Applied Kinesiology - Fact or Fiction?
by Steve Cockerill, Rooster Sailing 18 Mar 2009 21:28 GMT
Mouth splints for old sailors?
Ever since I was invited to Bishop Otter college to study sports physiology and calculate my fitness by way of my obla and VO2 max measurements I have been fascinated at the appliance of science in our sport. I have read books on diet, worked with a Podiatrist to correct for my natural pronation, which has helped my knee stability (see the related article on hiking styles). I have worked with my Physio to improve my core stability to help protect from injury and give me hiking stamina. At Rooster we have looked at the effectiveness of our hiking boots so that I can get the most support for when I use a pointed toe hiking style and padded toe straps that offer super grip for all boot wearers so you don't have to hook hike with your footware. Our pro hikers are designed to give me more lift so my bum stays further from the water and the hike pads help me keep my leg straighter for longer and reduce bum droop.
More recently, I have been struggling with my left hip despite my efforts to maintain its strength. I assumed I was just wearing out until I met Wolfgang Gertz on Rooster European Business. Wolfgang is a German Finn Olympian and Gold Cup Winner from the 80's who is an excellent German Masters Laser Sailor; he is also a well known Applied Kinesiologist (AK), who is also a qualified Doctor and a well known Applied Kinesiologist (AK). I understand that he was the first in Europe to use muscle strength testing to diagnose ailments using Kinesiology. His brand of holistic medicine is practised on the fringes of normal medical practice in Germany. I asked him in passing if he could take a look at my hip and back. Its a long story - but if you are interested feel free to follow my experience.
At the time I was not sure what Applied Kinesiology (AK) was so I was surprised that after a few resistance tests on my quads and illiosoas muscles, he focussed on my mouth and jaw??? To my amazement with an open mouth, my strength in my weaker hip improved!?!? Again when he got me to touch an amalgam filling in my mouth on the left side, my hip strength improved?!? He explained that I had two issues. Dissimilar metals in my mouth would act like a battery. The back of my lower left jaw related to my quad. When I touched the jaw - I shorted out the battery and so reduced the battery effect. My other issue was my jaw bone joint, called the CMJ Joint. After years of hiking and grinding my teeth, I had worn away my bite which meant that I was over compressing the joint which can leads to vertigo, and he would argue also a weakness in my quad muscle. He suggested that I go to his clinic and have a splint made to help guide the teeth to the correct position which will take the pressure off my CMJ joint. At the same time he strongly recommended that I have my amalgam fillings changed to composite.
So I met with Wolfgang for a day in Munich, thank goodness for easyjet! My first appointment was with a facial surgeon. After an hour we had full mouth impressions and bite impressions, a 3d head scan (thankfully only sinus and below - there may still be a chance I have a brain) a dental and nerve check up. They used this information to make a wax splint. The facial surgeon said that I have not only different metals in my mouth which is not good but even in the same tooth and yet even in the same tooth touching each other. Not good practice. He was also able to say that a recent extraction on my left lower jaw had left a less than normal bone growth which he thought might need surgery. Then I was off to Wolfgang's surgery with a CD full of data, my wax splint and the thought of surgery in my head - but also with the thought that I may soon have less pain in my left quad. Sitting in his treatment room, the poster on the wall showing 'applied kinesiology reflexes' made me realise that there is a lot more to this than jaw and dentist work and I started to understand the term holistic medicine after seeing Wolfgang's array of bottled materials with everything from wheat to folate. Wolfgang then tested me using AK techniques for the positioning given by the splint. He also tested the plastic that the splint was to later be made of, again using the same AK techniques. This is what many describe as alternative medicine. Blood was taken for tests and then I was given a strong detox agent - actually the same drug you might be given if you have just swallowed a thermometer of mercury! They then got me to drink lots of water and later had this tested to see if I had passed any heavy metals; which they would argue would be due to amalgam migration.
Another short trip on the Munich underground and I arrived at the German Dentist who was going to remove any amalgam from my mouth. The dentist also checked my reaction to the composite material she was to use in my fillings by using an AK muscle test. She again commented that my mouth was a mix of both metals and she said two metals makes a battery - and we are not designed to have a battery in our mouth! Two fillings down and I was whisked back to the facial surgeon for fitting of the finished plastic splint. Back to the dentist for yet more composite work and then a flight home. Why did I eat so many sweets as a kid?
After a few days with the splint in my mouth and I am already used to my new jaw position. When I take it out to eat I can feel the discomfort in the old jaw position, let alone when I am teeth grinding while hiking hard. My hip feels more comfortable but the proof is in the pudding. I hope its windy next weekend and I can perhaps enjoy it just a little more?