Applied Kinesiology in Walnut Creek
Sometimes the area that hurts is not the area causing the problem.
For example, a painful shoulder may be hurting because of a muscle that is not functioning properly. A low-back problem may keep returning because the body has developed a dysfunctional movement pattern. Treating the painful area can help, but if the underlying problem remains, the symptoms may return.
Applied Kinesiology gives Dr. Michael Rehl another way to investigate why your body is functioning the way it is. Using manual muscle testing together with your history, physical examination, movement assessment, and other clinical findings, Dr. Rehl looks for muscles that are not responding normally and then asks: Why is this muscle not working properly?
Applied Kinesiology uses what is called the Triad of Health to consider possible structural, biochemical, and stress-related influences. In practice, that means looking not only at joints and muscles, but also at factors such as nutrition, metabolism, previous injuries, and stress when they may be relevant to the patient’s condition.
A “Weak” Muscle May Actually Be Inhibited
One of the most important ideas in Applied Kinesiology is that a muscle that tests weak may not actually be weak. During testing, Dr. Rehl positions the body to evaluate a particular muscle or muscle group and applies gradual pressure while you hold the position. For example, Dr. Rehl might say, “Don’t let me press your arm down,” or “Hold your leg here and don’t let me press it down.”
A normally functioning muscle should respond quickly and maintain its position. Sometimes it gives way, meaning the patient cannot maintain the position against relatively light pressure.
We often call that muscle “weak,” but that can be misleading. The muscle may not need more strengthening. It may be inhibited, meaning the nervous system is not activating or coordinating it normally.
That inhibition may be associated with joint dysfunction, cranial suture or jaw imbalance, previous injury, pain, altered movement patterns, soft-tissue dysfunction, foot issues, or other factors affecting the neuromuscular system.
Test. Treat. Retest.
One of the most useful parts of Applied Kinesiology is the ability to immediately retest function after treatment.
If a muscle is inhibited before a chiropractic adjustment, Dr. Rehl can make the adjustment and test the muscle again. If it now functions normally, that gives him immediate feedback that the treatment changed the way the muscle was functioning. However, and this is often the case, if the muscle remains inhibited, he continues looking for another contributing factor.
This test → treat → retest process helps guide what Dr. Rehl does next rather than simply performing the same sequence of treatment on every patient.
How Dr. Rehl Uses Applied Kinesiology
Applied Kinesiology is woven into Dr. Rehl’s treatment rather than offered as a separate service.
Muscle-testing findings may help guide:
- Chiropractic adjustments
- Deep tissue and fascia work
- Neuromuscular re-education
- Corrective exercises
- Evaluation of old injuries and compensation patterns
Palpation can tell a practitioner that a muscle is tight or tender, but it does not show how well that muscle is functioning during resisted movement. Manual muscle testing adds a different kind of information by evaluating whether the muscle can maintain its position and respond appropriately to resistance. Manual muscle testing directly evaluates whether a specific muscle can activate and maintain its position against resistance—information that cannot be obtained simply by palpating the muscle.
That distinction can be especially useful when a problem is not resolving completely, keeps returning, or does not seem to make sense based only on the painful area. In those cases, muscle testing may reveal a functional pattern that would not be obvious from palpation alone.
If you have never experienced muscle testing before, one of the interesting things is that you can often feel the difference yourself. A muscle may have difficulty holding against relatively light pressure, and after the appropriate correction you may immediately notice that the same muscle responds differently when it is tested again.
Professional Applied Kinesiology Is More Than Generic “Muscle Testing”
The term “muscle testing” is used to describe many different methods, but Professional Applied Kinesiology is a clinical system developed for healthcare professionals who are licensed to diagnose. It combines manual muscle testing with anatomy, neurology, biomechanics, physical examination, and other clinical information.
The International College of Applied Kinesiology establishes educational and certification standards for Professional Applied Kinesiology. Its training is available to healthcare professionals who are licensed to diagnose, and certification requires formal postgraduate study and examination.
Dr. Rehl uses Applied Kinesiology as part of a broader clinical evaluation rather than relying on a muscle test by itself.
Applied Kinesiology, Nutrition and Functional Medicine
Dr. Rehl may also use Applied Kinesiology as one source of information when evaluating nutritional and functional medicine concerns. The biochemical side of the Triad of Health can include nutrition, digestion, metabolism, inflammation, and other physiological factors that may affect how a patient feels and functions.
Muscle testing does not replace laboratory testing, medical diagnosis, imaging, or a complete health history. When appropriate, Dr. Rehl considers muscle-testing findings together with symptoms, diet, medications, supplements, previous laboratory results, and additional testing to develop a more complete picture of what may be contributing to the patient’s health concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Kinesiology is the scientific study of human movement. Applied Kinesiology, or AK for short, is a specific clinical system that incorporates manual muscle testing with other examination procedures to evaluate function.
Not necessarily. A muscle may be physically weak, but it may also be neurologically inhibited. If inhibition is the problem, simply strengthening the muscle may not address why it is not functioning normally. Dr. Rehl looks for factors that may be interfering with normal function and then retests the muscle after addressing them.
Muscle testing should not be used by itself to diagnose disease or a nutritional deficiency. Dr. Rehl may use muscle testing as one part of his nutritional evaluation and to help guide which supplements are considered. Some patients also choose to have laboratory testing done to provide additional objective information, while others do not. Dr. Rehl considers the muscle-testing findings together with the patient’s history, symptoms, diet, medications, supplements, and laboratory testing when available.
Can Applied Kinesiology Help Explain Why My Problem Keeps Returning?
Applied Kinesiology can be especially useful when pain, tightness, weakness, or an old injury keeps returning despite treatment or physical therapy exercises. In these situations, Dr. Rehl looks beyond the painful area to see whether another muscle, joint, movement pattern, or other factor may be contributing.
If you have a problem that has not resolved the way you expected, schedule an evaluation with Dr. Michael Rehl at Rehl Chiropractic in Walnut Creek. Applied Kinesiology may provide another piece of information that helps us better understand what is going on and what to do next.