Muscle testing is a system of evaluating how the body’s nervous system reacts to its environment and various forms of stimuli. Specific muscles are tested for clinical and diagnostic purposes, not just to determine muscle strength.

The purpose of your central nervous system, brain and spinal cord, is to regulate, control and heal your body. This is made possible by the ability of your body to send impulses, electrical signals, over the spinal cord, through spinal nerves to every muscle, organ and gland; otherwise, your body will die. Each muscle, organ and gland communicates back to the central nervous system sending its current condition and any specific needs. Optimum health is made possible when these impulses flow without interference throughout the body. If there is any interference, the body’s ability to control, regulate and heal the body is reduced.

This is particularly significant when you realize that many different parts of the body are in communication with many other parts of the body.

That is,
Nervous system communicates with muscles
Muscles communicate with organs
Organs communicate with muscles
Organs communicate with nervous system

Diminished nerve impulses can be identified through muscle response testing. It is a means of tuning into your body’s electrical or nervous system. When a muscle test is performed, a doctor is evaluating whether the muscle tests strong or weak. A strong muscle responds by contracting fully in response to pressure. A weak muscle response is shaky or gives way when pressure is applied and indicates that there is inadequate neurologic control of the muscle. When the body is overstressed through a chemical, emotional, or structural cause, the electrical signals in one or more muscles go weak. It is like a fuse in your fuse box blowing.

An example of a muscle test is when a doctor gently pushes down on the patient’s extended arm, which is resisting the downward pressure of this muscle test and tests strong. If the nervous system is irritated for any reason, this will cause a short circuit in the nervous system and the arm that previously tested strong will now go weak. This irritation can be caused from many things. Even thinking of a traumatic emotional event can cause a muscle to weaken.

One valuable method of muscle testing is to effectively ask “yes/no” questions of the nervous system. The response of the nervous system is evaluated, looking for a strong muscle to go weak upon challenge. Muscle testing can be used to ask almost any question to make determinations about physiology, skeletal trauma, allergies, nutritional imbalances, or other things that can affect the body or mind. The response reveals information about troubled areas in the body and how to treat them. For example, what caused this muscle to go out of balance? If it was a chemical, a doctor can effectively ask the body what substance or food caused the body to go out of balance. If it was a deficiency, he can find out what food will re-strengthen the body.

There can be several causes for a weak muscle. The doctor will evaluate in order to locate the source of the problem and make the appropriate correction or adjustment to improve the function of the nervous system whereby the brain is better able to deliver the electrical signal to the muscle. The muscle will then respond strong upon this improvement. These corrections are able to provide patients with pain relief, joint stabilization, improved muscular activation, strength, flexibility, and coordination.

Come schedule your appointment today to eliminate any pain and to optimize your health and healing.