AK and other forms of Kinesiology-TOP

"Kinesiology" refers to the study of body movement, especially in humans. In American higher education, the term "kinesiology" describes a broad field of study in which movement or physical activity is the intellectual focus. Physical activity includes exercise for improvement of health and physical fitness, activities of daily living, work, sport, dance, and play. Many colleges and universities have academic departments that include specialized areas of study that examine the causes and consequences of physical activity from different perspectives. These courses include exercise and sport biomechanics, history, philosophy, physiology, biochemistry and molecular/cellular physiology, psychology, and sociology; motor behavior; measurement; physical fitness; and sports medicine. These institutions teach 4-7 year courses leading to BS, MA and Ph.D. degrees in kinesiology. A kinesiologist has completed one of these programs graduating with one of these degrees.

"Applied kinesiology" (AK) has been founded by Dr. George Goodheart. It links the physics of body movement and muscle testing to health and healthcare. It gives licensed health professionals an additional diagnostic tool to enhance their examination skills. The International College of Applied Kinesiology offers a quality control label for AK education and research. It restricts high quality AK education to licensed professionals only and promotes an AK Certification delivered by the International Board of Examiners.

The ICAK endorses the use of AK skills by "licensed health practitioners" only.

Some licensed practitioners have combined the word "kinesiology" to specific professional skills. For example "Behavioral Kinesiology," was named by Dr. John Diamond, MD and Psychiatrist, "Dental Kinesiology," was named by Dr. George Eversaul, DDS

In the late 1960's, Dr. John Thie, a student of Dr. Goodheart's original work felt that AK could be simplified for use by the general public. His book called, Touch for Health defined the most basic material in AK and was taught to any person who was interested in a non-drug approach to first aid health care for their family. This work became known as, "Touch for Health," or TFH. It uses essentially the same reflex stimulation methods based on Dr. Goodheart's very early work (1964 - 1971). However, in the late 1980's the TFH focus expanded worldwide and became a "profession." Many lay people say they perform either Kinesiology or Applied Kinesiology.

Today there are over 80 different forms of therapy using the term "kinesiology," like "Astrological Kinesiology" which combines the acupuncture meridians with the Chinese astrological calendar to consider the best environment for muscle balancing.

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