Applied Kinesiology- Getting the Muscles Right

Applied Kinesiology (AK) is a technique within chiropractic which uses manual muscle testing to help diagnose and treat nerve, muscle and joint problems. The term kinesiology means the study of the mechanics of body movements, and Applied Kinesiology helps detect problems and correct those body mechanics.

When you’re healing, your muscles can help or hinder the process. You may have spasms that just never seem to stay away for long. With Applied Kinesiology I can diagnose and correct spasm and muscle imbalance that can keep you in pain. Balanced muscles hold the corrections we make until damaged ligaments can strengthen and stabilize your spine. Applied Kinesiology is also your body’s built-in diagnostic tool, so we can check at each visit and correct today’s problems, not what existed when you first came in.

• Relief of muscle spasm When you strain a muscle, sensors in the muscle called spindle cells are overstretched. They then give incorrect information to the brain, as if the muscle was too loose. As the brain tries to correct this perceived problem, sending back impulses to tighten the muscle, it sets up a condition called reflex spasm. The muscle becomes constantly tight; indeed, even if you can loosen it up with massage or heat, the tightness comes back as soon as you use the muscle, because the brain (based on incorrect information) thinks that’s how it should be.
• Correction of chronic pain Because of the way reflexes work at the spinal cord level, muscles opposing the one in spasm are turned off and functionally weak. This creates an unbalanced pull on the spine which will perpetuate problems until it’s fixed.
• For Athletes You work hard to make your muscles strong and supple, and to increase their endurance. The muscles should be working correctly and synergistically, not interfering with one another. Applied Kinesiology can help you make the most of your hard-won fitness and become a more balanced, efficient, and effective athlete, whatever your chosen sport.
• A conversation with the body Muscle testing takes advantage of the body’s built-in system of priorities. We test an indicator muscle with an amount of directed pressure which is normally easy to hold. The test becomes impossible when a problem is slightly exacerbated by pressing it further into trouble, because the alarm reaction of the nervous system becomes a higher priority than holding the indicator muscle. This allows me to ask the body directly about what is going on now– and get clear answers.

For even more information follow this link to the International College of Applied Kinesiology USA homepage.