Kinesiology

The word kinesiology means the study of movement and was originally used to describe a field of science concerned with the working of joints and muscles. There are still kinesiologists who work like this, but another type of kinesiology evolved from this.

George Goodheart, an American chiropractor in the 1960's developed a process of muscle testing to monitor the effects of disease on muscle response. He and his colleagues noticed that seemingly healthy muscles would become weak for no apparent reason. They found that massaging specific points on the body not only improved related disease conditions but also improved the response of related muscles. They identified the relationship between a disturbed muscle response and a disturbance in the related organ or system.

Applied Kinesiology

George Goodheart and his colleagues began to use muscle testing to monitor this relationship. He also used earlier work by Frank Chapman and Terence Bennett to identify a system of specific points on the body for correcting imbalances. On the basis of this discovery he developed the system of Applied Kinesiology.

He discovered that muscle response might be affected in ways that can only be explained by the traditional acupuncture theory of how the body works. According to this model there is a system of pathways or 'meridians' running up and down the body through which flows a 'vital energy' or 'life force', which supports all the cells and functions of the body. If this energy system is in balance, health can be maintained. If the energy is blocked or disrupted, then physical or other disturbances may be observed. 

Muscle testing is a painless procedure involving the practitioner applying gentle pressure to specific parts of the body (often arms and legs) to test the response of the underlying muscle. The particular part of the body involved is placed in a specific position, in order, as far as possible, to isolate the muscle that is being tested. There is no need to remove any clothing for this treatment, and it can be carried out lying done, sitting or standing if necessary.

The muscle will either easily be able to resist the pressure from the practitioner or will give way, at least slightly. The kinesiologist uses this response to access information about what is happening and what is needed. Because of the inter-relationship between muscles, meridians and body systems, this information can apply not only to the muscle being tested but also give valuable information about other imbalances within the body and the necessary procedures to correct them.

Kinesiologists use lymphatic reflex points, neuro-vascular holding points, the acupuncture meridian system, or direct work on the muscles to restore the client to good health. This system works quickly but effectively to regain the vitality lost through any type of imbalance: structural, emotional, chemical, or any combination of these.

All the different branches of kinesiology have originated from the work of George Goodheart. Because of its origins in physical therapy, applied kinesiology has tended to concentrate on structural problems and solutions. Other branches of kinesiology have been developed, such as Touch for Health, Health Kinesiology, Educational Kinesiology, Classical Kinesiology, Creative Kinesiology and 3 In 1 Kinesiology. All use the basic muscle testing skills, but each kinesiology very much reflects the interests and personality of its developer.

Health Kinesiology

Health Kinesiology was developed by an American psychologist, Jimmy Scott, PhD, who used the muscle testing system devised by Dr George Goodheart to create a new way of accessing the body's unconscious knowledge and wisdom about itself. This system makes extensive use of verbal muscle testing. The response of a correctly positioned muscle to light pressure can be either to lock or unlock. The health kinesiologist uses this to ask verbal questions: the locked response of the muscle indicates "yes" and the unlocked or spongy response indicates "no". The practitioner will then use systematic questioning with the muscle testing to establish what technique or techniques are needed from the many possible procedures that the practitioner learnt during training.

Kinesiology has been successful in helping people suffering from physical problems such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, dermatitis, asthma, sinusitis, hay fever, allergies, stress, tinnitus, vertigo, oste- and rheumatoid-arthritis, headaches and migraines, back ache and old painful injuries, periodontal disease, IBS, hyperactivity, ME, tiredness, epilepsy, PMS and problems associated with the menopause, etc. It also helps people in psychological ways by increasing self-confidence and motivation, reducing anxiety, fears and obsessive behaviour and lightening depression. It can also help people function better intellectually, reduce clumsiness, improve memory and help dyslexia. Kinesiology has been used to help people find their path in life, to establish new and more relevant goals and to improve their potential in sport, the arts and education. One technique involves testing various substances in test kits to check for intolerances or allergies. (See below: Allergies vs. Intolerances)

Foods

Foods that are meant to nurture us have become the enemy of many sensitive individuals. How can that be? Many people now eat very little fresh fruit and vegetables. Many people do not meet the current daily recommendation of 5 servings of fruit and/or vegetables in a week let alone in a day. Organic food sales have increased dramatically as a result of concerns about genetically modified foods. Before the advent of freezers and airfreight most people ate local foods in season. Now most fruit and vegetables are available all year round, so that our systems are exposed to the same foods continually without respite. 

Many people eat too much food but not of the right type and this again can be assessed using muscle testing to establish the right diet for each individual. Kinesiology recognises that each person is unique and one person's best diet may be a very poor diet for another person. Individual supplement schedules can also be worked out using the muscle testing as the basis for the recommendations.

Environmental Factors

Other developments that make modern life more comfortable have also led to an increase in allergies. With the advent of air conditioning, central heating and wall-to-wall carpeting the population of house dust mites and moulds such as alternaria have an ideal environment in which to thrive. Modern offices with sealed windows mean that everyone is exposed to the perfumes etc. worn by other people. The increasing use of plastics, formaldehyde, benzene etc. have led to all of us being exposed to a constant heady cocktail of chemicals.

The obsession with the danger of "germs" is likely also to have contributed to the increase in allergies. Headlines about "killer bugs" and advertisements that claim their products kill even more germs have led many to buy more and more products to wipe out these dangerous enemies. But current thinking among some researchers and doctors is that a certain level of dirt is good for us particularly during infancy and early childhood when the immune system is developing. Some scientists now believe that the exposure to bacteria and viruses in early childhood has a lasting and beneficial effect on the immune cells of the body.

Another possible culprit is vaccinations. Our children are now being vaccinated against a bigger and bigger range of diseases. While some of these are serious, many are mild illnesses that were once considered part of a normal childhood. Many alternative practitioners consider that these childhood illnesses help to prime the immune system of the child so that they are better able to cope with a whole range of illnesses later in life. Also most vaccinations stimulate the branch of the immune system that is concerned with the more extreme immune reactions to invaders.

An increase in electro-magnetic pollution has run parallel with the increase in allergies. The scientific jury is still out on the danger of mobile phones, power lines, etc., but many people are becoming more concerned about our constant exposure. It may take many years to prove a scientific link, just as it took many years to prove a link between smoking and some forms of cancer, but I have no doubt that in the end the evidence will be there.

The pace of life is quickening all the time: modern technology gives us more possibilities and many of us want to experience as many of these as we can. A recent survey found that half of the 950 young people in their 20's interviewed said that they would feel a failure if they did not own a home by 26, were married by 27 and were both rich and parents by 29. Many of the interviewees said they were prepared to sacrifice a healthy diet and way of life to achieve this. These expectations and pressures are not conducive to long-term health and can also lead to stress and allergies. Pre-packaged, processed foods eaten in front of the television, the lack of exposure to sunlight and not enough exercise, rest and relaxation all take their toll. It is ironic that many of the changes that seem to be precipitating the increase in allergies are changes that, at first sight, give us more control over our environment. The epidemic in allergies is pointing out clearly that in attempting to subdue the environment - having tomatoes in December, living and working in rooms at a constant temperature whether it is January or July, removing all childhood illnesses, destroying all bugs, being in contact with others whenever and wherever we choose - we are storing up new problems for ourselves.

So what can be done?

Fundamentally we all need to reconnect with our environment, accepting the changing seasons and the need for a slower pace. We need to take a long-term perspective on progress and our own development.

In addition we need to work to repair the damage that has already occurred. There are many different therapies that can help in this respect but undoubtedly one of the best is Kinesiology. The basic tool is muscle testing, which involves applying gentle pressure on a muscle, and assessing the response. If the muscle locks then the response is "yes". If the muscle is spongy the response is "no". This simple locked/unlocked response allows the therapist to conduct a dialogue with the person's energy system to assess what it needs.

The body is offered various techniques and procedures and is able, through the muscle testing, to select the procedures that will help to restore balance. The techniques used may, for example, involve the person thinking a specific thought, having a magnet or homeopathic remedy placed on them, having to touch certain acupuncture points on the body. No needles are involved and people generally find this a very relaxing and intriguing experience. Kinesiology is based on the premise that each person is different and that, therefore, we need to respond to each person uniquely in terms of treatment. We can use muscle testing to access information for the person about what they need to do to improve their own health.

Life Balance

In Kinesiology we have the concept of life balance. When our life is balanced then our bodies, minds and spirits are supported and nurtured. Life balance has many aspects but some of the most important include having the right balance between work, rest, relaxation, play and sleep. In these frantic times, few people have anywhere near the right balance. The Kinesiologist can establish through muscle testing how the client needs to change these components in order to enhance their lives. Time and time again the client will say that they already knew what they needed to do but have not done it. Being told in this direct way through the muscle testing reinforces this inner knowledge and helps people to listen to it and implement these important changes.

Allergies vs. Intolerance

More and more people are suffering from allergic reactions. Inhalers for asthmatic children are now commonplace in our primary schools. Steroid creams for eczema are available over the counter. Many processed foods now contain warnings that they may contain traces of peanuts for those who suffer from the potentially lethal reaction of anaphylactic shock. So what has gone wrong? Why are we so ill at ease in our environment and in terms of what we eat that our bodies seek these extreme methods of protest?

Some people argue for one single cause, but it seems more likely to be a mixture of contributing factors for most people. Of course, some people inherit a tendency to be allergic from their parents, but that has always been the case: allergies do run in families. This does not explain the rapid and alarming build up in the number of people suffering allergic reactions.

In addition to providing information about how the person can help to improve their own health, Kinesiology has many techniques and procedures for people suffering from allergies. Some of these procedures work directly on the allergies. Even the most severe allergies to bee stings, cat hair, fish, etc. can often be treated this way successfully.

Other procedures are designed to reduce the stress levels of the person. Many apparent allergy symptoms are in fact symptoms of intolerance. In a true allergy the person is sensitive to even the smallest exposure to the substance. Where there are tolerance problems the person is susceptible only if they exceed their tolerance levels to that particular substance. The tolerance level for any substance varies over time mainly in response to the stress in the person's life. Reducing stress levels can often increase tolerance levels to an acceptable amount. There are many stresses in a person's life that it may seem to be difficult to do something about, but through Kinesiology procedures we can ensure that the person reacts to the situation in a more positive way. This often allows the client to see more clearly what he/she needs to do and to implement the necessary changes.

People suffering from allergy or tolerance problems need not despair. There is help available from Kinesiology and other therapies, but the important thing is that, particularly where many allergies are involved or where there are multiple intolerances, the problem is seen in a holistic context. This means that the allergy and tolerance problems are seen as symptoms of underlying energy imbalance. The allergies and low tolerance levels are not the problem, but are a message from the energy system that all is not well. Suppressing this message with medication does not in the long run solve the problem: it simply subdues the messenger. If you have allergy or tolerance problems search out a therapy that listens to the messenger.

Ref.: Jane Thurnell-Read - www.lifeworkpotential.com

At The Healing Clinic, June Tranmer practises acupuncture and includes kinesiology techniques from Touch for Health and Health Kinesiology. She has also been teaching Touch for Health for home use since 1987. See courses list for current classes.

You are recommended to contact The Kinesiology Federation for a Kinesiologist near you:

www.kinesiologyfederation.org Kinesiology Federation PO Box 28908 Dalkieth EH22 2YQ 08700 113545 (Mon - Thurs 9am - 12 noon)