Applied kinesiology: distinctions in its definition and interpretation.

Modification of the motor system in assessing and treating as well as understanding one of the causes of musculoskeletal dysfunctions is a topic of growing importance in healthcare. Applied kinesiology (AK) addresses this interest in that it is a system which attempts to evaluate numerous aspects of health (structural, chemical, and mental) by the manual testing of muscles combined with other standard methods of diagnosis. It leads to a variety of conservative, non-invasive treatments which involve joint manipulations or mobilizations, myofascial therapies, cranial techniques, meridian and acupuncture skills, clinical nutrition and dietary management, counseling skills, evaluating environmental irritants, and various reflex techniques.

Conservative chiropractic management of urinary incontinence using applied kinesiology: a retrospective case-series report.

Objective: The purpose of this case series is to describe the chiropractic management of 21 patients with daily stress and occasional total urinary incontinence (UI).

Clinical Features: Twenty-one case files of patients 13 to 90 years of age with UI from a chiropractic clinic were reviewed. The patients had a 4-month to 49-year history of UI and associated muscle dysfunction and low back and/or pelvic pain.

Conservative management of post-surgical urinary incontinence in an adolescent using applied kinesiology: a case report.

Introduction: This case report describes the successful treatment of an adolescent female suffering daily stress and occasional total urinary incontinence with applied kinesiology methods and chiropractic manipulative therapy.

Patient Presentation: A 13-year-old female developed unpredictable urinary incontinence and right hip pain immediately following emergency open appendectomy surgery. The patient was forced to wear an incontinence pad throughout the day and night for 10 months because of unpredictable urinary incontinence.

Association of manual muscle tests and mechanical neck pain: results from a prospective pilot study.

Objective: To determine whether there was a statistical difference for manual muscle test (MMT) findings for cervical muscles in subjects with and without mechanical neck pain (MNP), and to use confidence intervals to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the MMT in this group of subjects.

Clinical Features: Manual muscle strength tests were conducted on two groups of patients who reported to two outpatient chiropractic clinics. In group 1, 148 patients were evaluated for MMT data (50 males and 98 females, average age 37), 127 with "whiplash"-type injuries (average duration 16 weeks) and 21 with non-traumatic chronic neck pain (average duration 36 weeks).

Developmental delay syndromes: psychometric testing before and after chiropractic treatment of 157 children.

Objective: This study presents a case series of 157 children with developmental delay syndromes, including the conditions such as dyspraxia, dyslexia, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, and learning disabilities who received chiropractic care.

Clinical Features: A consecutive sample of 157 children aged 6 to 13 years (86 boys and 71 girls) with difficulties in reading, learning, social interaction, and school performance who met these inclusion criteria were included.

Intervention And Outcomes: Each patient received a multimodal chiropractic treatment protocol, applied kinesiology chiropractic technique.

Common errors and clinical guidelines for manual muscle testing: "the arm test" and other inaccurate procedures.

Background: The manual muscle test (MMT) has been offered as a chiropractic assessment tool that may help diagnose neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction. We contend that due to the number of manipulative practitioners using this test as part of the assessment of patients, clinical guidelines for the MMT are required to heighten the accuracy in the use of this tool.

Objective: To present essential operational definitions of the MMT for chiropractors and other clinicians that should improve the reliability of the MMT as a diagnostic test.

On the reliability and validity of manual muscle testing: a literature review.

Introduction: A body of basic science and clinical research has been generated on the manual muscle test (MMT) since its first peer-reviewed publication in 1915. The aim of this report is to provide an historical overview, literature review, description, synthesis and critique of the reliability and validity of MMT in the evaluation of the musculoskeletal and nervous systems.

Methods: Online resources were searched including Pubmed and CINAHL (each from inception to June 2006).

Proposed mechanisms and treatment strategies for motion sickness disorder: a case series.

Objective: To present an overview of symptomatic motion sickness disorder and to propose allopathic and chiropractic approaches for treatment.

Clinical Features: Three representative cases are presented involving patients with motion sickness. All 3 patients had suffered from this condition throughout their lives.