Kinesiology is one of the most fascinating, precise, effective, and certainly misunderstood of the many techniques utilized in alternative health care today. Commonly referred by layman as “muscle testing,” kinesiology can be a vital tool of highly skilled alternative health care practitioners. Its primary role is to reveal critical details relating to underlying causes and provide effective support for almost any health disorder. Kinesiology is especially successful in helping those symptoms frequently overlooked or misdiagnosed as a result of the limitations of conventional medical testing and wisdom.
Contrary to opinion of misinformed skeptics, kinesiology is neither some “ethereal belief system” nor is it “metaphysical” or “New Age.” Rather, it is an extremely complex and specialized technique that enables the proficient practitioner to access detailed health information directly from the patient’s central nervous system (CNS). It is the CNS that monitors and regulates all physiologic functions of the body. Incredibly, it organizes and prioritizes all functional information into “files” ready to be accessed much like your home computer.
Kinesiology protocols provide a means of silent dialogue with the patient’s CNS to help detect primary imbalances and their related contributing causes; often at sub-clinical levels (hidden from conventional testing). These protocols also assist the doctor in determining an appropriate starting point, treatment procedures, the priority sequence to perform them, and the most effective nutritional support to begin restoring balance specific to the patient’s needs. However, it is important to realize that kinesiology in itself doesn’t possess any “brains;” it is always the doctor’s expertise that provides that part of the equation.
Brief History
The explosion of development in kinesiology began in the early 1960’s. Dr. George Goodheart, DC is recognized as the founder of the system known today as Applied Kinesiology (AK). Dr. Goodheart’s work focused on the intricate interrelationships of the somatovisceral (musculoskeletal/organ) systems. As a chiropractor, he developed procedures for correcting musculoskeletal or structural imbalances by addressing one or more of the “five factors of the IVF (intervertebral foramen or spinal column).” This system evolved to encompass hundreds of effective manual techniques and recognized the influence of body chemistry imbalances and mental/emotional stresses in undermining structural (musculoskeletal) balance.
From Dr. Goodheart’s original work came the efforts of other researchers who contributed to the extensive development of the technique and its applications. Of special note was the research of Dr. Alan Beardall, DC who developed a more complex system called Clinical Kinesiology (CK). This system was created primarily out of Dr. Beardall’s frustration in trying to determine the priority AK techniques the body wanted and when to perform them.
Dr. Beardall developed the concept of the Human Biocomputer Hand Mode System consisting of numerous systematically detailed flow charts that enabled him to access what he described as biocomputer “files.” Through accessing these biocomputer “files,” Dr. Beardall discovered a means of retrieving valuable in-depth health information in a priority sequence indicated by the body. Dr. Beardall’s CK brought the principles of AK to the next level. His comprehensive method would later confirm the major role of biochemical imbalances as a primary contributing cause of structural (musculoskeletal) imbalances.
Kinesiology Reveals the Intricate Connections of the Body
Sometimes a patient may wonder why I concern myself with such seemingly unimportant details of the body when they only want their neck or back “fixed.” The reason is that God created us with a depth of complexity that often stands in opposition to the limitations imposed by today’s scientific understanding. And why shouldn’t that be since, “The foolishness of God is wiser than men…” (1 Corinthians 1:25). For this reason, it is often a patient will come to me with a problem affecting some particular part of their body only to discover the underlying cause is located in an entirely different part of the body, apparently unrelated. But it’s not!
When you consider the many intricate relationships of the body you will begin to understand why different health care disciplines can produce similar initial responses. Do you realize that you can influence almost any area of the body by treating only on the ears, or the feet, or the hands, or the back, or the head? Why? It is because there is interconnectedness in God’s design. This is the very reason why kinesiology is such an indispensable tool for all health issues, even fixing your neck or back! To ignore these details would be a disservice to the patient.
What Drs. Goodheart, Beardall and many others discovered, explored, and mapped in minute detail were the fundamental communications that occur between muscles and organs, organs and other organs, and muscles and other muscles; it is the interconnectedness of God’s design. This is no different than the connections already established in Chinese medicine for thousands of years between meridians (energy pathways) and organs, or between organs with other organs (colon cancer metastasizing to the lungs), or between emotions and organs (suffering extreme grief and developing pneumonia), and so on. These types of phenomenon have been meticulously observed and intricately researched by many others before them, and like them, they understood and researched in what is the true spirit of science.
How It Works
The mechanisms of turning muscles on and off (going strong and weak)occur as normal neurological functions such as when one is walking, running, etc. However, muscle function can also be impacted in positive or negative ways as a result diet, stress, training, and health status. This mechanism can be used as a method of testing to collect important functional information and provide a comprehensive understanding into the cause of and support for many difficult to treat health disorders.
This correlation between “muscles turning on and off” occurring as “normal neurological functions” is a significant clue to an important connection: a muscle response is dictated by the central nervous system (CNS). Whether we call it Muscle Response Testing (MRT) in professional circles or “muscle testing” by layman, it would be more appropriate to refer to it as a neurological response test. Although a physical response is observed by the muscle turning on or off, we are actually testing the response of nervous system’s positive or negative functional capacity within its present state of health. This can then be taken further and used for testing the nervous system’s compatibility with and resistance to specific tests performed by the doctor.
In established muscle testing procedures one would begin with a strong muscle to act as an indicator. This would be followed by a methodology of analysis where by applying light pressure or touch to organ reflex points, acupuncture points, muscles, etc., the doctor would note the nervous system’s response via the indicator muscle. One could also perform a level of analysis by testing a series of muscles bilaterally, which is a typical procedure used in Applied Kinesiology (AK).
The same methodology of analysis can also be utilized to access biocomputer “files” without requiring an actual indicator muscle. This is especially helpful when regular muscle testing is difficult or impossible. Because of the complexity of patient cases I see in my office I utilize minimal direct “muscle testing” to eliminate cumbersomeness to the patient and significantly increase the efficiency and accuracy of my testing. However, a great deal of skill and knowledge is required since there are many factors that can interfere with accuracy in testing.
Clinical Example
This example is more unusual, but serves to make a point about the potential reliability and effectiveness of kinesiology testing.
A man in his 80’s came to me with severe bacterial infections lodged in his knee prosthesis (the bacteria were confirmed through my testing). His doctors had been fighting to get it under control for 4 years. Despite extraordinary efforts through various medical interventions, his doctors no longer held hope for his recovery and admitted he would require another knee replacement surgery. Even an alternative physician told him replacement of the prosthesis would be the only viable solution.
Interestingly, upon his first visit to my office I discovered the combination of antibiotics administered was not effective! As somewhat of a surprise to him, upon his next visit to his medical physician he requested testing for bacterial sensitivity to the antibiotics. When he returned to my office he explained that the lab test results confirmed both bacteria were still sensitive to the antibiotics he was taking. I again confirmed what he was taking was not working effectively. I then suggested he ask his infectious disease doctor for samples of other antibiotics so that I may test them in hope of finding a better alternative.
The following office visit he brought a number of antibiotic samples provided by his medical physician. Noted from my testing, there was only one that would provide the overall effectiveness he required. I suggested he contact his medical physician to see if he would have any objections to trying the new antibiotic. It took only 2 days on the new antibiotic for his color to return along with increased energy. Gradually he became stronger and his overall health improved significantly as I continued to build his nutritional therapy program based on my kinesiology findings. Approximately 3 months later his medical physicians could only shake their heads in disbelief. Eventually, the antibiotic was no longer required since the two infections were brought under control and supported through specific nutritional support for his immune system.
Some may think kinesiology testing wasn’t actually necessary, believing either it was a medical error or his physicians would have eventually found the right one. Well, not quite. You see they had already tried that antibiotic almost 18 months prior, but he became very unstable when using it. Fearing that he may suffer a severe fall, it was discontinued. It was only through providing specific and comprehensive nutritional support determined through my kinesiology testing he was able to use the more effective antibiotic safely and successfully.
As you can see from this example, sometimes prescription medications can play a vital role in overcoming serious health issues. In this case his infection developed beyond the ability for natural healing alone to control. This is an over simplification of a very complex case, but it demonstrates the potential applications of kinesiology testing; whether for determining the best nutritional support or even the most effective medication, if required. |
