Kinesiology
Kinesiology is the cross-disciplinary
study of physical activity, the performance of physical activities and a range of
movement-related professional practices. Kinesiology is the study of movement. The term is
fashioned from two Greek verbs, kinein and logus, which mean to move and to discourse,
respectively. Modern parlance has changed the meaning of the suffix logus to "the
study" of, so that Kinesiology reads as literally: the study of movement. In its
broadest sense Kinesiology is the Arts and Sciences of Movement. Kinesiology encompasses
both theory and practice the knowing about (theory) and the knowing how (practice) of
movement in context.
Claims of Kinesiology
Kinesiology claims to be a healing system that detects and corrects imbalances in the
body before they develop into a disease, and which restores overall system balance and
harmony. It is used to alleviate muscle, bone, and joint problems, treat all manner of
aches and pains, and correct many areas of imbalance and discomfort.
Before starting Kinesiology
Since interpretation of the muscle tests is both complex and subjective, it should only
be performed by a licensed health professional trained to look for "subclinical"
symptoms (those which have not yet become a major problem). Kinesiology, itself, is more
of a diagnostic technique and should not be thought of as a cure for any particular
problem.
More information about Kinesiology
Traditionally, the word "kinesiology" refers simply to the study of muscles
and body movement. In 1964, however, American chiropractor George J. Goodheart founded
what has become known as applied kinesiology when he linked oriental ideas about energy
flow in the body with western techniques of muscle testing. First, Goodheart noted that
all muscles are related to other muscles. He observed that for each movement a muscle
makes, there is another muscle or group of muscles involved with that movement; one muscle
contracts while another one relaxes. So when he was presented with a painful, overly-tight
muscle, he would observe and treat the opposite, and necessarily weak, muscle to restore
balance. This was then a very new technique.
Further, Goodheart argued that there is a definite and real connection between muscles,
glands, and organs, and that by testing the strength of certain muscles he could learn
about the health or condition of the gland or organ to which it was related.
Applied kinesiology is based on the idea that the body is an interacting unit made of
different parts that interconnect and affect each other. Everything we do affects the body
as a whole; therefore, a problem in one area can cause trouble in another area. According
to kinesiology, the muscles eventually register and reflect anything that is wrong with
any part of the body, whether physical or mental. Thus, a particular digestive problem
might show up in the related and corresponding muscles of the legs. By testing the
strength of certain muscles, the kinesiologist claims to be able to gain access to the
body's communication system, and, thus, to read the health status of each of the body's
major components.
The manual testing of muscles or muscle strength is not new, and was used in the late
1940s to evaluate muscle function and strength and to assess the extent of an injury.
Applied kinesiology measures whether a muscle is stuck in the "on" position,
acting like a tense muscle spasm, or is stuck "off," appearing weak or flaccid.
It is called manual testing because it is done without instruments, using only the
kinesiologist's fingertip pressure. During the first and longest appointment which lasts
about an hour, the kinesiologist conducts a complete consultation, asking about the
patient's history and background. During the physical examination, patients sit or lie
down, then the kinesiologist holds the patient's leg or arm to isolate a particular
muscle. The practitioner then touches a point on the body which he believes is related to
that muscle, and, with quick, gentle, and painless pressure, pushes down on the limb.
Patients are asked to resist this pressure, and, if they cannot, an imbalance is suspected
in the related organ, gland, or body part. This diagnostic technique uses muscles to find
the cause of a problem, and is based on traditional Chinese medicine and its idea that the
body has common energy meridians, or channels, for both organs and muscles. Kinesiologists
also claim that they are able to locate muscle weaknesses that stem from a variety of
causes such as allergies, mineral and vitamin deficiencies, as well as from problems with
the lymph system. Once the exact cause is determined, the kinesiologist uses his
fingertips to work the appropriate corresponding acupressure points in order to rebalance
the flow of energy and restore health. Often he will recommend a complementary program of
nutrition therapy. |
