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Muscle testing, also known as applied kinesiology (AK), is an alternative medicine practice that claims to diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and psychological conditions by testing muscle strength. It 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. The basic idea behind AK is that any internal issues are accompanied by related muscle weakness, and so a muscle test can be used to diagnose underlying medical conditions. For example, a weak bicep could indicate an underlying problem with the spleen. Muscle testing is used by holistic practitioners to identify imbalances associated with symptoms that often go undetected by conventional testing. It is also used to determine the best types of therapy to support recovery.
| 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. Adapted by chiropractor George J. Goodheart Jr. in 1964. |
| Purpose | To diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and psychological conditions through testing muscle strength. |
| Uses | To identify poor function within the body, underlying health issues, and imbalances. |
| Benefits | Quick, accurate, non-invasive, holistic, and may help cut down the need for lengthy talk therapy. |
| Limitations | Lacks robust research, vague, open to interpretation, and not widely accepted by the medical community. |
| Best Practices | Seek a trained professional, such as a chiropractor, nutritionist, naturopathic doctor, or physical therapist. |
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What You'll Learn
- Muscle testing therapy can be used to diagnose food intolerances
- It can be used to treat mental health issues like anxiety and depression
- Muscle testing therapy is also known as applied kinesiology
- It can help locate where the body is struggling to function
- It can be used to diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and psychological conditions
Muscle testing therapy can be used to diagnose food intolerances
Muscle testing therapy, also known as applied kinesiology (AK) or manual muscle testing (MMT), is an alternative medicine practice that claims to diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and psychological conditions by testing muscle strength. The basic idea behind AK is that any internal issues are accompanied by related muscle weakness. Thus, muscle testing can be used to diagnose food intolerances.
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 then ask them to push against their hand with their raised arm. If the patient's body does not have an issue with the food, their push will be strong. If there is an issue, their push will be startlingly weak. This is because the central nervous system (CNS) treats the food as a toxin, causing the muscle to weaken.
Muscle testing therapy can also be used in conjunction with clinical psychotherapy to address traumas, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. It provides a different approach to talk therapy, which can sometimes cause more stress activation. By using muscle testing, a trained doctor can access a significant amount of information about the patient that may be unavailable through other means.
However, critics are deeply skeptical of muscle testing therapy, and the majority of the medical community has rejected the idea of AK as a diagnostic tool for conditions outside of the musculoskeletal system. A 2001 study found that muscle testing was no more helpful in diagnosing allergies than random guessing. Additionally, a 2018 review of applied kinesiology muscle testing for food allergies concluded that it was an unproven diagnostic test. While there is a growing evidence base for applied kinesiology, it is not advised to rely on this technique when making important healthcare decisions until further research is conducted.
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It can be used to treat mental health issues like anxiety and depression
Muscle testing therapy, also known as applied kinesiology (AK) or manual muscle testing (MMT), is an alternative medicine practice that claims to diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and psychological conditions by testing muscle strength. The basic idea behind AK is that any internal issues are accompanied by related muscle weakness. Thus, a muscle test can be performed to diagnose underlying medical conditions.
Muscle testing therapy can be used to treat mental health issues like anxiety and depression. It can help a holistic psychotherapist reduce the need for lengthy talk therapy. Muscle testing therapy can directly access important information from the patient's energy system to guide therapy sessions. It can be used to identify trapped emotions and psychological blocks without needing to talk extensively about them. This is particularly useful for patients with anxiety, as asking them to talk about their anxiety may not always help relieve it and can sometimes cause more stress activation.
Muscle testing therapy is also a crucial part of treating depression. This is because there is a strong body-mind connection in depression that extends beyond a person's emotions and mental health. Depression can have several causes that may prevent natural recovery, and it is one of the most commonly misdiagnosed disorders. Physical symptoms like unexplained aches, fatigue, digestive problems, inflammation, and lower immunity can be closely associated with depression. Muscle testing therapy can accurately identify the imbalances that trigger depression and associated symptoms and provide a roadmap for recovery.
A 2023 study found that the applied kinesiology muscle test provided accurate results when used to measure sacroiliac dysfunction. However, critics are skeptical of muscle testing therapy, and the medical community has mostly rejected the idea of AK as a diagnostic tool for conditions outside of musculoskeletal disorders. Until new research is conducted, it is not advised to rely on this technique when making important healthcare decisions.
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Muscle testing therapy is also known as applied kinesiology
Muscle testing therapy, also known as applied kinesiology (AK), is an alternative medicine practice that claims to diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and psychological conditions by testing muscle strength. The basic idea behind AK is that any internal issues are accompanied by related muscle weakness. Thus, a muscle test can be performed to diagnose underlying medical conditions.
AK was developed in 1964 by chiropractor George J. Goodheart, Jr., DC, who founded applied kinesiology, now often used in sports medicine. Goodheart was interested in the connection between muscles and the nervous system, believing that muscles could be a communication gateway to the nervous system.
During a muscle test, a practitioner will exert gentle pressure on specific muscles, one at a time, and patients are asked to hold or resist pressure in a specific direction. Muscles that "lock" against pressure are considered "strong," while those that "unlock" or have trouble resisting are considered "weak." This muscle weakness is caused by the central nervous system (CNS) answering the question, "Is this food good for me?" with a simple "yes" or "no."
Muscle testing is used by holistic practitioners in conjunction with other diagnostic data to identify imbalances associated with symptoms and issues that are often undetected by conventional testing and diagnostics. It is a non-invasive way to quickly and accurately assess health needs, and it can be used to determine the best course of treatment. For example, muscle testing can be used to figure out which supplements work best for a patient's body and in what dosage.
Despite its popularity, the science behind muscle testing has been widely disproven, and it has been rejected by the medical community as a diagnostic tool for conditions beyond musculoskeletal disorders. Critics have dismissed AK as "quackery" and "magical thinking," and the American Cancer Society has stated that "scientific evidence does not support the claim that applied kinesiology can diagnose or treat cancer or other illness."
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It can help locate where the body is struggling to function
Muscle testing therapy, 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 a form of biofeedback that can help locate where the body is struggling to function.
The body turns muscles on and off, allowing us to move, speak, digest food, circulate blood, and breathe oxygen. This is the language of the central nervous system (CNS). By testing muscle strength, a trained doctor can access a lot of information about a patient that may be unavailable through other means. For example, a weak muscle might be caused by trauma to the muscle, an infection in the large or small intestine, or estrogen dominance and low progesterone. Many internal imbalances will show up on the outside of the body as a weak muscle.
Muscle testing can be used to assess various aspects of health holistically and non-invasively. It can help identify imbalances associated with symptoms and issues that are often undetected by conventional testing and diagnostics. For example, it can be used to test for food intolerances. During a test, 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 a raised arm. If there is no issue, the push will be strong, but if there is an issue, it will be startlingly weak. This indicates that the body treats these foods as toxins.
Muscle testing can also be used in conjunction with clinical psychotherapy to address mental health issues such as trauma, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. It can help identify trapped emotions and psychological blocks without needing to talk extensively about them.
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It can be used to diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and psychological conditions
Muscle testing therapy, also known as applied kinesiology (AK), is an alternative medicine practice that claims to diagnose structural, muscular, chemical, and psychological conditions. It was founded by chiropractor George J. Goodheart, Jr. in 1964, who believed that muscles could be a communication gateway to the nervous system.
The basic idea behind AK is that any internal issues are accompanied by related muscle weakness. Thus, a muscle test can be performed to diagnose underlying medical conditions. For example, a patient with a weak bicep may be advised by a practitioner of AK principles to address a potential problem with their spleen. 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 a raised arm. If there is no issue, the push will be strong. If there is an issue, it will be startlingly weak.
Muscle testing is used to identify underlying health issues, providing important clues that indicate when the body is in a state of malfunction. It can help locate where the body is struggling to function and where it is not communicating properly. It is based on the principle that the nervous system sends chemical and electrical signals to the organs and muscles. If there is interference with these electrical messages, the muscles become weakened, indicating a possible underlying health issue.
Muscle testing can be used to diagnose structural issues, such as musculoskeletal disorders, and muscular issues, such as muscle weakness. It can also be used to diagnose chemical conditions, such as food intolerances, and psychological conditions, including depression, anxiety, and trauma.
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