The development of the history of the study of motor activity in Russia officially began in the 1930s, with the works of Professor N. A. Bernstein. In his book «Essays on the Physiology of Movement and Physiological Activity» (Moscow: Biomedgiz, 1947, 420 p.), he defined 5 levels of movement regulation. The very initial stage of movement coordination is regulated unconsciously and is subject only to information coming from the receptors of external tissues and internal organs. If this regulation is disrupted, the patient experiences tremors. Bernstein’s works were translated into other languages.
Having deservedly received worldwide recognition, he, unfortunately, was unable to complete his scientific research in his homeland. The second wave of interest in the study of movement coordination began after the works of M. R. Mogendovich, a student of I. P. Pavlov. In his book «Sensitivity of Internal Organs» (Leningrad, 1941), Mogendovich described the results of his experimental research.
By stimulating the receptors of the internal organs of dogs, he recorded changes in the electromyographic activity of various skeletal muscles, thus establishing functional connections between the internal organs and skeletal muscles. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete his scientific work, and his works were banned.
Research continued in neighboring socialist countries — Romania and Bulgaria. The results of the work were published in the books by Granit R. «Fundamentals of Movement Regulation» (Moscow, Mir, 1973, 340 p.) and Robescu N. «Neuromotor Re-Education» (Bucharest, Medicine and Physical Education, 1972, 268 p.).
In Czechoslovakia, Professor K. Levit, the founder of manual therapy, often pointed out the peculiarities of functional relationships between different parts of the musculoskeletal system in his lectures. Later, Professor V. Janda developed a method of visual diagnostics of localization of functionally hyperactive muscle based on the assessment of the symmetry of the static posture and localization of hyperactive agonist muscles based on the assessment of the asymmetry of the motor pattern. Moreover, Professor V. Janda developed a 5-step diagnostics of decreased stretch reflex activity.
In parallel, in 1936, Kendall and Kendel (USA) published the book «Manual Muscle Testing». In 1966, Dr. J. Goodhart developed a method for using manual muscle testing as biofeedback.
Russian scientists became acquainted with this phenomenon during clinical studies at an international conference in Moscow in 1990. One of the organizers of the conference was A.E. Samorukov (now the president of the Russian Association of Manual Therapy).
Representatives of various higher medical educational institutions and research institutes were invited to the conference. Among them were employees of the Department of Neurology of the Novokuznetsk State Institute of Advanced Medical Studies under the leadership of the head of the department, Professor O.G. Kogan.
During the conference, Professor Kogan invited one of the leading scientists in the field of kinesiology, Dr. J. Schaeffer (Denmark), to hold a seminar in Novokuznetsk.
The training was attended not only by practicing physicians, but also by a number of university professors from Russia (Prof. I. R. Schmidt, Prof. L. F. Vasilyeva, Prof. E. I. Timofeeva, Prof. V. P. Veselovsky, Prof. A. N. Barvinchenko, Academician of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences Prof. A. A. Skoromets, Prof. A. I. Fedin, Prof. G. A. Ivanichev, Prof. M. I. Timofeeva, Prof. I. P. Kipervas, Assoc. Prof. O. V. Kuznetsova, Prof. A. G. Chechenin), Belarus (Prof. N. I. Filippovich), Ukraine (Associate Prof. L. A. Kadyrova), Kazakhstan (Prof. N. A. Krasnoyarova). The geography of the participants includes more than 60 cities from Russia, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus, Germany and Israel. Since 1991 to the present, similar seminars have been held annually in various cities and countries. Leading specialists in the field of kinesiology who took part in the events: Smith K. (England), Gates T. (England), Garden H. (Germany), Diamond D. (USA), Sheldon D. (USA).
Since 1994, doctors of various specialties began to study the basics of applied kinesiology as part of advanced training courses, due to a possible change in the training program for doctors — manual therapists and reflexologists.
To implement this, it was necessary to create a separate department, develop special programs and plans, approve them at the academic council and prove that everything we teach is not only innovative, but also a highly effective, promising direction in medicine. The difficulty was that applied kinesiology had not yet been officially recognized. Not only we took on this risk of developing a new field, but also the leadership of the Novokuznetsk State Institute of Applied Medicine headed by academician and rector Professor A.A. Luk.
He was the first to realize the effectiveness of applied kinesiology and expressed confidence that thanks to its development not only the institute but also the country as a whole would benefit.
From 1994 to 1998, the Department of Traditional Medicine was headed by Associate Professor O.V. Kuznetsova. From 1998 to 2000, the Department was headed by Professor L.F. Vasilyeva.
Later, training in applied kinesiology was conducted at the Department of Manual Therapy of the Russian State Humanitarian University (Head of Department, Professor L. F. Vasilyeva), at the Department of Rehabilitation of the Academy of Postgraduate Education in St. Petersburg, at the Department of Neurology, Manual Therapy and Reflexology of the Novokuznetsk Institute for Advanced Medical Studies (Head of Department, Professor A. G. Chechenin), and at the Department of Manual Therapy of the Vladivostok Medical Institute (Head of Department, A. F. Belyaev).
In 2000, the Interregional Association of Applied Kinesiology (IAAK) was registered. The association united more than 200 specialists of various medical profiles. The organizer and permanent leader until 2010 was Professor L. F. Vasilyeva. Currently, the association is headed by candidate of medical sciences S. P. Subbotin. The association created a school of applied kinesiology, designed to familiarize doctors of various specializations with the basics of this discipline.
Russian scientists have made a significant contribution to the scientific study of the phenomenon of functional muscle weakness. In 2000, a course in traditional medicine was organized at the Russian Medical University under the supervision of Professor L.F. Vasilyeva, at the Department of Neurology of the Faculty of Advanced Medical Studies, headed by Professor A.I. Fedin. In 2003, this course was transformed into a separate Department of Manual Therapy, which develops and implements training programs in applied kinesiology within the framework of manual therapy. This department is headed by Professor L.F. Vasilyeva.
Great assistance and support in the creation of the department was provided by the Vice-Rector of the Russian State Medical University, Professor G.I. Storozhkov, and the Dean of the Faculty of Postgraduate Education, Professor L.E. Tsypin.
In 2001, a manual therapy laboratory was organized at the Federal Scientific Clinical and Clinical Center of the Russian Federation (headed by Doctor of Medical Sciences V.A. Valenkova) under the direction of Professor L.F. Vasilyeva.
Since 2005, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation has approved the curriculum for applied kinesiology “Manual therapy in rehabilitation treatment”. This became possible only thanks to the assistance of Doctor of Medical Sciences V.A. Vale
