What is Applied Kinesiology
Applied Kinesiology (AK) is a dynamic clinical approach that evaluates structural, biochemical, and emotional aspects of health using manual muscle testing alongside established methods of assessment. It provides a non-invasive means of evaluating functional balance within the body and has become an important integrative system within healthcare practice.
The term “Applied Kinesiology” reflects the practical application of muscle testing to assess neurological, musculoskeletal, and physiological function through the dynamics of the body’s movement system.
AK is developed and supported internationally through the International College of Applied Kinesiology (ICAK), which maintains professional standards in education, research, and clinical practice.
Clinical Treatment Approaches
Treatment within Applied Kinesiology is selected according to individual clinical findings and may include joint manipulation and mobilisation, myofascial and soft tissue techniques, cranial assessment and correction, acupuncture meridian and point therapy, clinical nutrition and dietary management, supportive counselling, evaluation of environmental and chemical stressors, and neurological and reflex-based procedures.
This integrative approach allows treatment to be tailored to the individual rather than applied through standardised protocols.
Why Kinesiology?
Many osteopaths and chiropractors receive limited formal training in advanced manual muscle testing during their undergraduate education. This is largely due to the number of variables that can influence test outcomes, requiring skilled control and clinical experience.
Applied Kinesiology addresses these challenges through structured testing procedures and clinical reasoning. By using neurological feedback and motor responses, practitioners are able to identify subtle underlying imbalances that may not be apparent through conventional assessment alone.
Muscle testing provides a direct method of communicating with the body’s regulatory systems. It supports accurate diagnosis, informed treatment selection, and immediate evaluation of clinical outcomes, significantly broadening therapeutic possibilities.
How can it broaden my practice?
Applied Kinesiology integrates acupuncture meridian assessment, cranial techniques, nutritional and biochemical testing, and evaluation of natural remedies into a unified clinical framework. This enables practitioners to adapt treatment to the individual rather than fitting the patient to a predefined method.
By expanding diagnostic and therapeutic options, practitioners are able to manage a wider range of clinical presentations with greater confidence and precision. Patients frequently report noticeable improvements, contributing to high levels of satisfaction and positive professional referrals.
Why Kinesiology?
Many osteopaths or chiropractors learn few, if any accurate muscle testing procedures during their undergraduate degree. This is primarily because there are many confounding factors that can affect the outcome of a muscle test, and the examiner needs to be able to control for these.
This is where Applied Kinesiology excels, and through manual muscle testing the examiner can find underlying hidden imbalances in the body, through neurological feedback and the motor responses.
Muscle testing is one of the best ways to achieve accurate communication with the body. It is invaluable not only for diagnosis and the choice of appropriate treatment, but also for checking the immediate clinical outcome. It also dramatically expands your ability to treat a wider spectrum of health conditions.
How can it broaden my practice?
AK includes use of the acupuncture meridians and points, quick and accurate cranial corrections, testing of homoeopathic and herbal medicines as well as nutrition, so you can make the treatment fit the person rather than the other way around. Patients are impressed by the palpable and observable changes in their bodies, and are usually very enthusiastic in recommending it to their friends and family.
Why ‘APPLIED’ Kinesiology?
In 1964, George Goodheart first identified the relationship between muscle weakness and functional imbalance and demonstrated that targeted therapy could restore muscle strength and neurological organisation.
Dr Goodheart extended his research beyond chiropractic into biomedicine, osteopathy, acupuncture, dentistry, nutrition, and biochemistry, developing a unified system of assessment and treatment based on the body’s innate regulatory intelligence. His analytical approach, characterised by careful clinical observation and systematic questioning, enabled the integration of multiple disciplines into a coherent diagnostic framework.
Since this original discovery, many forms of kinesiology have emerged. However, many lack consistent standards and scientific control. Applied Kinesiology remains the original, clinically validated system developed by Dr Goodheart and his colleagues.
AK was initially established as an adjunctive system for osteopaths and chiropractors and later expanded to include medical doctors, dentists, veterinary surgeons, and other medically qualified practitioners. It is based on replicable procedures, ongoing research, and extensive clinical application.
As a licensed practitioner of AK and member of ICAK-UK, practitioners demonstrate recognised professional competence and adherence to internationally accepted standards, reflecting a commitment to high-quality, ethical clinical practice.
