Dr. Dean McGee

Applied Kinesiology (A.K.) is a natural health care system that evaluates joint performance based on the functional integrity of the muscles. The word “kinesiology” is defined as the study of motion.

Applied Kinesiology involves the application of specific manual muscle tests to determine which muscles are not performing properly, and the factors associated with their improper performance.

Background

Applied Kinesiology began in 1964 through the work of its founder George Goodheart, D.C. Using standard muscle tests designed in the 1940s for polio and posture evaluations, Dr. Goodheart found a weak shoulder muscle in a patient with persistent shoulder pain. He then applied a specific stimulus to the origin and insertion of the muscle, which created immediate strengthening on subsequent testing.

What Is Muscle Testing?

Muscle testing is a functional neurological assessment. An A.K. doctor can evaluate the muscles of the body and gain some understanding of a patient’s overall health both functionally and neurologically.

Neuromuscular Terminology
Facilitation - neurological input that promotes contraction of a muscle
Inhibition - neurological input that discourages contraction of a muscle
Hyperfacilitation - neurological input that prevents the normal relaxation of a muscle
Conditional - a word that has been added to indicate the changeable nature of the muscle’s status

When an A.K. doctor suspects a problem in a specific muscle due to your condition he will “test” that muscle’s facilitation, inhibition, hyperfacilitation or if it is conditional, thus allowing him insight to how the nervous system is functioning. Often neurologically “weak” muscles are found in the area of complaint leading to improper motion, injury and finally degeneration.

How does the doctor determine where the problem is coming from?

Because the body’s motion patterns are highly integrated, correction of faulty patterns often involves other areas besides just the area of concern – e.g. correction of pain from low back muscles may require treatment of ankle instability

Applied Kinesiology involves:
1) the application of specific manual muscle tests to determine which muscles are not performing properly, and
2) the introduction of variables to discover what will return the muscles to normal function

An example of this would be changing body posturing in a way that decreases the tension on tissues causing the muscle’s inhibition, and allows the muscle to temporarily strengthen.

Another example would be changing body posturing in a way that increases the tension on tissues that affects a previously normal (facilitated) muscle, and causes the muscle to temporarily weaken.

These tests allow the doctor to establish a functional “cause-and-effect” relationship, and to direct care not just to the area(s) of pain, but also to the defective areas that are responsible for the additional stress on the painful areas. It also allows the doctor to understand what corrective, preventative steps might be taken in the future to keep this condition from happening again.

The overall goal is to stabilize the muscles in the area of complaint so the body can move as intended, much like a pulley system.

How does A.K. relate to other diagnostic tests?

A.K. primarily uses muscle testing to augment other standard methods of diagnosis (History, Inspection, Range Of Motion, Orthopedic and Neurological tests, Lab and Imaging). When used correctly A.K. can be the most effective form of diagnosis for functional illness as it allows your doctor to accurately apply the therapy your body needs.

The International College of Applied Kinesiology

Today, a governing body called the International College of Applied Kinesiology (I.C.A.K) determines and defines what is approved as standardized A.K. Members of the I.C.A.K., who include chiropractors, medical doctors, osteopaths, dentists and more, work together to present their personal findings and the interesting findings of other professionals to the College. If there is sufficient correlation of procedures based on these findings it may be presented to the Board of Standards, where they are evaluated for accurate description of the procedure, a rating of the basic scientific & physiological support of the proposed mechanism of the procedure, and clinical consensus of effectiveness of the procedure from advanced A.K. practitioners who have tested the protocols.

It is the goal of the I.C.A.K. to present its diagnostic and treatment techniques to the critical medical mainstream as a viable adjunct or alternative to existing health care. This can only be done with solid scientific evidence. Despite the lack of funding for research into alternative medical approaches the scientific support for Applied Kinesiology is growing. Numerous articles have been published in peer-reviewed literature, with several other research studies awaiting publication. A host of articles related to other forms of alternative health care may also be cited as support for the philosophy and practice of A.K.

www.Icak.com