Applied Kinesiology came into being in 1964 when Dr. George J. Goodheart Jr., of Detroit, Michigan, began evaluating his patients’ muscles with manual tests. He observed that sometimes a muscle tested weak but there was no atrophy or other apparent reason for the weakness.

*Dr. George Goodheart 1918 - 2008

Dr. Goodheart and others continued to seek ways of reinforcing poorly functioning muscles in order to sustain the results of chiropractic treatments. Various therapeutic approaches were discovered by serendipity and observation including the links between muscles and reflex points on the body (Chapmans’ neurolymphatic reflexes and Bennett’s neurovascular reflexes). Goodheart also incorporated Sutherland’s cranio-sacral techniques and the acupuncture meridian system into Applied Kinesiology, thereby laying the foundation for the techniques still in use today.

An organization dedicated to the advancement of applied kinesiology was formed in 1973 and is now well established internationally with chapters in the United States, Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia and Australasia. This organization of physicians is research-based and their main purpose is to improve and expand the scientific use of AK. While initially used by chiropractors, AK it is now employed by practitioners of all types including medical doctors, dentists, naturopaths, nutritionists, and physical therapists.