AK Treatment Protocols & Procedures 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In AK, the 'therapy localization' technique is used primarily to:
- Stimulate acupuncture points with needles
- Identify reactive areas by placing a hand over a site and re-testing muscle strength (Correct answer)
- Measure range of motion before and after treatment
- Apply cold laser therapy to the spine
Correct answer: Identify reactive areas by placing a hand over a site and re-testing muscle strength
Therapy localization involves touching a suspected problem area while re-testing an indicator muscle to identify reactive or dysfunctional sites.
Question 2: When performing origin-insertion technique in AK, the practitioner typically:
- Stretches the muscle from origin toward insertion to facilitate it
- Applies pressure at the origin and insertion simultaneously to treat a weak muscle (Correct answer)
- Injects saline at the insertion point to relax the muscle
- Uses percussion along the belly of a hypertonic muscle
Correct answer: Applies pressure at the origin and insertion simultaneously to treat a weak muscle
Origin-insertion technique applies gentle pressure at both attachment points to neurologically facilitate a weak or inhibited muscle.
Question 3: Reactive muscle patterns in AK describe a situation where:
- One muscle tests strong only when another specific muscle is under load simultaneously
- A previously weak muscle becomes further inhibited when an associated muscle contracts (Correct answer)
- Both synergist muscles test weak due to joint hypermobility
- A hypertonic muscle reflexively shortens during gait assessment
Correct answer: A previously weak muscle becomes further inhibited when an associated muscle contracts
A reactive muscle pattern occurs when contraction of one muscle causes inhibition of another, disrupting normal movement coordination.
Question 4: The lymphatic reflex points used in AK treatment are most associated with which system?
- The autonomic nervous system
- The meridian system of Traditional Chinese Medicine
- The Chapman reflex points derived from osteopathic medicine (Correct answer)
- The Golgi tendon organ reflex arc
Correct answer: The Chapman reflex points derived from osteopathic medicine
AK incorporates Chapman's neurolymphatic reflex points, originally developed in osteopathic medicine, to support lymphatic drainage and organ function.
Question 5: In AK protocol, nutritional supplementation decisions are typically guided by:
- Serum blood panels ordered by a medical laboratory
- Muscle testing responses to specific nutrients or substances placed in the patient's field (Correct answer)
- Patient-reported dietary recall over 7 days
- Standardized RDA charts for the patient's age and gender
Correct answer: Muscle testing responses to specific nutrients or substances placed in the patient's field
AK practitioners use manual muscle testing while the patient holds or contacts a substance to assess whether that nutrient influences muscle function.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the 'challenge' procedure in Applied Kinesiology?
- A standardized treadmill stress test to evaluate cardiovascular fitness
- A provocative input (force, substance, or thought) applied to the body while re-testing muscle strength (Correct answer)
- A written questionnaire used to identify symptom patterns before treatment
- A range-of-motion challenge used to pre-screen for structural scoliosis
Correct answer: A provocative input (force, substance, or thought) applied to the body while re-testing muscle strength
In AK, a challenge is a specific stimulus introduced to the body—such as pressure, a substance, or a movement—followed by re-testing an indicator muscle to assess its effect.
Question 7: When treating a facilitated (hypertonic) muscle in AK, the typical first step is to:
- Apply origin-insertion technique directly to the hypertonic muscle
- Identify and treat the inhibited antagonist muscle that is causing the hypertonicity (Correct answer)
- Prescribe stretching exercises for the hypertonic muscle three times daily
- Apply neuromuscular electrical stimulation at high frequency
Correct answer: Identify and treat the inhibited antagonist muscle that is causing the hypertonicity
AK recognizes that hypertonicity often results from reciprocal inhibition of the antagonist, so correcting the weak antagonist resolves the apparent tightness.
AK Treatment Protocols & Procedures 2
In AK, the 'therapy localization' technique is used primarily to: