At the Saddleback College website, under “news,” we find this bulletin:The Division of Physical Education and Athletics is now listed uinder Kinesiology in the fall class schedule beginning on page 59
Well, that sounds pretty good. “Kinesiology” is a respectable field doing respectable work. So, what’s wrong with filing your PE/Athletics courses under “kinesiology”?
Nothing, maybe. On the other hand, maybe it’s confusing, and maybe it inadvertently associates Saddleback College with quackery. Let me explain.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “kinesiology” as
the study of the principles of mechanics and anatomy in relation to human movement
So far, so good.
But now Google the word “kinesiology.” Here’s what you get.
1. The Kinesiology Network (KN)
Here, we’re told that the KN concerns something called “applied Kinesiology”:
What’s applied kinesiology (AK)? The website explains:
The "Applied Kinesiology, AK" was founded in 1964 by the American chiropractor George Goodheart and are now used by chiropractors, osteopaths, medical doctors, dentists and others with a license to diagnose. Dr. George Goodheart found that evaluation of normal and abnormal body function could be accomplished by using muscle tests. Since the original discovery, the principle has broadened to include evaluation of the nervous, vascular, and lymphatic systems, nutrition, acupuncture, and cerebrospinal fluid function.
So AK is some sort of diagnostic tool related to chiropractic. Hmmm.
2. International College of Applied Kinesiology
Again, an effort is made to describe AK:
Treatments may involve specific joint manipulation or mobilization, various myofascial therapies, cranial techniques, meridian and acupuncture skills, clinical nutrition, dietary management, counselling skills, evaluating environmental irritants and various reflex procedures.
Here, we learn that AK is some sort of therapy.
3. The University of Michigan Division of Kinesiology
I did a search at this site for “applied kinesiology.” There, I am referred to an article that happens to be about ADHD, which explains:
Some treatments that the National Institute of Mental Health and the American Academy of Pediatrics warns have not been proven to work in scientific studies are…Chiropractic adjustment, bone realignment, applied kinesiology and realigning bones in the skull. [My emphasis]
So what gives? Is kinesiology some sort of alternative medicine?
I consulted the Skeptic’s Dictionary (Applied Kinesiology), which explains:
Applied kinesiology (AK) is an alternative therapy created by George Goodheart, D.C. According to the International College of Applied Kinesiology, the therapy "is based on chiropractic principles and requires manual manipulation of the spine, extremities and cranial bones as the structural basis of its procedures."
However, Goodheart and his followers unite chiropractic with traditional Chinese medicine (among other things); not only do they accept the notion of chi and the meridians of acupuncture, they posit a universal intelligence of a spiritual nature running through the nervous system. They believe that muscles reflect the flow of chi and that by measuring muscle resistance one can determine the health of bodily organs and nutritional deficiencies.
These are empirical claims and have been tested and shown to be false (Hyman 1999; Kenny et al. 1988). Other claims made by practitioners are supported mainly by anecdotes supplied by advocates
…Applied kinesiology should not be confused with kinesiology proper, which is the scientific study of the principles of mechanics and anatomy in relation to human movement. However, many practitioners of applied kinesiology refer to their quackery as kinesiology and themselves as kinesiologists.
Wikipedia says this about “kinesiology”:
Kinesiology is the scientific study of human movement. It should not be confused with the pseudoscience applied kinesiology (AK). While an understanding of kinesiology is fundamental for the analysis and treatment of problems in the musculoskeletal system, it is not—unlike "applied kinesiology" (AK)—a method for the treatment or diagnosis of illness…The study of kinesiology is often part of the curriculum for some of the areas in which kinesiological information is used (akin to a medical study – see sports medicine).
There are some professional physical therapists who are fully credentialed in some jurisdictions as "Registered Kinesiologists." In this case, the word "kinesiology" is being used as a synonym for "physical therapy."
The terms we choose to use can cause problems, obviously. Stephen Barrett of “Quackwatch” (Applied Kinesiology) warns us that
Applied kinesiology should be distinguished from kinesiology (biomechanics), which is the scientific study of movement. Unfortunately, some professionals and educators refer to science-based kinesiology as "applied kinesiology," which increases the risk that people searching for information will confuse the two.
OK, but applied kinesiologists often call themselves “kinesiologists.”
Wow, what a mess.
It seems clear that, to much of the public, scientific kinesiology and pseudoscientific “applied” kinesiology are not clearly distinguished. Even science-based kinesiologists tend to confuse matters with their manner of speaking.
I did a search under “applied kinesiology” at the IVC website and found that that college actually offers courses called “applied kinesiology.” D'oh!
Surely there is an alternative term (than "kinesiology" or "applied kinesiology") that Saddleback and Irvine Valley faculty can use in referring to their courses, which, as far as I know, are rooted in scientific, not pseudoscientific, “kinesiology.”
What do you think?
