
| The compilation of structured abstracts from the I.C.A.K. that you can link to below shows that measurements of posture, pain level, vital capacity, body temperature, blood pressure, muscle strength, range of motion, visual acuity, hearing acuity, coronary function (measured by auscultation, sphygmomanometer, or endocardiograph), thyroid and adrenal function, blood chemistry, lingual ascorbic acid time, and salivary pH show beneficial changes following AK corrections to functional disturbances in the patients described in these reports. | |||
| Through evaluation of the function of certain muscles pre- and post-treatment, therapeutic efficacy for particular problems can be evaluated. Applied kinesiologists theorize that physical, chemical, and mental imbalances are associated with secondary muscle dysfunction – specifically a muscle inhibition (usually preceding an overfacilitation of an opposing muscle). Applying the proper therapy results in improvement in the inhibited muscle. | |||
| The chiropractic subluxation is a neurological dysfunction finally rendered demonstrable by manual muscle testing (MMT), and can be described as functional neurological testing. The applied kinesiologist is now capable of carrying on an intelligent conversation (with repeatable, demonstrable, reproducible tests) with what the founder of chiropractic D.D. Palmer called "Innate Intelligence," or what Cannon called the "Homeostatic Mechanism" of the human being. | |||
| The timely discovery of applied kinesiology has revolutionized the approach to healing, creating a new paradigm in healing, and has placed Chiropractic and many other manual modalities of health care into the scientific arena...scientific in the practical sense, meaning that which is explicable, demonstratable, and reproducible. | |||
| Evidence-based decision making in clinical practice requires, first of all, evidence. This links below offers you the abundance of evidence about the efficacy of applied kinesiology. | |||
| http://www.soto-usa.org/SOTLiterature/Applied%20Kinesiology/Applied%20Kinesiology%20Literature.htm | |||
| http://www.icakusa.com/Research.html | |||
| http://www.icak.com/college/research/AK_Research_Compendium_Dr_Scott_Cuthbert_11_06_05.doc | |||
| http://www.kinesiology.net/research.asp | |||
Revision as of 00:19, 5 March 2006
 | It has been suggested that Diagnostic kinesiology be merged into this article. (Discuss) |
See also: academic kinesiology
Applied kinesiology (AK) is a form of diagnostic kinesiology. It is a method used to give feedback on the physical properties of the body. Proponents say that when properly applied, the outcome of an AK test, such as a muscle strength test, will determine the best form of therapy for patients. This claim has been refuted by scientists.
Applied Kinesiology is distinct from academic kinesiology, which is the scientific study of human movement and its application. Applied Kinesiology is considered an application of academic kinesiology by some, mostly chiropractors, while mainstream scientists consider AK to be a pseudoscience.
Since AK seeks to draw together the core elements of many complementary therapies, it provides an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to health care. George J. Goodheart, D.C., a chiropractor, originated AK in 1964. Subsequently, its use spread to other chiropractors and a few medical doctors. In 1976, the International College of Applied Kinesiology was founded. Studies from ICAK have been shown to have "no valid conclusions."
Basic applied kinesiology
AK tests muscles as a diagnostic method. Commonly, AK patients lie down and raise their dominant arm. Next, the AK practitioner instructs the patient to resist as the tester exerts downward force on the subject's arm. The tester subjectively evaluates the force exerted by the subject to determine the strength of the muscle. This is supposed to give a baseline for further testing.
For example, the tester might repeat the test with a particular substance under the subject's tongue; if the muscle tests weaker than the first test, that substance is determined to be harmful. The tester may also have the subject touch a particular body part with the opposite hand. For example, to "localize" testing to the heart, the subject would place a hand over the heart. A strong arm muscle test suggests a healthy heart, while a weak test suggests a problem.
Instead of sublingual testing, some practitioners have the subject simply hold a substance or place the substance near a particular organ. Some AK practitioners go as far as to hold a sealed container of the substance to be tested on the forehead, chest, etc. and then perform the strength test. Another commonly used technique in AK is to have the subject wear colored glasses (blue, green, red, etc.) and perform the strength testing while wearing each color of glasses. The color that causes the greatest (or least) perceived strength gains are believed to reveal information about the subject's condition.
Because nearly all AK tests are subjective, many regard the practice with skepticism. The AK practitioner performing the test applies pressure opposite the patient, but this practitioner is also the one who decides whether one push is stronger than another. Without an objective method of measuring strength, applied kinesiology will likely remain in the realm of pseudoscience.
Debate about kinesiology
- Pascale and Ronan Boucher, who lived in Brittany (France), applied kinesiology to care Kerywan, their little 16 month baby. They totally refused to bring their children in a hospital because they had a bad idea of this institution and did not want to attend their baby with an other method than kinesiology. They finally called the aid center on the 12th of november 2000 at 9:32pm because of the very serious state of health of their baby. Kerywan died one hour later. He had the weight of a 4 month baby.
After this tragedy, some people in France (doctors, authorities..) began to take seriously the kinesiology drifts. Kinesiology is not recognized in France, and it can be considered in some cases as an illegal practice of medicine. Some people suspect kinesiology to be a "dangerous sect".
Scientific view of AK
Practitioners of conventional medicine tend to consider AK to have no scientific validity. For example, Stephen Barrett, M.D. argues that muscle testing cannot distinguish a test substance from a placebo under double-blind conditions.
AK has been disproved using the scientific method . This is evidenced by double-blind studies, plus research and reviews listed at the National Library of Medicine .
Notable practitioners and theorists
- George J. Goodheart, D.C.
- David R Hawkins
External links
- International College of Applied Kinesiology
- Applied kinesiology Skeptic's Dictionary
- Applied Kinesiology: Muscle-Testing for "Allergies" and "Nutrient Deficiencies"
- Dr. Hawkins's AK Quackery
- National Library of Medicine (search "applied kinesiology")
- Canadian Quackery Watch
- James Randi Educational Foundation "An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural" applied kinesiology
- Is Complementary & Alternative Medicine a UFO?
- "Science as Falsification" by Sir Karl Popper
- InteliHealth applied kinesiology article material was reviewed by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School with final editing approved by Natural Standard.
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