thumb|160px|Applied kinesiologist (right) practicing'''Applied Kinesiology''' (AK) is a practice of using manual muscle-strength  testing for medical diagnosis and a subsequent determination of prescribed therapy. It purportedly gives feedback on the functional status of the body.  

AK is a practice within the realm of scientific study of human movement.  AK has been criticized on theoretical and empirical grounds,<ref name="skepdic_ak"></ref> and characterized as pseudoscience.<ref name="atwood">Kimball C Atwood, IV, MD.[http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1140750 Naturopathy, Pseudoscience, and Medicine: Myths and Fallacies vs Truth], MedGenMed. 2004 Jan–March; 6(1): 33.</ref> With only anecdotal accounts providing positive evidence for the efficacy of the practice, a review of peer-reviewed studies concluded that the "evidence to date does not support the use of [AK] for the diagnosis of organic disease or pre/subclinical conditions."<ref name='AK_Haas'/>

AK draws together many similar therapies. It attempts an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to health care. George J. Goodheart, a chiropractor, originated AK in 1964.<ref name=time>[http://www.time.com/time/innovators_v2/alt_medicine/profile_goodheart.html Profile of Goodheart]</ref> Subsequently, its use spread to other chiropractors,<ref name=ACA_techniques>[http://www.amerchiro.org/pdf/PDR/H-Chiropractic%20Techniques.pdf Chiropractic Techniques.] American Chiropractic Association.</ref> and a few physical therapists, dentists, and medical doctors. In 1976, the International College of Applied Kinesiology<ref name=icak>[http://www.icak.com International College of Applied Kinesiology]</ref> was founded.

== History ==
In 1964, George J. Goodheart invented Applied Kinesiology through his unique interpretation and application of ''Muscles: Testing and Function'' written by two physical therapists Kendall and Kendall.<ref name="frost">Frost, Robert, ''Applied Kinesiology: A Training Manual and Reference Book of Basic Priciples and Practices', p. 4, North Atlantic Books, 2002. [http://books.google.com/books?id=Bl0BQvU6EfQC&printsec=frontcover#PPA3,M1 available online]</ref> Applied kinesiology has been documented to be used by chiropractors, naturopaths, physicians, dentists, nutritionists, physical therapists, massage therapists, and nurses of various stripes.<ref name="ACS">''Applied Kinesiology'', American Cancer Society, May 23, 2007. [http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3X_Applied_Kinesiology.asp available online]</ref>
Goodheart died March 5, 2008 at the age of 89.<ref name=death>[http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080307/NEWS08/803070421/1004/NEWS02 George Goodheart: A medical innovator]</ref>

== Basics ==
Applied kinesiology is a system that evaluates structural, chemical, and mental aspects of health using manual muscle testing alongside conventional diagnostic methods. The essential premise of applied kinesiology that is not shared by mainstream medical theory is that every organ dysfunction is accompanied by a weakness in a specific corresponding muscle, the viscerosomatic relationship.<ref name="ACS" /><ref name='ICAK_status'> </ref>  Treatment modalities relied upon by practitioners include joint manipulation and mobilization, myofascial, cranial and meridian therapies, clinical nutrition, and dietary counseling.<Ref name="ICAKDEF"></ref>

A manual muscle test in AK is conducted by having the patient resist using the target muscle or muscle group while the practitioner applies a force. A smooth response is sometimes referred to as 'a strong muscle' and a response that was not appropriate is sometimes called 'a weak response'. This is not a raw test of strength, but rather a subjective evaluation of tension in the muscle and smoothness of response, taken to be indicative of stresses and imbalances in the body.<ref name='Sims_Gale'> </ref> A weak muscle test is equated to dysfunction and chemical or structural imbalance or mental stress, indicative of a body dissatisfied with suboptimal functioning.<ref name='ICAK_history'> </ref> The most common test is the arm-pull-down test, or "Delta test," where the patient resists as the practitioner exerts a downward force on an extended arm.<ref name="frost" /> Proper positioning is paramount to ensure that the muscle in question is the prime mover, minimizing interference from adjacent muscle groups.<ref name='ICAK_status' />

"Nutrient testing" is used to examine the response of various of a patient's muscles to assorted chemicals. Gustatory and olfactory stimulation are said to alter the outcome of a manual muscle test, with previously weak muscles being strengthened by application of the correct nutritional supplement, and previously strong muscles being weakened by exposure to harmful or imbalancing substances or allergens.<ref name='ICAK_status' /><ref name='Sims_Gale' /><ref name='intelihealth'> </ref> Though its use is deprecated by the ICAK,<ref name='ICAK_faq'> </ref> stimulation to test muscle response to a certain chemical is also done by contact or proximity (for instance, testing while the patient holds a bottle of pills).

A double-blind study was conducted by the ALTA Foundation for Sports Medicine Research in Santa Monica, California and published in the June 1988 Journal of the American Dietetic Association. The study used 3 experienced AK practitioners and concluded that, "The results of this study indicated that the use of Applied Kinesiology to evaluate nutrient status is no more useful than random guessing."<ref name=kenney />

"Therapy localization" is another diagnostic technique using manual muscle testing which is unique to applied kinesiology. The patient places a hand which is not being tested on the skin over an area suspected to be in need of therapeutic attention. This fingertip contact is hypothesized to focus the mind on the relevant area, leading to a change in muscle response from strong to weak or ''vice versa'' when therapeutic intervention is indicated. If the area touched is not associated with a need for such intervention, the muscle response is unaffected.<ref name='ICAK_history' />

Another commonly used technique in AK is to have the subject wear colored glasses (blue, green, red, etc.) and perform the muscle monitoring while wearing each color of glasses. The color that causes the greatest perceived smoothness of reaction gains might be a color that is in some way beneficial to the client. There are many tests believed to reveal information about the subject's condition.

==Scientific research==
{{Infobox Pseudoscience
|topics=Physics, Biology, Psychology
|claims=Subjective measurements by those trained in the ideas of applied kinesiology show the positive effects of alternative medicine ideas.
|origyear=1964
|origprop= George J. Goodheart 
|currentprop=International College of Applied Kinesiology, American Chiropractic Association
}}
There are now several websites<ref name=icak_compendium>[http://icak.com/college/research/icak_compendium_030406.shtml AK research and literature compendium]</ref> that display much of the Index Medicus Peer-Reviewed research papers regarding applied kinesiology. These websites contain<ref name='AK_Haas'> |url=http://www.chiroandosteo.com/content/15/1/11|format=|accessdate=2007-11-30|doi=10.1186/1746-1340-15-11  }} "When AK is disentangled from standard orthopedic muscle testing, the few studies evaluating unique AK procedures either refute or cannot support the validity of AK procedures as diagnostic tests. The evidence to date does not support the use of [manual muscle testing] for the diagnosis of organic disease or pre/subclinical conditions."</ref><ref name="ACS"/> papers on AK and academic kinesiology, many of which do not specifically address AK, but are related to manual muscle testing. These papers range from 1915 (''Journal of the American Medical Association'', with a paper called "A method of testing muscular strength in infantile paralysis" by Martin EG, Lovett RW, to 2006 from Journals like ''Physical Therapy'', ''The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics'', and the ''Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology. 

Proponents of AK cite evidence about the methods, clinical efficacy, and neurologic rationales of applied kinesiology examination and treatment.<ref name=soto>[http://www.soto-usa.org/SOTLiterature/Applied%20Kinesiology/Applied%20Kinesiology%20Literature.htm Literature]</ref><ref name=AKMETHOD/><ref name=AKIGSTUDY2/><ref name="AKSTUDY3"/>. However, many studies of Applied Kinesiology have failed to show clinical efficacy. For example, muscle testing has not been shown to distinguish a test substance from a BMJ'' 1988,296:1573</ref><ref name=haas/><ref name=ludtke_r>Lüdtke R,test-retest-reliability and validity of the kinesiology muscle test,''complementar ther med'',2001,9:141</ref><ref name=pothmann>Pothmann R,Evaluation of applied kinesiology in nutritional intolerance of childhood,''Forsch komplementärmed klass Naturheilkunde'',2001,9:115</ref>  A review of several scientific studies have shown that AK-specific procedures and diagnostic tests concluded that "When AK is disentangled from standard orthopedic muscle testing, the few studies evaluating unique AK procedures either refute or cannot support the validity of AK procedures as diagnostic tests. The evidence to date does not support the use of [manual muscle testing] for the diagnosis of organic disease or pre/subclinical conditions."<ref name='AK_Haas'> |url=http://www.chiroandosteo.com/content/15/1/11|format=|accessdate=2007-11-30  }}</ref> Another concluded that "There is little or no scientific rationale for these methods. Results are not reproducible when subject to rigorous testing and do not correlate with clinical evidence of allergy."<ref name='AK_Wuthrich'> </ref> 

A review of the literature revealed methodological problems with previous AK studies<ref name=AKMETHOD></ref> and some studies show clinical efficacy. For example one study showed a high degree of correlation between AK muscle testing for food allergies and antibodies for those foods. The AK procedure in this study involved stimulation of taste receptors followed by muscle testing for change in strength.<ref name=AKIGSTUDY2>

 </ref> The patient was suspected of being allergic to foods that disrupted muscle function. Blood drawn subsequently showed the presence of antibodies to the foods which were found to be allergenic through AK assessment. In another blinded study, the response of a calf muscle, to an inhibitory reflex technique used in AK was studied using graphical recordings of electromyography and mechanical parameters. The study found that with good coordination between the examiner and subject, muscle inhibition was easily recorded.<ref name="AKSTUDY3"></ref>

La '''kinésiologie appliquée''' est une méthode de diagnostic et/ou de thérapie dont l'objet est de chercher ou d'utiliser des liens entre le mouvement, le tonus musculaire et des problèmes divers. Elle fut créée par le Dr Goodheart, chiropraticien américain, qui la réservait aux professionnels de santé diplômés d'état. Son élève, John Thie, également chiropraticien en a fait le ''Touch for health'', à l'origine des kinésiologies spécialisées, considérées comme des méthodes amélioratrices de la santé et du bien-être. Elle est cependant critiquée par certains.

Il ne faut confondre la kinésiologie appliquée ni avec la kinésiologie, telle qu'enseignée dans la pratique du sport, qui est une science du mouvement et de ses mécanismes directs, ni avec la kinésithérapie.

== La méthode ==

La kinésiologie appliquée utilise le test musculaire qui permet d'obtenir des réponses du corps par rapport à la formulation d'objectifs à atteindre. Les objectifs sont divers : ''je veux être à l'aise avec telle personne, je veux pouvoir parler en public, je veux avoir une bonne image, je veux pardonner à, je veux avoir une bonne estime de moi'', etc.

Toujours au moyen de tests musculaires, le corps donnerait alors sa réponse en révélant tous les blocages qu'il contient.
 
Les kinésiologues ont mis en place des grilles de réponses qui permettraient de connaître la nature des blocages avant de « demander » au corps de s'en débarrasser.

Selon cette méthode, les types de blocages sont également divers :

* Il peut s'agir d'émotions
* De barrières
* De lignes
* De traits en déni ou à connaître
* De sabotages

Le but est de réduire la charge et le stress et de vivre de façon plus équilibrée. Le kinésiologue peut être amené à suggérer des changements de mode de vie. Il doit également maîtriser les lois du principe d’adaptation.

Le test de kinésiologie appliquée est utilisé par certains dans un but de diagnostic des allergies. Malheureusement sans fiabilité. En effet, un test musculaire de kit d'allergènes donne un indicateur de stress, pas forcément corrélé aux résultats des analyses biologiques. Néanmoins, certains pensent que cela suffit à prendre conscience d'un problème et en amorcer la résolution (action conjointe du sujet lui-même et de son praticien dans une approche éducative).

De plus, une bonne connaissance du test musculaire par le praticien est nécessaire, kinésiologie spécialisée, kinésiologie pratique, édukinésiologie.

== Kinésiologie en France ==

La formation des kinésiologues en France est assurée par des représentants francophones des créateurs anglophones (pour la plupart) des systèmes ; elle n'est pas reconnue par l'État. Les élèves kinésiologues sont souvent issus de tous horizons, et pas forcément des praticiens de santé diplômés à l'origine. Selon ses détracteurs, cette profession s'organise, du moins en France, en fédérations qui définissent le cadre technique et déontologique de l'exercice du métier de kinésiologue, faute de ne pouvoir contrôler la qualité des formations.

Ces 'principes et croyances' sont une sémantique très particulière pour désigner ce qu'on qualifie dans le langage courant de 'protocole médical' et 'théorie scientifique'. La kinésiologie serait en fait basée selon ces détracteurs sur des amalgames et des inexactitudes du point de vue physiologique, neurologique et pratique. 