You know your body is different from everyone else's.

Wouldn't it be great if there were a doctor who has the ability to find out what is unique about you and your problems?

Wouldn't it be great if that same doctor could give treatments and lifestyle recommendations which are specific to your particular needs?

There is such a doctor available, and that doctor is an applied kinesiologist.

Applied kinesiology (AK) is a form of diagnosis using muscle testing as a primary feedback mechanism to examine how a person's body is functioning. When properly applied, the outcome of an AK diagnosis will determine the best form of therapy for the patient. Since AK draws together the core elements of many complementary therapies, it provides an interdisciplinary approach to health care.

In general, the applied kinesiologist finds a muscle that tests weak and then attempts to determine why that muscle is not functioning properly. The practitioner will then evaluate and apply the therapy that will best eliminate the muscle weakness and help the patient.

Therapies utilized can include specific joint manipulation or mobilization, various myofascial therapies, cranial techniques, meridian therapy, clinical nutrition, dietary management and various reflex procedures.

In some cases, the examiner may test for environmental or food sensitivities by using a previously strong muscle to find what weakens it.

Applied kinesiology uses the triad of health - chemical, mental and structural factors - to describe the proper balance of the major health categories.

The triad is represented by an equilateral triangle with structural health as its base, and the upright sides representing chemical and mental health. When a person experiences poor health, it is due to an imbalance in one or more of these three factors.

The triad of health is interactive and all sides must be evaluated for the underlying cause of a problem. A health problem on one side of the triad can affect the other sides. For example, a chemical imbalance may cause mental symptoms. Applied kinesiology enables the practitioner to evaluate the triad's balance and direct therapy toward the imbalanced side or sides.

What is the International College of Applied Kinesiology (ICAK)?

The origin of applied kinesiology is traced to 1964 when George J. Goodheart, Jr., D.C., first observed that postural distortion (for example head tilt, high shoulder, high hip) is usually associated with muscles that test weak. He found that by applying the appropriate therapy, the muscle would test strong and the postural distortion would change.

The College was founded in 1976 by a group of doctors who had been teaching others in applied kinesiology. The purpose of the College is to promote research and the teaching of AK. It is a professional association dedicated to bringing together doctors and students with common interests and goals.

In addition to the ICAK-U.S.A. chapter, in the mid 1980s, the organization grew into chapters representing Australasia, Canada, and Europe. In late 1996, the European chapter was re-organized; Germany, Italy, England (U.K.), Scandinavia and BeNeLux are all recognized now as having official chapter status. Many more chapters are being added each year from other countries all over the world.

What is the educational background of an applied kinesiologist?

It takes hundreds of hours of study and years of practice to perfect the multitude of diagnostic techniques that have been developed in AK. In fact, any AK practitioner will tell you that s/he is constantly refining and developing manual muscle testing skills and the interpretation of the test results.

At first glance, muscle testing appears easy, fascinating and impressive. The ability to test muscles, however, requires specific techniques, sensitivity and objectivity. Once the muscle testing skill has been developed, it becomes necessary to interpret the outcome of the test. Interpreting the results requires the years of training that qualifies one as a licensed physician. Therefore, applied kinesiology is only taught to persons licensed to diagnose in the health care field.

To practice AK, one must take a basic course that takes over 100 hours of classroom study and practice to complete. A basic proficiency exam in AK must be passed at the end of the course. A minimum of 300 hours of AK instruction, passage of written and oral examinations, and submission of two original research papers are required to reach the next step; becoming a diplomate of the International Board of Applied Kinesiology (DIBAK). A diplomate represents the highest level of certification in AK.

Does applied kinesiology replace standard examinations?

Applied kinesiology is used in addition to standard diagnostics to help determine the cause of a health problem. For example, with certain conditions like hypoglycemia, there will be muscle patterns of weakness or strength found with AK. However, these same patterns could be present because of another nervous system problem such as disease or some type of adaptation.

Only an adequate history of the person, together with standard examination procedures and laboratory findings, will indicate the proper treatment course. Therefore, people performing a simple muscle test and diagnosing what vitamins are needed or other information about health without standard examination is inappropriate. This is making health decisions well beyond what a simple muscle test can determine and actually may be harmful.

The determination of your need for dietary supplements requires knowledge of your symptoms along with an examination for known physical signs of imbalances and a dietary history. Blood, urine, saliva or stool analyses may be added to the foregoing. An applied kinesiology examination provides additional information and can help to determine what is missing and needs supplementation. Using applied kinesiology, a doctor can often determine which of the many available laboratory tests are the most appropriate to be performed. This can result in a more effective diagnosis while at the same time reducing health care costs.

Who is eligible to attend a course on applied kinesiology?

The International College of Applied Kinesiology and the courses offered by the College are only open to those individuals who are health care practitioners, licensed to diagnose, or students enrolled in an accredited college program who, upon completion, will be granted a license to diagnose.