AKCLA - Applied Kinesiology Center of Los Angeles

Applied Kinesiology

Applied kinesiology looks at balance within your body's triad of health - chemical, mental and structural factors - to understand and correct health problems. The triad is represented by an equilateral triangle with structural health as its base, and the upright sides representing chemical and mental health. Neurology forms the backbone of the triad, bringing it to life in 3 dimensions. When a person experiences pain, dysfunction, or poor health, it is due to a problem in one or more of these areas affecting the others. For example, low blood sugar may make someone cranky or a pinched nerve may cause muscle pain. Applied kinesiology helps the doctor evaluate the triad and direct therapy toward the imbalanced side or sides. An applied kinesiologist looks at the individual parts of the triad and the relationship among them to better understand why a health problem exists, how and where it began, and what the best way is to correct its causes instead of just covering up its symptoms. The triad of health is interactive and all sides must be evaluated for the underlying cause(s) of a problem.

Applied kinesiology uses muscle testing as a primary feedback mechanism to examine how a person's body is functioning. In general, the applied kinesiologist finds a muscle that tests weak and then attempts to determine why that muscle is not functioning properly. In some cases, the examiner may test for environmental or food sensitivities by using a previously strong muscle to find what weakens it. At the hands of a skillful doctor, AK diagnosis can determine the best forms of treatment for the specific patient at that time. This is important because we are dynamic, living, growing creatures. Just as your needs may be different from someone else with similar symptoms, you may also have different needs at different times as your health changes. These therapies may include specific joint manipulation or mobilization, various myofascial therapies, cranial techniques, meridian therapy, clinical nutrition, dietary management and various reflex procedures. Since AK draws together the core elements of many complementary therapies and provides an interdisciplinary approach to health care, it is not surprising that around the world chiropractors, osteopaths, medical doctors, dentists, and in some places, acupuncturists and naturopaths are trained in and use Applied Kinesiology.
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Sacro-Occipital Technique (SOT):

What does SOT stand for?

SOT stands for Sacro Occipital Technique (or Technic). "Sacro" means "related to, or associated with," the sacrum. The sacrum is the foundation for the spine. The sacrum is often called the tail bone though this is not exactly correct. "Occipital" means "related to or associated with the occiput. Occiput means "the back of the head". So, SOT is a method of normalizing the relationship between the foundation of the spine and the top of the spine. It is this relationship and how these two bones get along with one another, that has been proven to be so important in the normal functioning of the brain and spinal cord.

The word "Technic" is another way of spelling "technique". Either word means "the way to get the job done, scientifically and in a short period of time".

How is SOT different than ordinary chiropractic?

SOT (Sacro Occipital Technique) is composed of highly accurate and effective clinical procedures . Dr. Major B. DeJarnette spent most of his life conducting clinical investigation into what works in chiropractic and what makes chiropractic work. Many of the experiments he first tried on himself so that he was aware of the results first hand. He also recruited others to be patients while he tested the procedures. By means of these repeated, peer-reviewed tests, he determined the true nature of the spinal subluxation* and how it could most efficiently be corrected. He also determined when the correction of the spinal subluxation was not enough and devised visceral manipulation procedures. Visceral procedures are used to help normalize organ function without the use of drugs or surgery.

SOT also recognizes the important role of normal cranial function in health and disease. The cranial bones and other cranial structures can cause central nervous system problems that are often overlooked or ignored by most other chiropractic systems.
*Spinal subluxation: A disorder of the spinal, pelvic or cranial bones which is interfering with, or prohibits the correction of, the secretion, fluctuation and absorption of cerebro spinal fluid.

Exactly what function of the body does SOT correct?
SOT concerns itself primarily with the cranial sacral respiratory mechanism. This is a wavelike oscillation in the covering of the brain and spinal cord. Although quite subtle, this motion is essential for the normal functioning of the brain and spinal cord, and thereby the rest of the nervous system and the rest of the body. It functions much like breathing air, in that it has a cyclic tightening and loosening phase. Ordinary respiration--breathing air in and out--also affects and can be used to normalize cranial sacral respiratory action. The normal function of the cranial sacral respiratory mechanism is recognized as a primary function of life in the body and must be normal if all functions of the body are to be normal.

Like other chiropractic techniques, SOT also corrects abnormal spinal mechanics and any associated nerve problems. These can include back pain, headaches, dizziness, arm and leg pains.

Through the use of Chiropractic Manipulative Reflex Techniques, your SOT practitioner can help normalize organ function in your body, including high blood pressure, digestive problems, urinary problems, toxicity, female reproductive dysfunction, etc. The list goes on and on.

Many head-related symptoms can also be treated by your SOT practitioner, including, but not limited to:

Will it make the pain go away?

Getting rid of pain is important. At all times, during an SOT adjustment, the comfort of the patient is considered. But eliminating or killing the pain is not the main goal of a chiropractic SOT adjustment. The true goal of an adjustment, and particularly an SOT adjustment, is to normalize the function of the entire body. The central nervous system---the brain and spinal cord---is the avenue of approach. The brain and spinal cord are used for this purpose because all studies of the human body show that their function is the primary function of the body. They act to control all other functions of the body as well. So, normalization of this function is the primary goal. As this goal is obtained , the pain will go away. But elimination of pain is simply a side effect of normalizing the cranial sacral respiratory mechanism.

Will I have to keep coming back?

SOT is proven to obtain lasting results in a short time. These results are demonstrated as reduced pain and improved function in all parts of the body. A patient just starting with SOT care will often notice such a great improvement in a short time that they will feel they are completely healed. But with the precise diagnostic methods of SOT, problems in the body can be detected even though they are not causing pain. So it is a wise investment on the patient's part to stay with a program of care which detects problems before they start to hurt. The old saying attributed to Benjamin Franklin applies: "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of Cure."

Is this a proven method?

SOT has been shown to be clinically effective in thousands of offices worldwide This method of health care is constantly improving and finding new proof of it's effectiveness. Many of the other chiropractic techniques use principles that were originally discovered and written by Dr. DeJarnette. The validity of Dr. DeJarnette's research is proven every day by the practice of these techniques. As specialists in Sacro Occipital Technic, the chiropractors listed on this website are trained in SOT and diligently apply all of their skill, knowledge, and judgment to every adjustment they give. Their effort is to apply SOT as Dr. DeJarnette developed it. This is the proven method and the one that is most often found to be effective.

Will it make me healthier?

Yes. Any SOT adjustment will improve the functioning of the body, which is health. This improvement may not be readily apparent to the doctor or the patient, but it is there. Since it is very difficult to predict what is going to happen with one's health, it is doubly difficult to say that a particular procedure prevented a bad occurrence in one's health. But, clinical experience and scientific investigation over the years have shown that SOT is in the forefront of those procedures which improve health.

Does SOT require nutritional changes?

Often. Any effort to restore health in this day and age on this planet requires improving nutritional intake. This is due to what is called "overconsumptive malnutrition." Our current food supply is structured in such a way that people eat a lot of empty calories. So, specific nutritional supplements and changes are usually necessary.

Does the adjustment cause pain in my body?

No. SOT works to a great extent by specifically positioning the body to use the weight of the body to correct the body. This occurs because of an interaction between the specific position the body is in and the motion of the body caused by normal breathing. Many times the patient will feel very relaxed during the adjustment and even take a nap. There is some pain when specific points of correction are located. This is more like a "good pain" than a "bad pain" and serves mostly to let the doctor and patient know that a point needing correction has been found.

Is there a chance of being hurt by the SOT adjustment?

The chance of injury during any chiropractic adjustment is very, very small. Recent research has shown the likelihood to be less than one in 6,000,000 Most of the injuries which have occurred have involved the neck and happened during non-SOT visits.
The average chiropractor pays about $1,000 to $2, 000 per year for malpractice insurance. A medical doctor can pay $1,000 per week for malpractice insurance. This gives an accurate indication of the relative danger involved.
SOT is good for thee, so get thee in if you want to be: Healthy
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Cox Flexion-Distraction Technique

Cox® Distraction Decompression Adjustment & Manipulation is a gentle chiropractic adjusting technique procedure for BACK and NECK pain. Its procedures were established by Dr. James M. Cox and have evolved over the past 40+ years due to the many efforts of researchers and fellow chiropractic physicians. Cox® Technic is a safe alternative to back surgery for those 95% of patients whose conditions don't demand surgical intervention or back surgery. Cox® Technic may help relieve pain from disc herniations, failed back surgery syndromes, leg pain, sciatica, neck pain, arm pain, ruptured discs, herniated discs, slipped discs, low back pain, facet syndrome, bulging discs, spondylolisthesis, transitional segment, rib subluxations, thoracic spine pain, scoliosis, sprain/strain, disc prolapse, etc. Acute back pain and spinal pain as well as subacute back pain and chronic back pain can be addressed.

Cox® Technic is taught at nearly all chiropractic colleges as core or elective course material. Cox® Technic is well-established in the research literature from biomechanical studies to case reports. Studies in flexion distraction treatment outcomes are underway which are supported by federal grants.

Visit their website for more information: http://www.coxtechnic.com
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Logan Basic Technique

The Logan Basic Chiropractic Technique:
What it is. How it works. How it promotes healing.

Day and night we are all bombarded by stress. The stress may come from a traumatic blow such as an automobile accident, allergic reaction, surgical trauma, emotional upset, from severe exposure to heat or cold, or from more insidious causes such as malnutrition or sleep deprivation or sustained periods of overwork.

So long as our bodies can cope with this stress, we all continue to adapt to life's challenges and live within what we call the body's "elastic limits," so-called because the human body is like a rubber band, free and pliable, and able to tolerate an often surprising degree of loads and stresses. However, if any of these stressors prove to be too strong or prolonged for the body to absorb, we exceed these elastic limits, and the rubber band stretches too far and breaks. When this occurs, we have moved from simple stress to what we call "strain."

Strain manifests as muscle tension - muscles that are unable to fully relax after use and remain in a state of fatigue. Tense and tight muscles limit the bloodstream's capacity to carry away the waste products that have accumulated in the tissue as a result of metabolism. These "fatigue poisons" (as they are known) that are left behind are stored in the muscle tissue where they cause pain. Ultimately, tight muscles will pull the spine out of alignment which can result in neck, shoulder and low back pains.

Logan Basic Chiropractic Technique treats the muscles that control spinal balance in order to release this tension. The proper leverage, applied ever so lightly at the right spot, will cause the entire spine to move towards balance. This method is similar in principle to that used to change a flat tire. The proper leverage of a car jack will allow a comparatively small person to elevate a heavy car right off the ground.

Before treatment begins, the doctor analyzes the patient's spine while he or she stands in front of a plumb line. Further examination may also be made with the patient lying face up and/or face down on the table. Then, with the patient lying face down, the doctor places a very light pressure on a pre-determined "leverage spot" on the sacral bone in the low back, employing the same principle described in using a car jack. This spot is held for 10 to 15 minutes while the doctor lightly rubs the back muscles with his other hand, coaxing them to release tension.

In the science of physiology, there is a theorem (known as Starling's Law) which states that very light pressure is effective because a minimal stimulus gets the maximum response. Experience has shown that strong pressures on the muscle often cause the body to tighten to protect itself, but a light pressure generally produces a deep relaxation.

Basic Technique treatment, in this gentle but powerful manner, causes a release of deep muscle tension. Fatigue poisons are then immediately eliminated and the effects of strain are reduced in the body. A more flexible and elastic tone is restored to the total body, and with that, the body's own self-healing mechanism is awakened.

The number of treatments needed to break the stress/strain cycle is different for each person, because each person's medical history and physical makeup are necessarily different. Treatment determination will depend upon the patient's age, the nature of the disorder, the length of time it has been there, and most importantly, the individual's responsiveness to treatment.

All healing is truly self-healing, but a body in deep strain often cannot garner the forces to restore well-being on its own. It is then that an intervention such as Basic Technique can be employed to reduce strain significantly and engage the body's own self-healing energies.

Basic Technique methods are safe for young and old alike. Be assured that Logan Basic Chiropractic Technique is one of the gentlest chiropractic techniques ever used, and one of the most potent.
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Neuro-Emotional Technique

Basic emotions — Fear, Anger, Grief, Disgust, and many others — can negatively influence our health when they don’t resolve normally. When our body fails to “let go” of what was originally a healthy response, it can short-circuit our nervous system, affecting our beliefs, our behaviors, and even our physical body.

Meet Pavlov’s Dog - Does your mouth water when you hear a doorbell or telephone ring? Probably not. Most of us know the story of the famous experiment Pavlov conducted with his dog, where he rang a bell each time before he fed his dog. Soon, the dog linked the sound of the bell with eating and would salivate simply at the sound of a bell — even when no food was present!Emotional responses can also be conditioned, and sometimes we can even be emotionally conditioned from just one life experience, especially if it was a traumatic event.

Similar But Different - Pavlov discovered something else. If a dog is conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell, the bell can be changed to another bell that sounds slightly different and the dog will still salivate. The same thing can happen with our conditioned emotional responses.For example. A little boy is simultaneously scolded and spanked by his father. This incident not only causes physical pain, but also great fear. He gets an upset stomach and cries himself to sleep. This is considered a natural response. However, due to an imbalance in his body that does not allow him to fully return to normal, he can now be triggered in the future by a similar event. Today, as an adult, he finds himself becoming overly tense and gets upset whenever an older man criticizes him. He doesn’t consciously connect the two incidents, and can’t figure out why he feels ill.

Where Do You Keep Your Emotions? - Scientists recognize the connection between the nervous system, emotions, and health. Historically, emotions were thought to reside entirely in the brain. Now we know other parts of the body hold emotions too. If you’ve ever felt butterflies in your stomach, or referred to something as a “pain in the neck,” or encountered someone who was “heartbroken” or who “vented their spleen,” then you’re familiar with how parts of the body can be linked to our emotions.

Dreaming Without Sleeping - Even imagined events can stimulate a response and have a dramatic effect on how our body works. Have you ever awakened in the middle of the night in a pool of sweat with your heart racing after a disturbing dream? Fortunately, the attacker wasn’t real, but your body thought he was! Of course, we’re more conscious of this process when we have to give a speech, ask the boss for a raise, suffer the loss of a loved one, or experience other negatively-charged emotional events.

Finding the Emotional Short Circuit - The “emotional baggage” associated with past events in our lives (remember Pavlov’s dog?) can sometimes haunt us for years. Like a computer “bug,” unresolved negative associations are stored in our bodies, often short-circuiting our true desires; even our health.NET practitioners can help you identify and “let go” of a stuck emotional event (real or imagined) that is locked in a particular part of your body. The wonderful result can be a new level of health and confidence.

A Simple Test - Just as static electricity can make your hair stand on end, certain parts of your body can become “charged” with an emotional memory. Finding and balancing these stuck memory loops can be a lot of fun. By testing your muscle response, usually using your arm, your practitioner can identify which nervous system “circuit” in your body is holding the particular emotionally charged memory.

Your Emotional Reality - Research has proven that muscle testing can be used to determine whether or not your body is “in harmony” with a particular concept or idea. When doing NET, it is important to note that the muscle response is not confirming whether something is really “true” or “false,” nor is it producing a “yes” or “no” answer. In fact, there are times when muscle testing will reveal that your body is not “in harmony” with a fact you know to be true!In NET, all memory events are considered “EMOTIONAL REALITY,” because they may or may not correspond with actual or historic reality. NET is never used to make claims as to what may have happened in the past. Likewise, NET is never used to predict the future or make a recommendation of action for the future.

Your Memory and Your Body - To assist your NET practitioner in the correction, you’ll be asked to form a mental picture, or “snapshot,” of the original triggering event. Science has proven that when you actively recall a remembered past event, your body chemistry will respond in a way that is similar to how it responded then.Visualize a lemon . . . go ahead . . . try it. Now, think about cutting into the lemon. See the juice squirting out. Now, take a bite of the lemon. Is your mouth watering? If you’re like most people, it is, and what you’re experiencing is a body response to the memory of a lemon. Our emotions work the same way.

Making the Correcting - When you recall the mental picture of the triggering event, your body will respond in a way that is similar to way it originally responded. Your practitioner will contact, or ask you to contact, a specific body point, which will help your body “let go” of the stuck emotional event. It’s really that simple.

You’re Always in Control - After the correction many patients report feeling that a burden has been lifted from their shoulders. Normally the procedure is a very simple and comfortable. If it becomes too personal or uncomfortable, simply tell your practitioner. A different approach may be suggested or, if you prefer, the session can safely end. Patients enjoy the fact that they are always in control.
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Vector Point and Cranial-Sacral Adjusting

Vector Point Cranial Therapy is one of the primary cranial adjusting method that we use. This therapy is low force and non-invasive. Created by David Denton, DC, Vector Point Cranial Therapy operates from the premise that most of the subluxations in the body are secondary to a primary subluxation. Once the primary subluxation is corrected, any secondary subluxation will correct on its own. Primary subluxations are located in either the cranium or pelvis. All other subluxations are compensatory and may be located throughout the spine or the jaw. Why the cranium and pelvis subluxate is due to something called dural tension.

The dura is a fibrous sheet that covers the brain and spinal cord. Its attachments begin inside the skull and then work their way down the spinal canal, finally anchoring at the lowest bone in the spine, the sacrum. It has many purposes, one of which is to allow for the free flowing of cerebral spinal fluid. This process, called the Cranial Sacral Respiratory Mechanism, is maintained in part by the subtle movements of the cranial bones.

When the cranial bones are subluxated dural tension is created. When dural tension is created, the uppermost neck vertebrae and the jaw joints react. When the uppermost vertebrae react, the rest of the body, including soft tissues like organs, adapt. So you can now see that from one subluxation, an entire pattern of compensation and adaptation takes place within the body.

How It Works

By applying sustained gentle pressure to the cranium on specific points we are able to gradually move the cranial bones back into their original position. Because this process also removes dural tension, the net effect is not only the correction of the cranial bones themselves, but also the correction of all other secondary distortions of the spine. Usually three or four points must be contacted simultaneously in order to properly reposition the cranial bones. The procedure is enhanced by having the patient breath deeply while flexing their feet. Movement of the feet and toes upward while inhaling slightly stretches the dura while moving the feet and toes downward while exhaling relaxes the dura.

Patients welcome Vector Point Cranial Therapy as a substitute for more traditional forms of spinal adjustments, which generally require high levels of force. They are also pleasantly surprised that such a subtle technique can have so profound an effect. When the mechanisms of spinal distortions are understood, it soon becomes clear that the success of Vector Point Cranial Therapy lies in both the precision of the treatment itself and in the skill of the doctor performing the treatment.

CRANIAL-SACRAL THERAPY

One of the most powerful techniques for correcting a myriad of health problems is also one of the most subtle. Cranial-Sacral Therapy, from the work of John Upledger, DO, is a gentle, low-force adjusting technique that works primarily on the bones of the skull.

The Skull

It has long been believed that the sole purpose of the skull was to protect the brain. While this role is obviously important, research has shown that the skull has other important functions. The skull actually moves as with breathing. There are eight major joints within the skull called sutures. Sutures act like hinges on which the cranial bones move as you inhale and exhale. The movement is minute (~25/1,000s of an inch) and, although it is not seen with the naked eye, the synchronous movement of the cranial bones is necessary for proper function of the spine, nervous and energy systems. It is believed that the primary reason for the movement of the cranial bones is for distribution of cerebral spinal fluid, which flows outside of the brain and the spinal cord. The body can make up to several liters of this fluid per day. Misalignments of the cranial bones are called cranial faults. Some of the more common symptoms of cranial faults are: