The Art Of Muscle Testing

We use muscle testing with EVERY client of ours.

Muscle testing is a technique used to assess the strength/activation of a muscle.

We know muscles move and stabilsie joints, so in order to have a fully functioning joint you must have fully functioning muscles. 

Now when we are assessing muscle activation we are typically assessing the nervous system’s (Brain’s) ability to communicate and activate the muscle. Very rarely is a weak/inactive muscle an isolated muscle problem, 99% of the time it's the fault of the nervous system. 

When assessing muscle activation we are not assessing whether a client can kick us through the wall, which would be strength or speed. Instead we are looking for the client to be able to activate the muscle and match our resistance in a specific direction for 2 seconds or more. 

Ways in which we can tell if a muscle is inhibited (inactive) are;

• Cramping
• Unable to maintain the start position
• Change the direction of the test
• Recruit supporting muscles to cheat
• Alter body position to cheat
• Push erratically to compensate lack of activation for speed

If a client does any of the following a muscle is considered to be inhibited (inactive) and then the hunt for the cause/solution begins.

An inhibited or turned off muscle is a problem for multiple reasons;

1. A turned off muscle will not stabilise its corresponding joint properly which will likely lead to dysfunction of said joint. Either inflaming the joint directly or a partnered joint through compensatory patterning 
2. An inactive muscle will cause supporting muscles to work harder which in the short term will inflame them and produce pain. But in the long term the strength “gap” between the turned off muscle and those working harder as a result will increase. Ever increasing the significance of the problem 
3. If a muscle stays turned off for 2 months or more the nervous system/ brain will have repatterned and adapted and this will then become the new normal. Meaning dysfunctional will feel normal and the client will often not perceive a problem until its worsens again.

The solution to this problem is 3 fold;

1) Identify the inhibited/inactive muscles 

2) Find the root cause/solution for the inactive muscle within the nervous system/ brain 

3) Treat said solution for 2-4 months until the nervous system has repatterned and adapted back to a normal state of function.