Kinesiology is both a science and an art. It is a science because it has methods, rules, principles, logical techniques and verifiable outcomes. It is an art because it involves intuition, feelings and practice. Manual muscle testing was first developed by R.W.Lovett, and orthopedic surgeon who published his results in 1932. Henry and Florence Kendall improved on his work and published a book in 1949.
It was a chiropractor, Dr George Goodheart, who took their knowledge and really made use it. Dr Goodheart is the father of modern day kinesiology. He was the first to develop a system which used a muscle test, followed by a correction, followed by another muscle test. The first correction he did was to press the weak muscle at its ends, which is now called the origin/insertion correction. However, this correction did not correct all muscles which he found to be unlocking and therefore stressed.
An osteopath named Frank Chapman had discovered that some diseases were related to poor lymph flow. He found that rubbing different lymphatic areas on the body that were tender could help different conditions, from this came the Lymphatic Points. Dr George Goodheart took this information and used it to develop more corrections which helped to correct more muscles imbalances when combined with muscle testing. However, after that there were still some unlocking muscles that would not correct.
A chiropractor named Terence Bennett had found that improving blood flow could help different conditions. He also developed his own system of points on the body from which came the Neuro-Vascular points. Dr George Goodheart used this information to develop yet another correction which was combined with muscle testing. Dr Goodheart also went on to find that using the Meridian system from Chinese medicine and acupuncture produced another set of corrections. He called the new system that he developed Applied Kinesiology. This is the type of kinesiology used by many chiropractors today.
One of a dozen chiropractors who worked with Dr George Goodheart to develop kinesiology was John Thie. John wanted everyone in the world to be able to have the power to improve their health, not just professionals. He therefore took the techniques from Applied Kinesiology and developed a new system called Touch for Health which was designed so that anyone could learn kinesiology. Millions of people in dozens of countries now know how to practice kinesiology from having learned John Thies’ system called “Touch for Health”.
It was Alan Beardall who developed, among other things, the model of the “biocomputer”, wherein the brain is understood to be a super-powerful computer that is in communication with the rest of the body. With this understanding he was able to ask the body questions to which the biocomputer could answer “yes” or “no” using muscle testing.
From these early beginnings two main branches of kinesiology developed. One branch is Academic Kinesiology. This includes Applied Kinesiology and Clinical Kinesiology which are chiefly in the hands of professionals.
The other branch of kinesiology developed from Touch for Health. This type of Kinesiology is the most widely used system of kinesiology in the world. Touch for Health is a simplified version of the non-manipulative basic Applied Kinesiology, developed by John Thie. It offers a safe, effective way to maintain health and well-being that is available to people with no previous knowledge of their body and how it works.
Some other branches of Kinesiology are:
- Creative Kinesiology developed in the 1980s as a way of building on from the fundamentals of Touch for Health and other developing kinesiology approaches.
- Educational Kinesiology, (also called Brain Gym®,) was developed by Paul Dennison PhD, an educationalist, to help children and adults overcome learning difficulties and attain everyday goals by integrating the brain hemispheres and body.
- Health Kinesiology was developed by Dr. Jimmy Scott in the late 1970s and is a client centred approach to kinesiology as each session, regardless of what the client has come for.
- Optimum Health Balance (OHB) is a kinesiological system unique in its integration of muscle response with the use of vibrational icons (visual symbols) that allow the body to lead ‘a conversation’ that both identifies imbalances and selects treatments.
- Progressive Kinesiology offers clients a holistic approach to alleviating symptoms.
- Three In One Concepts refers to the integration of body, mind and spirit, to emphasize the holistic nature of this kinesiology.
Description and benefits of Kinesiology
Kinesiology is a means of assessing imbalances in the body and of finding the best therapy to resolve that problem. Muscle response is tested in order to obtain this information from the body itself - much the same as accessing information from computer memory banks. Kinesiology, used as an assessment tool, takes out the guesswork that can be involved in choosing remedies or employing other healing methods.
Kinesiology serves as an umbrella term for a rapidly expanding group of specialized healing modalities, practiced in over 50 countries worldwide. The different branches of kinesiology are tied together by muscle monitoring and a holistic viewpoint that honours the client’s own healing process. Some of the branches of Kinesiology include Touch for Health Kinesiology, Creative Kinesiology, Classical Kinesiology, Educational Kinesiology, Health Kinesiology, Holistic Kinesiology, Optimum Health Balance, Progressive Kinesiology and Three in One Kinesiology. Across the world there are many more branches.
Kinesiology looks at all types of stresses which can cause disease. They include emotional, nutritional, structural and electrical stress. The basis of Kinesiology is that the body is like an electrical piece of equipment, which is controlled by an incredibly complex computer, namely the brain. The brain is continually in communication with each of the 639 muscles in the body.
Kinesiologists say if the person went out of balance due to an electrical cause (which is quite common), it can be determined whether this is being caused by an electric blanket, microwave oven, computer, pager, car, television or whatever else you think of. If a muscle is electrically in balance, it is possible to measure a constant electrical signal from the brain to that muscle and back again, much the same as two faxes 'talking' to each other.
However, when the body is overstressed through a chemical, emotional, structural or electrical cause, the electrical signals in one or more muscles go weak. It is like a fuse in your fuse box blowing. The body figures that it is better to blow a fuse than the whole thing.
This is the basis of muscle testing, which is the main tool used in kinesiology. An example, from http://www.synergistickinesiology.comis that if a person has a particular muscle in their arm 'out of balance', then they will not be able to hold their arm in a certain position when the kinesiologist applies pressure to it. However, if it is the particular muscle that communicates with the stomach, the muscle may be weak because the stomach is out of balance. This is particularly significant when you realise that many different parts of the body are in communication with many other parts of the body. I.e: Muscles communicate with muscles - Muscles communicate with organs - Organs communicate with muscles - Organs communicate with organs.
It is virtually impossible to completely heal the body without taking the whole picture into account.
The benefits from Kinesiology are:
· ADHD
· Allergies/Sinus problems
· Anger Management
· Arthritis
· Chronic pain
· Digestive problems
· Emotional 'Baggage'/Depression
· Fears and Phobias
· Fibromyalgia
· Infections
· Learning Difficulties
· Migraines/Headaches
· Neck/Back Pain and Sciatica
· Physical Healing/Fatigue
· PMS
· Post-Surgery Pain
· Relationships
· Respiratory difficulties/Insomnia/Asthma
· Sports Performance improves
· Stress - Exams
· Stress - Job and Family
· Substance Abuse
Governing bodies of Kinesiology
The Kinesiology Federation (KF) - is a professional organisation based in the UK representing kinesiology practitioners, instructors and schools.
Kinesiology Federation Registered Professional (KFRP) - Members who have completed a KF recognised training plus additional core subjects (anatomy & physiology, nutrition practice management, communication skills, clinical practice)
International Kinesiology Federation Registered Professional (IKFRP) - Members have completed a prescribed 1200 hours of training in kinesiology plus additional core subjects (anatomy & physiology, nutrition practice management, communication skills, clinical practice) and are up to date with requirements for continual professional development.
| 