Victor Forge
Muscle testing, also known as applied kinesiology (AK) or manual muscle testing (MMT), is a diagnostic tool that uses the body's nervous system to uncover hidden problems. It is based on the idea that the human body knows what is wrong with it and can communicate through the turning on or off of muscles. The basic posture for applied kinesiology muscle tests involves a patient lying on a table with their arm in the air, and it is used to diagnose a range of issues, from musculoskeletal structure to gut problems. The most commonly accepted method of evaluating muscle strength is the Oxford Scale, which involves testing key muscles against the examiner's resistance and grading the patient's strength on a scale from 0 to 5. Muscle testing devices, such as the Mecmesin Myometer, are also used to assess muscle strength and can provide valuable insights for healthcare professionals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Other names | Applied kinesiology (AK), manual muscle testing (MMT) |
| History | Developed in the early 20th century to measure muscle strength in polio patients. Later adapted by chiropractor George J. Goodheart Jr., who founded AK. |
| Purpose | To diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and mental ailments, and uncover hidden problems. |
| Uses | To assess muscle strength, diagnose food intolerances, and identify internal imbalances. |
| Method | Testing key muscles against an examiner's resistance and grading strength on a scale. |
| Tools | Mecmesin Myometer, MicroFET 2 MMT device, dynamometers, hand-grip dynamometry. |
| Benefits | Provides insight into stubborn conditions, helps assess injury and disease progression, and aids in sports training. |
| Criticism | Critics are skeptical, and there is debate over the effectiveness of diagnosing medical conditions. |
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What You'll Learn
Muscle testing as a diagnostic tool
Muscle testing, also known as applied kinesiology (AK) or manual muscle testing (MMT), is a diagnostic tool that uses the body's own nervous system to uncover hidden problems. The method was developed in the early 20th century to measure muscle strength in polio patients and was later adapted by chiropractor George J. Goodheart Jr., who founded applied kinesiology, now often used in sports medicine. Goodheart was interested in more than just muscle strength; he believed that muscles could be a communication gateway to the nervous system.
AK is based on the concept that any internal issues or imbalances are accompanied by related muscle weakness. Thus, a muscle test can be performed to diagnose any underlying medical condition. During a test for a food intolerance, for example, a practitioner may place a vial with a trace of the food on or near the patient's body and then ask them to push against their hand with their raised arm. If there’s no issue, the push will be strong. If there is an issue, it will be startlingly weak. This indicates that the body treats these foods more like toxins.
MMT devices are commonly used to assess upper and lower extremity manual muscle strength, which can help with diagnosing and rehabilitating sports injuries and illnesses. They are also used in physiological studies to better understand the function of various body parts. The most commonly accepted method of evaluating muscle strength is the Oxford Scale, which involves testing key muscles against the examiner’s resistance and grading the patient’s strength on a 0 to 5 scale. However, due to the difficulty of applying the Oxford Scale to all patients, physiotherapists often use modified versions or more precise methods such as hand-grip dynamometry. Other instruments, such as the Mecmesin Myometer, can also be used to perform consistent and accurate muscle strength tests.
While critics are deeply skeptical of AK, the evidence base for it is expanding. It often provides insight into stubborn conditions when nothing else will.
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The history of muscle testing
Muscle testing, also known as applied kinesiology (AK) or manual muscle testing (MMT), is a practice that was first developed in the 20th century to measure muscle strength in polio patients. It has since evolved into a diverse range of evaluation techniques used by many practitioners worldwide.
George Goodheart, a chiropractor, then used Kendall's work as a foundation for his own research and discovered that he could provide healing beyond chiropractic alignment. Goodheart is considered the pioneer of applied kinesiology, discovering that the strength or weakness of a muscle was connected to the health of a corresponding organ. He also found that beneficial physical stimuli increased muscle strength, while hostile stimuli caused the muscles to weaken. Goodheart's work gained interest, and he began to lecture at conferences, take on students, and teach his methods.
One of Goodheart's students, Dr. Alan Beardall, developed his own system of over 250 specific muscle tests meant to isolate major muscles in the body. Beardall also discovered that specific hand positions could change the body's response to the muscle test, allowing for the discovery of deeper imbalances in the body's energy patterns. Another student of Goodheart, Dr. John Thie, theorized that muscles tested differently depending on the stress they were under, leading to the assertion that muscular symptoms were connected to imbalances in the body.
Today, muscle testing is used by many different kinds of energy healers and practitioners as a tool to tap into the subconscious knowledge of their clients and help identify the root causes of issues. It is often used to diagnose a range of issues, including structural, muscular, chemical, and mental ailments, and has been found to be particularly useful in sports medicine and for diagnosing stubborn conditions.
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How muscle testing works
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 method was developed in the early 20th century to measure muscle strength in polio patients and was later adapted by chiropractor George J. Goodheart Jr., who founded applied kinesiology, now often used in sports medicine.
AK is based on the concept that for every action in nature, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This is applied to the human body, meaning that any internal issues are accompanied by related muscle weakness. The basic posture for AK muscle tests involves the patient lying on a table with their arm in the air. For example, during a test for a food intolerance, a practitioner may place a vial with a trace of the food on or near the patient's body and ask them to push against their hand with their raised arm. If there's no issue, the push will be strong, and if there is, it will be startlingly weak.
Muscle testing is a diagnostic tool that uses the body's own nervous system to uncover hidden problems. The nervous system sends chemical and electrical signals to the organs and muscles, and if there is interference with these signals, the muscles become weakened, indicating a possible underlying health issue. Healthy muscles are naturally strong and should withstand average resistance. Muscle testing is used to identify underlying health issues, providing important clues that indicate when the body is in a state of malfunction.
During a muscle testing session, the practitioner will apply gentle pressure to specific muscles, while the patient resists the force. The muscles are then labelled weak or strong, depending on their ability to resist this force. Once the weak muscles are identified, the practitioner will work to determine which areas of the body aren't communicating properly. For example, if muscle testing reveals weakness in a muscle associated with digestion, the practitioner may recommend dietary changes, supplements, or adjustments to support the digestive system.
While muscle testing has gained popularity among chiropractors and functional medicine practitioners, critics are deeply skeptical due to a lack of robust research supporting its effectiveness. However, there is also limited data to suggest that it doesn't work, and it often provides insight into stubborn conditions when nothing else will.
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The accuracy 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 psychological conditions by testing muscle strength. 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 was founded by George Goodheart, Jr. in 1964 as a system of muscle testing and therapy. The method was initially developed in the early 20th century to measure muscle strength in polio patients. It was later adapted by Goodheart, who saw that muscles could be a communication gateway to the nervous system. The nervous system controls when muscles turn on and off, and this is influenced by many different pathways, including hormones, toxins, hydration, sleep, stress, nutrition, and electromagnetics.
MMT is a non-invasive assessment tool used by healthcare providers to evaluate neuromusculoskeletal integrity and muscular strength. One form of MMT is muscle response testing (MRT), which tests neural control rather than muscular strength. In MRT, a true positive test is indicated by a weakening of the muscle following a lie, and a true negative is indicated by no weakening of the muscle following a truth. Two randomised-order blinded studies found that the mean accuracy of MRT for 20 chiropractors was 0.670 (0.611 to 0.729), and for non-chiropractors, it was 0.642 (0.593 to 0.691). These results were not significantly different.
While critics are deeply skeptical of AK, the evidence base is expanding. A 2001 study found that muscle tests are not helpful for diagnosing allergies, and another 2001 study found that they are not useful for diagnosing medical conditions such as organic disease or mental illness. However, a 2023 study found that AK provided accurate results when used to measure sacroiliac dysfunction, with accuracy comparable to other types of tests.
The most commonly accepted method of evaluating muscle strength is the Oxford Scale, which involves testing key muscles against the examiner’s resistance and grading the patient’s strength on a 0 to 5 scale. However, this scale has limitations, and physiotherapists often use modified versions in clinical practice. More precise methods of measurement, such as hand-grip dynamometry, are less subjective and provide quantifiable measurements that can be tracked over time.
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Muscle testing as a form of biofeedback
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 internal issues are accompanied by related muscle weakness. For example, a weak bicep may be indicative of an underlying problem with the spleen.
Muscle testing is a form of biofeedback, which is an alternative medicine approach that teaches patients to change the way their body functions, with the aim of improving physical and/or mental health. Biofeedback relies on active patient participation and is considered safe for individuals of all ages. It is not recommended as a standalone treatment for most conditions but can help manage symptoms of certain conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Biofeedback involves using non-invasive equipment to measure a selected physical parameter, which is then displayed directly or converted into a visual, auditory, or tactile feedback signal. The patient then practices controlling the feedback signal by consciously adjusting the physical parameter. Muscle activity, measured by electromyography, is one of the most common biofeedback parameters.
While critics are skeptical of applied kinesiology, the evidence base for it is expanding. It often provides insight into stubborn conditions when nothing else will.
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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. It is based on the idea that any internal issues may be accompanied by related muscle weakness.
Muscle testing works on the principle that the human body knows what is wrong with it and can communicate this through the turning on or off of muscles. This is believed to be the language of the central nervous system (CNS).
The CNS controls when muscles turn on or off. Muscle testing examines the CNS and can pick up on disturbances in all the different body systems.
Muscle strength can be assessed manually, functionally, or mechanically. The most commonly accepted method of evaluation is the Oxford Scale, which involves testing key muscles from the upper and lower extremities against the examiner's resistance and grading the patient's strength on a scale of 0 to 5.
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