What Is Applied Kinesiology by Jane Thurnell-Read

The originator of kinesiology muscle testing was a US chiropractor called George Goodheart. In the early 1960’s George Goodheart first major insight was into the relationship between back pain and weak muscles. At that time back pain was understood to occur as a result of muscle spasm. Treatment was, therefore, focussed on relaxing the tense muscle or muscles. Goodheart saw back pain occurring as a result of muscular weakness. In his view muscle weakness results in an associated muscle taking up the slack and becoming tight, resulting in pain. From this understanding it follows that the muscle that needs attention is the weak muscle, as the tight muscle is a response to not a cause of the problem. As the weak muscle is corrected, the tight muscle lets go of its tension.

Goodheart’s next major insight came when he examined a patient who was unable to work because of shoulder instability.  He observed nodules in the  muscle insertion and he applied heavy pressure with his fingers to reduce these nodules. Immediately afterwards the man was able to move his shoulder in a way he had not been able to do for 15 years.

Goodheart checked other patients and found that many responded to this vigorous stimulation at either the origin or insertion of the weak muscle. At the time it was believed that this was correcting micro-tears in the muscle fibres. This procedure became known as the origin/insertion technique.

He found that imbalances of any of these systems could lead to problems anywhere in the body, and that muscle testing could be used to establish where intervention was necessary. Goodheart believed that the body seeks always to heal itself and muscle weakness is an expression of an unmet need.

Goodheart also recognized that particular symptoms were often related to particular muscle weaknesses and that by fixing the particular muscle weakness the apparently unrelated symptom would disappear. Gradually he had come to realise that muscle weakness could be an indicator of a less localised, more systemic problem. He had also discovered that using these muscle strengthening techniques often led to a corresponding improvement in the vitality and health of a body organ.

Goodheart eventually went on to establish 4 different ways of strengthening the weak muscles using:

•    Origin/insertion massage
•    Neuro lymphatic points
•    Neuro vascular points
•    Acupuncture points

Goodheart understood that muscle testing could act as a language between the doctor and patient, and that if he worked to strengthen muscles, other health problems would improve or even disappear.

As the years went by he found other ways of strengthening muscles including nutrition, cranila adjustments, vertebral fixations and other techniques that could safely be used by other chiropractors..

In 1974 he had another major insight which resulted in a procedure that became known as therapy localization. He found that he could use an indicator muscle to find an area of the body that needed attention. If he tested any muscle while the patient touched an area of their own body with their hand, it would weaken (if it had previously tested strong) or strengthen (if it had previously tested weak) if that area needed therapy. Goodheart also found that once the correct therapy had been given, there would no longer be a change in the muscle (from strong to weak or from weak to strong).

Goodheart gave the name Applied Kinesiology (AK) to this body of knowledge, and In 1976 The International College of Applied Kinesiology (ICAK) was established to promote research and the teaching of applied kinesiology muscle testing.

ICAK members also have training in other specialist health modalities before they undergo applied kinesiology training. Prior training as a medical doctor, osteopath, chiropractor or a dentist are the most usual, but not everyone in these professions is also an applied kinesiologist.

The ICAK defines Applied Kinesiology in this way:  "a system which evaluates the structural, chemical and mental aspects of a person, has attracted doctors from all fields of health care. It utilizes standard muscle testing, as well as other accepted methods of diagnosis. Nutrition, diet, manipulation, acupressure, exercise and education are used therapeutically to help restore well-being."

Another chiropractor, John Thie, taught some of Goodheart’s system to non-chiropractors. From there kinesiology developed in many different ways as different practitioners brought their own insights to the muscle testing system. In some countries the term ‘applied kinesiology’ is used rather loosely to cover all these different branches rather than to refer to members of the ICAK.