What is Energy Kinesiology?

Energy kinesiology is a form of alternative medicine in which patient and practitioner work together to identify and correct areas of weakness and imbalance in the body. It blends many healing techniques including acupuncture, lymph drainage, energy healing, and psychotherapy in order to achieve results. Because energy kinesiology is non-invasive, people of all ages and levels of fitness can benefit from an energy kinesiology session, as long as they approach it with an open mind.

The roots of energy kinesiology lie in the 1960s, when a chiropractor named George Goodheart first established that there was a connection between internal organs, acupuncture meridians, and skeletal muscles. The link between meridians and internal organs was an old concept from thousands of years of Chinese medicine, but Goodheart also suspected that the muscles could be used to gather information about the health of the body, through a process called muscle testing, which he began to develop with his patients. In the 1970s, the term “applied kinesiology” began to be used by a woman named Donna Eden, who also popularized the technique.

During an energy kinesiology session, the practitioner will place a limb in a specific position, depending on what organ is being addressed, and apply a small amount of pressure to a major muscle. The response of the body is noted, and used to determine whether that organ and meridian is in a state of balance, or it needs work. If a muscle fails to hold a position while being tested, it indicates that there is an imbalance of energy which must be corrected. This process is called biofeedback, because it is collecting information about the body from the body.

Once an imbalance is identified, a variety of modalities can be used to address it including massage, acupuncture, psychotherapy, reflexology, crystal work, nutritional advice, play, guided visualization and energy work. As the imbalance is worked on, the muscle is tested and retested until the body begins to respond. Some patients respond well to energy kinesiology because it integrates such a wide range of healing techniques, providing multiple healing modalities into a single session.

Numerous schools of holistic healing offer training to individuals interested in learning energy kinesiology, many of whom later join professional organizations. People interested in practicing this therapeutic modality should consider studying other forms of complementary medicine before starting energy kinesiology training, in order to have a wide range of experiences to draw upon. Individuals who are interested in experiencing energy kinesiology for themselves can look up a regional professional organization to get information about practitioners in their area.