AK    Applied Kinesiology

You know your body is different from everyone else’s. Wouldn't it be great if there were a doctor who has the ability to find out what is unique about you and your problems? Wouldn’t it be great if that same doctor could give treatments and lifestyle recommendations which are specific to your particular needs? There is such a doctor available, and that doctor is one skilled in as an Applied Kinesiologist.

What is Applied Kinesiology?

Applied Kinesiology (AK) is a form of diagnosis using muscle testing as a primary feedback mechanism to examine how a person’s body is functioning. When properly applied, the outcome of an AK diagnosis will determine the best form of therapy for the patient. Since AK draws together the core elements of many complementary therapies, it provides an interdisciplinary approach to health care. In general, the Doctor finds a muscle that tests weak and then attempts to determine why that muscle is not functioning properly. We will then evaluate and apply the therapy that will best eliminate the muscle weakness and help the patient. Therapies utilized can include specific joint manipulation or mobilization, various myofascial therapies, cranial techniques, meridian therapy, clinical nutrition, dietary management, ARP therapy and various reflex procedures. In some cases, the examiner may test for environmental or food sensitivities by using a previously strong muscle to find what weakens it. Applied kinesiology uses the triad of health- chemical, mental and structural factors - to describe the proper balance of the major health categories. Dr. Conners has expanded the triad from Structure, Chemistry, and Emotional to a five-fold evaluation including Electromagnetic (the acupuncture system) and Organ. A person may experience poor health due to an imbalance in one or more of these five factors.

What is the educational background of an Applied Kinesiologist?

It takes hundreds of hours of study and years of practice to perfect the multitude of diagnostic techniques that have been developed in AK. In fact, any AK practitioner will tell you that s/he is constantly refining and developing manual muscle testing skills and the interpretation of the test results. At first glance, muscle testing appears easy, fascinating and impressive. The ability to test muscles, however, requires specific techniques, sensitivity and objectivity. Once the muscle testing skill has been developed, it becomes necessary to interpret the outcome of the test. Interpreting the results requires the years of training that qualifies one as a licensed physician. Therefore, applied kinesiology is only taught to persons licensed to diagnose in the health care field.

Does Applied Kinesiology replace standard examinations?

Applied Kinesiology is used in addition to standard diagnostics to help determine the cause of a health problem. For example, with certain conditions like hypoglycemia, there will be muscle patterns of weakness or strength found with AK. However, these same patterns could be present because of another nervous system problem such as disease or some type of adaptation. Only an adequate history of the person, together with standard examination procedures and laboratory findings, will indicate the proper treatment course. Therefore, people performing a simple muscle test and diagnosing what vitamins are needed or other information about health without standard examination is inappropriate. This is making health decisions well beyond what a simple muscle test can determine and actually may be harmful. The determination of your need for dietary supplements requires knowledge of your symptoms along with an examination for known physical signs of imbalances and a dietary history. Blood, urine, saliva or stool analyses may be added to the foregoing. An applied kinesiology examination provides additional information and can help to determine what is missing and needs supplementation. Using applied kinesiology, a doctor can often determine which of the many available laboratory tests are the most appropriate to be performed. This can result in a more effective diagnosis while at the same time reducing health care costs.

More info on Applied Kinesiology:  

Applied Kinesiology is a technique that takes years to perfect and a complex understanding of physiology, anatomy, acupuncture, and neurology.  Like any technique, it is based on science but administered by a human, therefore it is an ART.  Dr. Conners has been practicing his type of Kinesiology for 26 years and has perfected his art through much prayer, practice, and study.   

What comprises an examination using Applied Kinesiology?

The process begins with a detailed questioning of the patient (our Consultation) to uncover clues as to what may be going on. Generally, problems can be related to chemical imbalances, structural imbalances or mental stress or any combination of the above. We also perform a neurological examination as well as special tests that may indicate possible autoimmune disorders, toxicities, or hormonal imbalances. For example, changes in blood pressure from lying to sitting to standing can indicate adrenal insufficiency.  There are many causes of muscular weakness and different procedures may be used to uncover the cause. At the end of all of these different but important parts, the information is correlated to establish a treatment program.

What is the education of someone doing Applied Kinesiology?

Applied Kinesiology is performed by health care professionals. First, they have their basic education is what ever field they practice. For example, they might be a medical doctor, osteopath, chiropractor or a dentist. They then study Applied Kinesiology in a post graduate setting usually in weekend classes. The basic course takes over 100 hours of classroom study and many hours of study and practice at home. A basic proficiency in Applied Kinesiology is tested for at the end of this basic class. Continuing classes are taken to reach the next step where a diplomate exam, a complete understanding as shown by a written and oral test, is taken. To attain this level, over 300 hours of classroom study are required along with the writing of at least two research papers.  Dr. Conners has over 500 hours in postgraduate training in Functional Medicine and Applied Kinesiology.

Is Applied Kinesiology muscle testing?

A professional using Applied Kinesiology test muscles therefore utilizing muscle strength as a tool to confirm his/her normal examination findings. Muscle testing has been misused as a tool and oversimplified by many.

Does Applied Kinesiology replace standard examinations?

NO. Applied Kinesiology is used as a further tool to help define what is going wrong or what imbalances are present. For example, in some conditions like hypoglycemia their will be specific muscle Weakness patterns that can be found. However these same weakness could be there because of a nerve problem.  Only an adequate history of the person, coupled with standard examination procedures and if needed laboratory findings allow a proper treatment of the patient. The use of Applied Kinesiology procedures speeds the examination process and helps to rule out other possible causes of the persons health problems.

I had someone touch a spot on me and then test a muscle. It was weak. Then I held a bottle of pills and was told I needed them. Is that Applied Kinesiology?

This is one of the abuses of muscle testing. To tell if you need to take a supplement requires knowledge of your symptoms, examination for known physical signs of imbalances, a dietary history, possibly blood analysis and then the Applied Kinesiology examination can help to determine what is missing and should be supplemented.

How is it used?

Applied Kinesiology can be divided into two distinct parts.

One is an aid to diagnosis. Muscle testing is used help diagnose what is functioning abnormally. This can be a problem with the nervous system, the lymphatic drainage, the vascular supply to a muscle or organ, a nutritional excess or deficiency, a problem with the cranial-sacral - TMJ mechanism, an imbalance in the meridian system or a host of other problems. Testing individual muscles in an accurate manner and determining what effects the relative strength of the muscle when combined with knowledge of the basic mechanics and physiological functioning of the body helps to more accurately diagnose what is going wrong.

The second part of Applied Kinesiology involves the treatment phase. here, Dr. Goodheart and others in the International College of Applied Kinesiology have adapted different treatment methods to the problems that have been diagnosed. From nutrition to chiropractic manipulation to osteopathic cranial techniques to acupuncture - meridian therapies to myofascial techniques to nervous system coordination procedures to some of the latest theories in medicine involving control of the vascular and nervous system may be employed to balance the malfunction found in the patient.

Applied Kinesiology borrows from many different disciplines and through the use of accurate, scientific muscle testing, in addition to the basic knowledge of the practitioner, helps direct the care to exactly what the patient's needs are instead of what the practitioner does.

Are there courses on Applied Kinesiology and who can take them?

There are organized courses in Applied Kinesiology being taught in Europe, Canada, the United States and Australia. Locations, dates and content can be found in the section on seminars. These classes are open to licensed health care professionals.

Where is the International College of Applied Kinesiology and what is its history?

The College was founded in 1976 from a group of doctors who had been teaching classes. The purpose of the College is to promote research and teaching of Applied Kinesiology. It is composed of professionals with a common goal. There is no actual building but the organization is formed as others in the health care field to bring doctors together with common interests and goals. In the mid 1980's, the organization broke up into chapters representing Europe, Canada, Australasia and the United States.

Can anyone with minimal training do Applied Kinesiology?

No. You would no more trust a lay person to prescribe medications than to trust a non-professional to deal with your health problems. Applied Kinesiology muscle testing procedures are used to further investigate a patient's problem and depend upon a basic understanding of anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and pathology. Muscle testing used alone without a proper education in the health sciences is no better than a psychic reading.

Who is George Goodheart, D. C. and what did he do?

Dr. Goodheart is the man who discovered the importance of weak muscles and their clinical implications. He started these discoveries in 1964 and has researched,lectured and written about them since. To learn more click here to jump to a page about him.

AK and other forms of Kinesiology

"Kinesiology" refers to the study of body movement, especially in humans. In American higher education, the term "kinesiology" describes a broad field of study in which movement or physical activity is the intellectual focus. Physical activity includes exercise for improvement of health and physical fitness, activities of daily living, work, sport, dance, and play. Many colleges and universities have academic departments that include specialized areas of study that examine the causes and consequences of physical activity from different perspectives. These courses include exercise and sport biomechanics, history, philosophy, physiology, biochemistry and molecular/cellular physiology, psychology, and sociology; motor behavior; measurement; physical fitness; and sports medicine. These institutions teach 4-7 year courses leading to BS, MA and Ph.D. degrees in kinesiology. A kinesiologist has completed one of these programs graduating with one of these degrees.

"Applied Kinesiology" (AK) has been founded by Dr. George Goodheart. It links the physics of body movement and muscle testing to health and healthcare. It gives licensed health professionals an additional diagnostic tool to enhance their examination skills. The International College of Applied Kinesiology offers a quality control label for AK education and research. It restricts high quality AK education to licensed professionals only and promotes an AK Certification delivered by the International Board of Examiners.

The ICAK endorses the use of AK skills by "licensed health practitioners" only.

Some licensed practitioners have combined the word "kinesiology" to specific professional skills. For example "Behavioral Kinesiology," was named by Dr. John Diamond, MD and Psychiatrist, "Dental Kinesiology," was named by Dr. George Eversaul, DDS

In the late 1960's, Dr. John Thie, a student of Dr. Goodheart's original work felt that AK could be simplified for use by the general public. His book called, Touch for Health defined the most basic material in AK and was taught to any person who was interested in a non-drug approach to first aid health care for their family. This work became known as, "Touch for Health," or TFH. It uses essentially the same reflex stimulation methods based on Dr. Goodheart's very early work (1964 - 1971). However, in the late 1980's the TFH focus expanded worldwide and became a "profession." Many lay people say they perform either Kinesiology or Applied Kinesiology.

Today there are over 80 different forms of therapy using the term "kinesiology," like "Astrological Kinesiology" which combines the acupuncture meridians with the Chinese astrological calendar to consider the best environment for muscle balancing.