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Muscle response testing (MRT), also known as applied kinesiology (AK) or manual muscle testing (MMT), is a diagnostic tool used in alternative medicine to evaluate neuromusculoskeletal integrity and muscular strength. It involves applying pressure to a patient's arm and observing their ability to resist that pressure. AK is based on the idea that every organ dysfunction is accompanied by a weakness in a specific corresponding muscle. While some studies have found MRT to be more accurate than intuition or chance in distinguishing lies from truths, it is not considered a valid diagnostic tool by the medical community, with limited research on its effectiveness.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Muscle response testing (MRT), Manual muscle testing (MMT), Applied kinesiology (AK) |
| History | First used in the early 20th century to measure muscle weakness in polio victims. Developed further by chiropractor George Goodheart in 1964. |
| Use | To diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and mental ailments, and to choose treatments. |
| Mechanism | Tests for muscle strength and weakness, and imbalances around illness, disease, belief issues, allergies and health decisions. |
| Accuracy | Found to be more accurate than intuition and chance in distinguishing lies from truths. However, one study found it was no more helpful in diagnosing allergies than random guessing. |
| Limitations | No standardisation of the practice, and the results cannot be objectively analysed, quantified and validated with existing research methods. |
| Regulation | Rejected by the medical community as a diagnostic tool. The Australian Government's Department of Health also found no clear evidence of its effectiveness. |
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What You'll Learn
Muscle response testing (MRT)
The basic principle behind MRT is that every organ dysfunction is accompanied by a weakness in a specific corresponding muscle, known as the "viscerosomatic relationship". This means that any internal issues or ailments would be accompanied by related muscle weakness. Thus, a muscle test can be performed to diagnose any underlying medical condition. MRT is also used to determine the state of organs and organ systems, evaluate nutritional status, detect imbalances in the meridians and chakras, identify mental or emotional stress, and identify chemical sensitivities and allergies.
There is some debate about the legitimacy of MRT as a diagnostic tool. While some studies have found MRT to be significantly more accurate than both intuition and chance in distinguishing lies from truths, other studies have found that it is no more useful than random guessing in diagnosing allergies. The medical community has mostly rejected the idea of MRT as a diagnostic tool for conditions other than musculoskeletal disorders. The American Cancer Society has stated that "available scientific evidence does not support the claim that applied kinesiology can diagnose or treat cancer or other illness". Additionally, there is no standardization in MRT, making it difficult to validate the results with existing research methods.
However, MRT has been found to be a useful tool for practitioners in guiding treatment decisions. It is a simple and free method that requires no equipment, making it immensely popular among natural practitioners. MRT can help practitioners assess what type of treatment is best for a patient and can be used as a form of self-muscle testing to check that a particular belief or issue has been resolved.
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Manual muscle testing (MMT)
Muscle testing, or kinesiology, is a simple, non-invasive assessment tool used by many health practitioners. It can be used to assess general health status, supplement dosage, and muscular weakness. Different professionals use muscle testing in different ways, so there is some confusion about the term itself, how the tests are used, and what the results mean.
MMT may not be sufficiently sensitive to measure strength in the good to normal range. For example, studies have found significant differences in strength change over time using myometry that were not detected with MMT. The most commonly accepted method of evaluating muscle strength is the Oxford Scale (aka the Medical Research Council Manual Muscle Testing scale), which involves testing key muscles against the examiner's resistance and grading the patient's strength on a 0 to 5 scale.
MMT has been used to assess a range of conditions, including idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) and myositis. In one study, MMT was found to have strong content validity for assessing IIM in children and adults by a panel of expert PTs and rheumatologists. Another study found that experienced practitioners more accurately predicted muscle strength using applied kinesiology compared to inexperienced practitioners, with accuracies of 98% and 64%, respectively.
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Applied kinesiology (AK)
AK was originated by chiropractor George Goodheart in 1964. Goodheart was interested in how well the nervous system controlled muscle function. He developed a technique called applied kinesiology, which is used by approximately 40% of American chiropractors. It involves testing specific muscles and is used to evaluate neuromusculoskeletal integrity and muscular strength.
AK is presented as a system that evaluates structural, chemical, and mental aspects of health by using a method referred to as muscle response testing or manual muscle testing (MMT) alongside conventional diagnostic methods. The basic premise of AK, which is not shared by mainstream medical theory, is that every organ dysfunction is accompanied by a weakness in a specific corresponding muscle, known as the "viscerosomatic relationship". This is said to be similar to one of Sir Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion, which states, “for every action in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”.
There is limited research on the efficacy of AK, and the medical community has mostly rejected the idea of AK as a diagnostic tool for conditions outside of musculoskeletal disorders. A 2001 study found that AK was no more helpful in diagnosing allergies than random guessing, and another study indicated that AK was no more useful than random guessing when it came to evaluating nutrient status. The American Cancer Society has also stated that "scientific evidence does not support the claim that applied kinesiology can diagnose or treat cancer or other illness".
However, some studies have found that AK may have some validity in certain areas. For example, a 2023 study found that AK provided accurate results when used to measure sacroiliac dysfunction, and other studies have found that AK was able to accurately predict low back pain, simple phobias, and food allergies. Additionally, one study found that experienced practitioners were more accurate in predicting muscle strength using AK compared to inexperienced practitioners.
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Effectiveness and limitations
Muscle response testing, or applied kinesiology (AK), is a non-invasive assessment tool used by healthcare providers to evaluate neuromusculoskeletal integrity and muscular strength. The basic principle of AK is that every organ dysfunction is accompanied by a weakness in a specific corresponding muscle, known as the "viscerosomatic relationship". However, critics argue that there is no scientific understanding of this proposed theory, and the efficacy of AK is unestablished or doubtful in some cases.
One of the key limitations of AK is the lack of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to substantiate or refute its clinical utility. Additionally, the etiology of muscle weakness may be multifactorial, and RCTs that focus on a single mode of therapy or a specific area of the body may produce poor outcomes due to these limitations. Furthermore, nearly all AK tests are subjective, relying solely on the practitioner's assessment of muscle response, which can vary between techniques and applications. Some studies have shown that test-retest reliability, inter-tester reliability, and accuracy are no better than chance correlations.
Another limitation of AK is the potential for bias in the testing process. While it is generally accepted that all forms of muscle testing have some bias, the extent of this bias is not well understood. The lack of standardisation in AK further complicates the interpretation of results, as different practitioners may use different methods and techniques. This makes it challenging to design and interpret research evaluating the effectiveness of AK.
Despite these limitations, some studies have found potential effectiveness in specific applications of AK. For example, a 2023 study found that AK provided accurate results when used to measure sacroiliac dysfunction, and it has also been found to be significantly more accurate than intuition or chance in distinguishing lies from truths. Additionally, experienced AK practitioners with five or more years of experience have been found to more accurately predict muscle strength compared to inexperienced practitioners.
In conclusion, while AK has some potential benefits, it is essential to approach it with a critical eye and seek out practitioners with credible qualifications. More rigorous research is needed to fully understand the effectiveness and limitations of this modality.
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Standardisation
Muscle response testing, also known as applied kinesiology (AK) or manual muscle testing (MMT), is a controversial practice that claims to diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and mental ailments. Despite its name, AK is not part of the science of kinesiology, which involves studying the mechanics of body movements. Instead, AK is considered a pseudoscience-based technique in alternative medicine.
The basic principle of AK is that any internal issues or organ dysfunctions are accompanied by related muscle weakness. Thus, by testing the strength of specific muscles, practitioners believe they can identify underlying health issues. However, the effectiveness of AK has been widely debated, and it is not recognised by mainstream medical theory.
While AK has gained popularity, particularly among chiropractors, nutritionists, naturopathic doctors, and massage or physical therapists, there is a lack of standardisation in the field. Different practitioners may use varying techniques and interpretations, making it challenging to compare results and establish validity. Standardisation is crucial for any diagnostic tool, and without it, the reliability and usability of AK in clinical settings are compromised.
Several studies have been conducted to assess the accuracy of muscle response testing. Some research suggests that standard orthopedic or chiropractic muscle tests may be useful for specific muscle-related weaknesses but are ineffective for diagnosing medical conditions. For example, a 2001 study found that AK was not useful for diagnosing organic disease or mental illness. Conversely, a 2023 study indicated that AK provided accurate results when used to assess sacroiliac dysfunction.
Furthermore, the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology concluded that there is "no evidence of diagnostic validity" in AK for allergy testing. Similarly, the American Cancer Society stated that "scientific evidence does not support the claim that applied kinesiology can diagnose or treat cancer or other illnesses." These statements underscore the need for standardised methods and rigorous scientific evaluation of AK procedures.
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Frequently asked questions
Muscle response testing (MRT) or muscle testing is a non-invasive assessment tool used by health practitioners to evaluate neuromusculoskeletal integrity and muscular strength. It is also known as applied kinesiology (AK) or manual muscle testing (MMT).
In MRT, muscles are tested not to evaluate muscular strength but neural control. The basic idea behind AK is similar to one of Sir Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion, which states, “for every action in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” So, any internal issues are believed to be accompanied by related muscle weakness.
Muscle response testing is considered a pseudoscience-based technique in alternative medicine. The medical community has mostly rejected the idea of AK as a diagnostic tool for conditions beyond musculoskeletal disorders. The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology has stated that there is "no evidence of diagnostic validity" of applied kinesiology. The American Cancer Society has also refuted its use in diagnosing or treating cancer or other illnesses.
Muscle response testing is easy to perform, requires no equipment, and is a free tool. It can be used to diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and mental ailments and to determine the state of organs and organ systems. MRT has been found to be significantly more accurate than intuition in distinguishing lies from truths.
Muscle response testing is not backed by sufficient scientific research. It is not standardised and there is confusion about the term itself, how the test is used, and what the results mean. This makes it difficult to design and interpret research evaluating the usefulness of muscle testing.
