Return To "Chiropractic- What you should know"

Applied Kinesiology: A waste of time and money

What applied kinesiology is not!

Applied kinesiology must distinguished from kinesiology (biomechanics), which is the scientific study of movement. It is likely that the kinesiology was appropriated by the creators of "applied kinesiology" to give it legitimacy.

What is applied kinesiology (AK)?

Started in 1964 by George J. Goodheart, Jr., D.C., applied kinesiology (AK) is an unproven system of muscle-testing and therapy that has become quite elaborate.

The basic premise is that every organ dysfunction is accompanied by a specific muscle weakness thus making it possible to diagnose diseases through muscle-testing procedures.

Additionally, muscle testing may be done after placing a variety of substances on the tongue with supposed changes in strength (usually weakness) indicating either nutritional deficiency or intolerance to the tested substance.

Who practices applied kinesiology(AK)?

Most practitioners are chiropractors, but naturopaths, medical doctors, dentists, bogus nutritionists, physical therapists, massage therapists, nurse practitioners, and multilevel distributors (most notably for Nature's Sunshine) are also involved. Regardless of profession practioners of applied kinesiology are promoting quackery.

In 1991, 37.2% of 4,835 full-time American chiropractors who responded to a survey by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) said they used AK in their practice [2]. Subsequent NCBE surveys found percentages of 31% in Canada, 60% in Australia, and 72% of New Zealand [3, 4]. The prevalence among other types of practitioners is unknown.

How is testing performed? [1]

Finding a "weak" muscle supposedly enables the practitioner to pinpoint illness in the corresponding internal organs in the body. For example, a weak muscle in the chest might indicate a liver problem, and a weak muscle near the groin might indicate "adrenal insufficiency."

Taking weak muscles one step further AK supporters have made bold claims that nutritional deficiencies, allergies, and other adverse reactions to foods or nutrients can be detected by having the patient chew or suck on them or by placing them on the tongue so that the patient salivates. Some practitioners advise that the test material merely be held in the patient's hand or placed on another part of the body. A few even perform "surrogate testing" in which the arm strength of a parent is tested to determine problems in a child held by the parent.

Is there well done research to support applied kinesiology?

There are no well designed and controlled studies supporting AK. Important findings from such studies include finding:

One study [5] found the following:

  • Three different practioners examining the same 11 patients arrived at vastly different "diagnoses"

  • Responses to "nutrients" did not differ from placebo

  • Diagnoses of nutritional deficiencies did not correspond to blood serum levels of these nutrients

Other studies have found:

  • No effect from administering the nutrients "expected" to strengthen a muscle diagnosed as "weak" by AK practitioners [6]

  • Muscle response appears to be a random phenomenon [7].

Another study [8]concluded that a patients suggestibility can influence testing outcome. During part of this experiment, college students were told that chewing M&M candies would give them instant energy that would probably make them test stronger. Five out of nine did so.

Other testing methods derived from applied kinesiology [1]

Muscle testing and "meridian" theories are involved in other treatment systems used mainly by chiropractors including:

  1. Neural Organization Technique (NOT)
  2. Contact Reflex Analysis (CRA)
  3. Neuro Emotional Technique (NET)
  4. Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique (NAET)
  5. Whole System HealthScan

(More information on these topics can be accessed by clicking here )

Dangers with applied kinesiology

Applied kinesiology information published for the general public has promoted the concept that a chiropractor trained in AK has an advantage over chiropractors not practicing AK and can provide a second opinion for a medical doctor.

Particularly concerning are claims made by some AK proponents that they can treat infections in children instead of doctors. Systems DC of Pueblo, Colorado is a major publisher/distributor of AK educational materials for chiropractors and their patients. Its pamphlet on infections and child health states:

When an infection develops, have your child examined by your doctor using applied kinesiology. He can evaluate the energy patterns and usually find the reason that the infection developed in the first place. By correcting the energy patterns within the body and paying specific attention to nutritional supplements and dietary management, the infection which your child (using natural health care) does develop will be adequately taken care of in most cases [9].

Although most childhood illnesses are self limited there is no substitute for a physician when your child is truly sick. Chiropractors and applied kinesiologists are simply not trained to diagnose and treat illness whether it be an adult or child.

The Bottom Line

Applied kinesiology does not conform to know facts about the causes or treatment of disease. Controlled studies have found no difference between the results with test substances and with placebos. Differences from one test to another may be due to suggestibility, distraction, variations in the amount of force or leverage involved, and/or muscle fatigue.

Don't let a friendly face or convincing pitch fool you- if you encounter a practitioner who relies on AK muscle-testing for diagnosis use your muscles and run (don't walk) for the nearest exit.

Resources

Most of the information on this topic, including other resources was obtained from:

1. Applied Kinesiology: Muscle-Testing for "Allergies" and "Nutrient Deficiencies" by Stephen Barrett, M.D., a leading expert on healthcare fraud and medical quackery.

In depth information on this topic can be found at http://www.quack.com , a site run by Dr. Barrett and others, by selecting the "Chirobase" link.

2. Christenson MG, Morgan DRD. Job Analysis of Chiropractic: A Report, Survey Analysis, and Summary of the Practice of Chiropractic within the United States. Greeley, CO: National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, 1993.

3. Christenson MG, Morgan DRD. Job Analysis of Chiropractic in Canada: A Report, Survey Analysis, and Summary of the Practice of Chiropractic within Canada. Greeley, CO: National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, 1993.

4. Christenson MG, Morgan DRD. Job Analysis of Chiropractic in Australia and New Zealand: A Report, Survey Analysis, and Summary of the Practice of Chiropractic within Australia and New Zealand. Greeley, CO: National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, 1994.

5. Kenny JJ, Clemens R, Forsythe KD. Applied kinesiology unreliable for assessing nutrient status. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 88:698-704, 1988.

6. Triano JJ. Muscle strength testing as a diagnostic screen for supplemental nutrition therapy: a blind study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 5:179-182, 1982

7. Haas M and others. Muscle testing response to provocative vertebral challenge and spinal manipulation: a randomized controlled trial of construct validity. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 17:141-148, 1994.

8. Applied kinesiology - Double-blind pilot study. Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry 45:321-323, 1981.

9. Infections: A lifetime of health for your child. Pueblo, Colorado: Systems DC, 1977.

Top

Doctors Corner INternet Group, Inc. 1997-2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Modified: February 3, 2002