Athena Vale
Muscle testing, also known as applied kinesiology (AK) or manual muscle testing (MMT), is an alternative medicine practice that claims to diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and mental ailments. It is based on the idea that fluctuations in muscle strength can reveal patient sensitivities and needs. However, it has been criticized as unscientific and lacking robust research to support its effectiveness. Despite its name, applied kinesiology is not part of the field of kinesiology, which is the study of human movement. Instead, it is considered a form of New Age therapy, and its effectiveness and scientific validity are debated.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Other Names | Applied Kinesiology (AK) or Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) |
| Type of Practice | Alternative medicine |
| Purpose | To diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and mental ailments |
| Basis | Similar to Sir Isaac Newton's Laws of Motion |
| Difference from Kinesiology | Not a part of the science of kinesiology, which is the study of human movement |
| Scientific Backing | No scientific studies currently available that demonstrate its safety, effectiveness, or accuracy |
| Use Cases | Chiropractic treatment, diagnosing musculoskeletal disorders |
| Limitations | Not suitable for diagnosing medical conditions such as organic disease or mental illness |
| Criticism | Considered quackery and a bogus method of diagnosis by skeptics and some medical professionals |
| Founder | George Goodheart, Jr., a Michigan chiropractor |
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What You'll Learn
- Muscle testing, also known as applied kinesiology (AK), is an alternative medicine practice
- It is not a part of the science of kinesiology, which is the study of the movement of the human body
- It is based on the idea that fluctuations in muscle strength reveal patient sensitivities and needs
- There is a lack of scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of muscle testing
- Some studies have shown that muscle testing can be useful for diagnosing specific muscle-related weaknesses
Muscle testing, also known as applied kinesiology (AK), is an alternative medicine practice
AK is based on the idea that any internal issues experienced by an individual would be accompanied by related muscle weakness. This 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." Thus, according to AK, a muscle test can be used to diagnose underlying medical conditions.
The basic method of testing in AK involves evaluating the strength of an individual muscle or muscle group. A clinician will apply manual pressure to a muscle and ask the patient to resist. The muscle is then rated on a scale from zero to five, with zero being the weakest and five being the strongest. However, it is important to note that AK testing differs from standard orthopedic muscle testing.
Proponents of AK believe that changes in muscle strength reveal the sensitivities and needs of the patient. They attribute these strength changes to probing questions or substances placed within the body's energy field. For example, in response to certain questions or substances, a patient may feel weaker or stronger, and this is known as "the AK effect." Critics argue that AK exploits illusions and the power of suggestion to create a convincing demonstration, similar to stage hypnotism.
While some studies have found limited success in using AK to diagnose musculoskeletal disorders, the medical community has largely rejected it as a valid diagnostic tool for conditions in other systems of the body. There is currently a lack of robust scientific research supporting the effectiveness of AK, and it is not widely practiced by medical professionals.
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It is not a part of the science of kinesiology, which is the study of the movement of the human body
Muscle testing, also known as applied kinesiology (AK) or manual muscle testing (MMT), is considered by many to be a part of the New Age movement. However, it is important to note that AK is not a part of the science of kinesiology, which is the academic study of the movement of the human body.
AK is an alternative medicine practice that claims to diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and mental ailments. It is based on the idea that fluctuations in muscle strength reveal patient sensitivities and needs. The basic premise of AK is that for every action in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This concept, similar to one of Sir Isaac Newton's Laws of Motion, is applied to the human body. Thus, any internal issues are believed to be accompanied by related muscle weakness. However, it is important to note that this is not supported by scientific studies.
In AK, the classic method of testing strength is to push down on the patient's outstretched arm. A strong arm is interpreted as the body saying "yes" or "that's fine," while a weak arm indicates "no" or "that's bad." This method is based on the chiropractic notion of the body's "innate intelligence" or the "wisdom of the body." However, critics argue that AK is no more scientific than a Ouija board and is based on well-documented illusions and psychology, specifically the ideomotor effect.
While some patients have been wowed by the apparent effects of AK, there is a lack of robust scientific research to support its effectiveness. A review of applied kinesiology studies published in Chiropractic and Osteopathy concluded that there is no valid physical model or scientific evidence to support the use of AK for diagnosing organic diseases or pre/subclinical conditions. Additionally, a 2001 study found that AK was no more effective than random guessing in diagnosing allergies to wasp venom.
In conclusion, while muscle testing or applied kinesiology may be considered by some as a New Age practice, it is not a part of the academic field of kinesiology, which focuses on the study of human movement. AK is an alternative medicine approach that lacks scientific validation and is not widely accepted by the medical community.
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It is based on the idea that fluctuations in muscle strength reveal patient sensitivities and needs
Muscle testing, also known as applied kinesiology (AK) or manual muscle testing (MMT), is a form of alternative medicine that claims to diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and mental ailments. The basic idea behind AK is inspired by Sir Isaac Newton’s Laws of Motion, which states, “for every action in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction”. AK applies this concept to the human body, suggesting that any internal issues would be accompanied by related muscle weakness.
AK is based on the belief that fluctuations in muscle strength reveal patient sensitivities and needs. It is thought that changes in muscle strength are provoked by probing questions or substances placed within the body's energy field. The classic method of testing strength is to push down on the patient's outstretched arm. A strong arm is interpreted as the body saying 'yes' or 'that's fine', while a weak arm means 'no' or 'that's bad'. This method is considered to be as scientific as a Ouija board by critics.
Practitioners of AK believe in the body's "innate intelligence" or the "'wisdom of the body', which is a distinctly chiropractic notion. AK supposedly detects the effects of disturbances in an organising, animating force. This is similar to the belief in working with energy fields, which is pure vitalism, a discredited theory of life. Patients are often impressed by "the AK effect", where they feel weaker or stronger in response to certain questions or substances. This effect is created by powerful illusions based on the ideomotor and observer-expectancy or subject-expectancy (power of suggestion) effects.
While AK has been denounced as a bogus method of diagnosis and prescription, it still has its supporters. A 2023 study found that the applied kinesiology muscle test provided accurate results when used to measure sacroiliac dysfunction, and further studies have been recommended. However, the medical community has largely rejected the idea of AK as a diagnostic tool for conditions beyond musculoskeletal disorders. There is a lack of robust scientific research supporting the effectiveness of AK, and it is not advised to rely on this technique when making important healthcare decisions.
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There is a lack of scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of muscle testing
Muscle testing, also known as applied kinesiology (AK) or manual muscle testing (MMT), is an alternative medicine practice that claims to effectively diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and mental ailments. 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.”. AK applies this concept to the human body, meaning that any internal issues one may be experiencing would be accompanied by related muscle weakness.
However, there is a lack of scientific evidence supporting the effectiveness of muscle testing. A large review of applied kinesiology studies published in Chiropractic and Osteopathy concluded that "the few studies evaluating unique AK procedures either refute or cannot support the validity of AK procedures as diagnostic tests". The review also stated that "the evidence to date does not support the use of [manual muscle testing] for the diagnosis of organic disease or pre/subclinical conditions.". Additionally, no government- or university-sponsored scientific studies are currently available that demonstrate that applied kinesiology is safe, effective, or accurate.
While muscle testing has been used for over 30 years and is estimated to be used by over one million practitioners worldwide, 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 muscle testing was no more helpful in diagnosing allergies than random guessing. Another study in the same year found that standard orthopedic or chiropractic muscle tests may be helpful for specific muscle-related weaknesses, but are useless for diagnosing medical conditions such as organic disease or mental illness.
Although there is some evidence that muscle testing can be useful in certain situations, such as a 2023 study that found applied kinesiology provided accurate results when used to measure sacroiliac dysfunction, more research is needed to support the effectiveness of muscle testing as a diagnostic tool. RCTs and other substantive research studies are required to assert the relevance of muscle testing and provide a solid scientific foundation.
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Some studies have shown that muscle testing can be useful for diagnosing specific muscle-related weaknesses
Muscle testing, also known as applied kinesiology (AK) or manual muscle testing (MMT), is an alternative medicine practice that claims to diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and mental ailments. AK is based on Sir Isaac Newton's Laws of Motion, which states that "for every action in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction." This concept is applied to the human body, suggesting that any internal issues are accompanied by related muscle weakness. Thus, a muscle test can be performed to diagnose underlying medical conditions.
However, it is important to note that AK is not a part of the science of kinesiology, which is the study of the movement of the human body. While some studies have shown that muscle testing can be useful for diagnosing specific muscle-related weaknesses, the medical community has largely rejected AK as a valid diagnostic tool for conditions beyond musculoskeletal disorders. A 2001 study found that muscle testing was no more effective than random guessing in diagnosing allergies, and a review of applied kinesiology studies published in "Chiropractic and Osteopathy" concluded that there was a lack of evidence supporting the validity of AK procedures as diagnostic tests.
Despite this skepticism, there is ongoing research and some positive findings. For example, a 2023 study found that the applied kinesiology muscle test provided accurate results when used to measure sacroiliac dysfunction, with accuracy comparable to other types of tests. Additionally, clinical research studies on chiropractic treatment have shown that changes from an "inhibited" or "weak" muscle to a "facilitated" or "strong" muscle are common results of successful treatment.
Furthermore, muscle strength testing is an important component of the physical exam that can provide valuable information about neurologic deficits and help evaluate weakness. It can be used to differentiate true weakness from imbalance or poor endurance and is often employed in cases of suspected neurologic disease or muscle imbalance/weakness. The Medical Research Council Manual Muscle Testing method is commonly accepted, demonstrating reasonable inter-rater reliability, although more precise methods like hand-grip dynamometry can provide quantifiable measurements.
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Frequently asked questions
Muscle testing, also known as applied kinesiology (AK) or manual muscle testing (MMT), is an alternative medicine practice that claims to effectively diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and mental ailments.
Muscle testing evaluates the function and strength of individual muscles or muscle groups in relation to the forces of gravity and manual resistance. A clinician will assess if a muscle is strong or weak via manual pressure and ask the patient to resist that pressure.
Muscle testing is considered a new age practice. It is often viewed as an alternative medical practice to diagnose neurologic, structural, chemical, or mental concerns. However, it is important to note that muscle testing is not considered a scientific process, and there is limited research to support its effectiveness.
Muscle testing can help identify areas of health that individuals may need to work on. It can also be used to assess nutritional needs or the presence of mental or emotional stress.
While there is no direct evidence of harm caused by muscle testing, it is not advised to perform it at home without proper guidance. Additionally, it is important to consult a medical professional if you suspect any health issues.
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