Applied Kinesiology (AK) is a diagnostic and therapeutic system used primarily by chiropractors and other complementary health practitioners to evaluate functional health. Developed in 1964 by chiropractor George J. Goodheart, Jr., AK uses Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) to assess what practitioners believe are imbalances in the body’s structural, chemical, and mental processes. The system posits that muscle strength can reveal information about the function of organs, glands, and energy pathways. AK is distinct from Kinesiology, which is the academic and scientific study of human movement.
The Core Technique: Manual Muscle Testing
Manual Muscle Testing is the central procedural element of an Applied Kinesiology session, differing substantially from standard orthopedic muscle strength tests. The process typically begins with the patient holding a limb in a specific position while the practitioner applies a moderate, steady downward pressure. The practitioner is not testing for raw physical strength but rather for a smooth, sustained response of the muscle (“strong”), versus an immediate failure to hold the position (“weak” or “inhibited”).
The unique application in AK involves introducing a “challenge” or stimulus immediately before or during the re-test of the muscle. This stimulus might be the patient touching a specific point, holding a nutritional supplement, or thinking about a particular emotion. If the previously “strong” muscle suddenly tests “weak” after the stimulus, the practitioner interprets this change as an indicator of stress or imbalance. For instance, if a muscle weakens when a patient holds a certain food, the practitioner may interpret this as a potential sensitivity.
The Theoretical Framework: The Triad of Health
The interpretation of the Manual Muscle Test results is guided by the foundational concept known as the Triad of Health. This model suggests that optimal health exists when three interconnected factors are in balance: Structural, Chemical, and Mental. Structural elements include bones, muscles, joints, and posture.
The chemical side involves the body’s internal biochemistry, such as nutrition, hormones, and metabolic function. The mental side encompasses emotional state, stress levels, and psychological well-being. According to AK theory, dysfunction arises when one or more of these three sides become imbalanced, affecting the others.
Practitioners also rely on the concept of viscerosomatic relationships, a core premise that links specific muscles to specific organs or glands. A weakness in a particular muscle is believed to correlate with a dysfunction in its associated organ system, pointing the practitioner toward the compromised leg of the Triad. This framework allows the practitioner to use the muscle test as a feedback mechanism to determine the underlying cause, rather than just treating symptoms.
Practical Uses in Clinical Settings
Once a muscle inhibition is identified and interpreted through the Triad of Health framework, Applied Kinesiology is used to guide specific treatment planning. Nutritional assessment is a common application: a patient holds a suspected allergen or a supplement, and the muscle response indicates whether the substance is beneficial or detrimental. This is often referred to as “nutrient testing.”
Practitioners also use a technique called “therapy localization,” where the patient touches a suspected area of dysfunction while the muscle test is performed. A change in muscle response during this contact is interpreted as identifying a location that requires therapeutic attention, such as a reflex point or an area of nerve interference. Treatments based on AK findings can be diverse, including specific joint adjustments, nutritional counseling, myofascial therapies, and techniques derived from Traditional Chinese Medicine, such as meridian therapy. The muscle test is often repeated after an intervention to assess the immediate effectiveness of the treatment.
Scientific Consensus and Validation Status
From the perspective of mainstream science, Applied Kinesiology is considered a pseudoscientific technique, and its diagnostic claims are generally not supported by evidence. Studies examining the reliability of Manual Muscle Testing for AK applications often find a lack of standardization and poor inter-tester reliability. This means different practitioners frequently get different results on the same patient. Furthermore, double-blind testing has demonstrated that AK testing for nutrient status or allergies performs no better than random chance.
The diagnostic premise that muscle strength changes in response to an internal imbalance or external substance has not been validated by conventional medical research. Critics point out that the subjective nature of the practitioner’s assessment of muscle “smoothness” or “give” makes the test highly susceptible to confirmation bias and the placebo effect. While standard orthopedic muscle testing is a recognized tool for grading muscle strength after injury, the unique AK application of MMT for diagnosing organic disease or pre-clinical conditions is not supported by scientific evidence.