Since 1964

The original professional organization for Applied Kinesiology.

Founded on the work of Dr George Goodheart, DC, the ICAK trains, certifies and supports licensed physicians who use Applied Kinesiology to evaluate and treat the whole patient — across 14 country chapters on five continents.

Open only to healthcare professionals licensed to diagnose, and to students enrolled in those programs.

An ICAK practitioner performing a manual muscle test on a patient's arm during an Applied Kinesiology assessment
1964
Founded by Dr George Goodheart, DC
14
Country chapters worldwide
5
Continents represented
100h
Basic AK certification course
A practitioner assessing a patient's hip and leg strength in a bright treatment room

Non-invasive

Manual muscle testing as functional neurologic evaluation

What is Applied Kinesiology?

A diagnostic system that reads the body's own feedback.

Applied Kinesiology is a safe, non-invasive diagnostic system that uses manual muscle testing to evaluate neurological function. It focuses on neuromuscular function as it relates to the structural, chemical and neurological regulatory mechanisms of the body — helping practitioners look for the source of a problem rather than treating a symptom in isolation.

Used alongside standard methods of diagnosis — clinical history, physical examination, laboratory testing — AK gives licensed practitioners real-time feedback to build a picture of each patient's unique physiologic condition.

  • Medical Doctors
  • Doctors of Chiropractic
  • Doctors of Osteopathy
  • Doctors of Dentistry
  • Doctors of Naturopathy

Read more about AK

Triad of Health

The Five Factors of Health

An AK evaluation reads the whole person through the Triad of Health — structural, chemical and mental — and the five factors that govern how a muscle, and the tissue it reports on, respond. Choose a factor to see what it covers.

The Triad of Health: a triangle with sides labelled Structural, Chemical and Mental, a human figure at the centre, and the five factors — N, AMC, NL, CSF and NV — arranged around it.
NerveThe nerve supply to a muscle, joint or organ — the body’s fastest line of communication.
Acupuncture MeridianThe meridian system, used as an energetic map of organ and muscle relationships.
NeuroLymphaticReflexes that influence lymphatic drainage and the organ each one serves.
Cerebrospinal FluidThe fluid around the brain and spinal cord, and the cranial-sacral motion that moves it.
NeurovascularReflexes that influence blood supply to a tissue or organ.

Tap or hover each red circle to explore the five factors.

  • StructuralMuscles, joints, posture and the mechanics of movement.
  • ChemicalNutrition, biochemistry, medication and environment.
  • MentalStress, emotion and how the nervous system carries it.

14 chapters worldwide

One college. One standard of care. Fourteen countries.

ICAK chapters run their own education, certification and practitioner directories under a single international standard — so a patient in Melbourne and a patient in Munich meet the same rigour.

International Meeting

Munich, Germany — 2027

The ICAK international meeting returns to Europe in 2027, hosted by DÄGAK, the ICAK Germany chapter. Clinicians and researchers from every chapter gather for teaching, case review and new research.

Host chapter
DÄGAK — ICAK Germany
Location
Munich, Germany
Open to
Members and licensed professionals
An ICAK instructor teaching from an anatomy slide during a chapter seminar

Standards

Who can practice Applied Kinesiology?

Only healthcare professionals licensed to diagnose — and students enrolled in those programs — may study to become Professional Applied Kinesiology practitioners. Certification requires a 100-hour Basic Applied Kinesiology course followed by a rigorous theoretical and practical examination, under guidelines the ICAK sets and governs globally.

See the requirements

Leadership

Guided by practising clinicians

The International Council and its boards are elected from the chapters themselves — working practitioners who set the college's standards for education, examination and research.

Portrait of Dr. Noah Lebowitz

Dr. Noah Lebowitz

International Council Chair

ICAK USA

Portrait of Dr. Claudia Röthinger

Dr. Claudia Röthinger

International Council Vice-Chair

DÄGAK — Germany

Portrait of Dr. Ricardo Abrantes

Dr. Ricardo Abrantes

International Council Secretary

ICAK UK

Portrait of Dr. Genevieve Gagne

Dr. Genevieve Gagne

International Council Past Chair

ICAK Canada

Meet the full board

Join the college that started it all.

Membership connects you to a worldwide faculty, accredited certification pathways, the ICAK research library and a chapter community in your own country.