The Functional Movement Screening captures fundamental movements, motor control within movement patterns, and competence of basic movements. It will determine the greatest areas of movement deficiency, demonstrate limitations or asymmetries, and eventually correlate these with an outcome.
This screening was developed to portray movement quality with a simple grading system of appraisal. Various movement tests that require a balance of mobility and stability reveal observable performance weaknesses, imbalances, asymmetries, and limitations, as they become noticeable by a trained health and fitness professional. The FMS exposes dysfunction or pain—or both—within basic movement patterns.
Many people are able to perform a wide range of activities, yet are unable to efficiently execute the movements in the screen. Those who score poorly on the screens are using compensatory movement patterns during regular activities. If these compensations continue, sub-optimal movement patterns are reinforced, leading to poor biomechanics and possibly contributing to a future injury. This highlights our objective – minimizing risk of injury in time to come.
Following a screening, the results are assessed, and stretches and exercises are prescribed to target the areas in need. This will allow patients to develop a personalized regimen of exercises to improve any asymmetries or deficiencies that were discovered during the screening. This kind of retraining is supremely excellent in the prevention of future injury.