An appreciation of George Goodheart, DC, originator of applied kinesiology

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, July, 2004 by Stephen J. Kaufman

Editor:

In 1964, Dr. George Goodheart, a Detroit chiropractor, began making a series of revolutionary observations about muscle function, health and disease states that became applied kinesiology. Goodheart is now in his 80's and still teaching and practicing. His influence is very widespread; many practitioners in the alternative field use some form of muscle testing. Several thousand chiropractors regularly use applied kinesiology, benefiting hundreds of thousands of patients. Here are some of the basic principles that I first learned from Dr. Goodheart, which are often overlooked.

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Structure has a great influence on function. Goodheart has postulated that human functioning is a triangle of chemical, emotional, and structural factors. The emphasis in alternative medicine is usually on chemistry (nutrition, herbs, etc.) or emotions (mind body therapies, etc.) but rarely on structure. Mechanical therapies such as chiropractic, massage, etc. are accepted for musculoskeletal complaints but not for more advanced disease states the way nutrition is. It is my consistent observation after 28 years of practice that applied kinesiology correction of bodily mechanics often has a dramatic effect on many disease processes, including chronic fatigue syndrome, lupus, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, flu, recurrent respiratory infections, ulcerative colitis, sciatica, lumbar disc syndrome, TMJ syndrome, vertigo, post traumatic stress disorder, allergies, amennorhea, menorhagia, carpal tunnel syndrome, dwarfism (okay, just kidding about the dwarfism!), etc.

Although this is obvious to every applied kinesiologist, you rarely see a reference to structural problems or corrections in holistic discussions of various "name brand diseases." Correct structural treatment as evolved in applied kinesiology is often curative in many such conditions.

Holistic medicine through applied kinesiology has a wide application. George Goodheart demonstrated that chiropractic physicians could positively and confidently affect a wide range of disorders, as seen above, with special interest in spinal problems as well. He taught me that we could be family doctors. Be inclusive, not exclusive. Goodheart added many chiropractic, osteopathic, and traditional techniques to AK including SOT, trigger point therapy, acupuncture, cranial osteopathy, positioning by release, Rolfing, neurovasculars, neurolymphatics, etc. (He was friendly with both Ida Rolf and Janet Travell). "What you're down on, you're not up on." He taught us to have a wide interest in all fields of medicine, not just chiropractic. I called him about a patient I was having trouble with in 1979, and he immediately asked me what medications he was taking. I realized then that even though as a chiropractor I did not prescribe, I still needed to have a working knowledge of pharmacology to understand the ubiquitous (means "happens all the time") side effects of medications.

George introduced acupuncture into applied kinesiology in 1969, and made many original observations relating acupuncture to chiropractic. He developed numerous new methods to monitor the meridian system. In the late 60's, Goodheart was teaching old and new, innovative cranial techniques. He emphasized the importance of nutritional supplementation early on and helped introduce the concepts of Abram Hoffer and orthomolecular medicine to a chiropractic audience.

Muscles move bones, bones don't move muscles. Dr. Goodheart has always emphasized the primacy of muscle function. Although appreciating the importance of chiropractic manipulation, he took us away from the idea that the manipulation needed to be repeated dozens of times. By properly balancing muscle function, the patient regains proper alignment much sooner. A real applied kinesiologist tests many, many different muscles, not just one "arm muscle test."

Treat the patient that has the disease, not the disease that has the patient. Standard, undeviating protocols for specific diseases are the ideal in orthodox medicine, with no consideration of individual needs. Although biochemical individuality is a common trend in alternative medicine today, AK was developed as a system to specifically address each patient as an individual. "Fix what you find" by using muscle testing. (This is in contrast to the usual chiropractic approach of applying the identical treatment to every patient.)

Build bridges between the professions, don't burn them. Some of us can remember the thrilling days of yesteryear when no MD would even talk to an alternative practitioner. (What, that still happens to you?!!?) Now, Blue Cross no longer considers chiropractic "alternative," Andrew Weil's website recommends chiropractic, and (holy cow, Batman!) the AMA allows its members to fraternize with us. Well, folks, George Goodheart was there first! He was the first chiropractor to speak at medical schools and dental schools all over the world, get interdisciplinary referrals, and the first officially invited chiropractor at the Olympics. George connected us with the medical, dental, psychological, and sporting professions.

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An appreciation of George Goodheart, DC, originator of applied kinesiology

Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients, July, 2004 by Stephen J. Kaufman

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