Kinesiology, also called muscle testing, is a method used by a wide variety of practitioners to help identify the best foods, supplements and therapies for patients on an individualized basis.
Have you ever visited an osteopathic doctor (DO), chiropractor, biological dentist or another type of practitioner within the alternative health community?
If so, you may have experienced the holistic protocol known as kinesiology.
What is Kinesiology?
Kinesiology or biomechanics at its most basic level is the study of body movement.
When used as a method of diagnosis and treatment, however, the appropriate term is applied kinesiology (AK) or muscle testing.
Applied kinesiology was developed in 1964 by George Goodheart, Jr., a Michigan chiropractor.
Not all alternative health practitioners are trained in applied kinesiology.
They must first be certified in their respective fields. Then, they can study applied kinesiology in a postgraduate setting for use in their practice.
Kinesiology as used within an alternative medical setting is based on the premise that muscles are affected by problems within a particular organ or body system.
Muscle weakness can be symptomatic of problems elsewhere in the body. Examples include nerve damage, reduced blood supply, chemical imbalances, and/or nutritional deficiency among others.
My first experience with kinesiology was in my late twenties.
I was suffering panic attacks from my crazy, “burn the candle at both ends” corporate lifestyle at the time.
My practitioner used a basic muscle test to determine if a pancreatic enzyme supplement would work for me.
As part of the test, I held one of the pancreatic enzymes in my mouth. At the same time, the doctor tested for muscle weakness.
As it turned out, no weakness was noted. Hence, I was recommended to take that supplement in conjunction with other healing therapies.
How “Muscle Testing” Works
Kinesiology is very safe and does not involve invasive procedures.
A detailed medical history is taken before any muscle testing is performed.
In other words, AK is not an appropriate technique on its own to diagnose or treat disease.
Rather, this method should only be used as one part of a thorough and complete diagnostic examination according to the International College of Applied Kinesiology.
It is a simple tool to allow the practitioner to reveal which holistic treatment options are optimal for each patient. This ensures the most rapid and complete healing possible.
When a person is being muscle tested, the practitioner will have the patient stand or lie down.
The patient’s arms and sometimes legs are then moved in different positions. At the same time, light, manual pressure is applied to test muscle response to a specific set of stimuli.
Throughout the entire procedure, the patient remains relaxed and comfortable.
If muscle weakness is detected to one specific stimulus but not another, then the practitioner knows by process of elimination what is the best option.
Kinesiology in Dentistry
If you’ve ever visited a biological dentist, you’ve probably noted that kinesiology is frequently used.
A biological dentist will use either a blood test or applied kinesiology to determine which composite filling or other dental material is most appropriate for each individual patient.
Conventional dentists who don’t use kinesiology simply use their favorite (translation: the cheapest) composite, or worse, amalgam materials for every single patient and situation regardless of the patient’s health status, medical history, or sensitivities.
When I had dental surgery a few years ago, my biological dentist muscle tested every single drug and supplement option.
It took about 15 minutes to determine the exact mix that was going to produce the best results for my surgery.
I have no way of knowing if this careful determination made any difference.
However, I can say that I recovered with no antibiotics needed. In addition, I experienced minimal discomfort and required no painkillers.
Use by Other Practitioners
As mentioned above, kinesiology is frequently used by practitioners to assess whether a particular food, supplement or other substance weakens (or strengthens) a patient.
Testing involves placing the substance either:
- In the patient’s mouth (under the tongue)
- Having the patient hold it in his/her hand
At that point, the practitioner tests for weakness.
If the muscle stands up to the manual pressure exerted by the practitioner while the patient is being exposed to the food or supplement, it is deemed beneficial.
The food or supplement is determined to be problematic if the muscle gives way.
Thus, for those that are unsure whether a particular food or supplement is helpful, a visit to an experienced kinesiologist is recommended.
These practitioners may also use a Past Pointing test for autoimmunity or a pulse allergy test to help identify weaknesses.
Muscle Testing to Identify Optimal Supplements
To give you an example of how muscle testing works with supplements, let’s take a look at cod liver oil (CLO).
A frequent question I receive is what type is best to take.
To know for sure, it is a good idea to take a bottle to a trusted practitioner who can use kinesiology to test it.
If this isn’t possible, here is a very good clue what to do!
According to the staff at the clinic Biodynamic Wellness, more than 95% of people muscle test most positively for high vitamin cod liver oil.
This is exactly the kind of CLO that Dr. Weston A. Price found to be most beneficial in his practice early in the last century! He wrote about it in his book Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.
These four CLO brands are the only ones I currently know of that qualify as “high vitamin”.
Processed cod liver oil brands from the health food store with added synthetics or low natural vitamin content rarely pass muster.
For individuals that do not test well for the good stuff…high vitamin cod liver oil…usually there are issues with liver or gall bladder congestion that need to be resolved first.
After that condition is addressed, these people can be tested again, usually with positive results.
Within the high vitamin cod liver oil brands, those with sensitivity to histamines tend to muscle test best for raw, virgin cod liver oil.
Dr. Louisa Williams, author of Radical Medicine and a frequent speaker at Wise Traditions conferences, has used muscle testing of various types of cod liver oil in her practice. Her website and writings explain more if you wish to delve deeper into the subject.
Conclusion
In sum, if you are confused in any way about which foods, supplements or therapies you should be using to help improve or maintain your health, kinesiology can be a great tool under certain circumstances.
It can help identify if certain foods and supplements are in harmony with your body or could actually work against the healing process.
Three Pipe Problem, I’m with ya on this. It’s roots are not good and there is a lot of darkness around AK. Just because something appears to work doesn’t mean it’s good. Appreciate your comments.
This would all stand up to a controlled randomized study…. NOT!!!