The Essentials
Functional Movement Screen
As already explained in detail in our blog post on clinical tests, the hypotheses gathered during your medical history are analyzed using clinical reasoning and objectified through various diagnostic tests and assessments.
This is important for reviewing our own approach and therapeutic working hypothesis. But it is just as motivating for you as a patient or client to know that you are on the right track and achieving the desired progress you are aiming for.
This allows problems or Conditions to be measured and interpreted not only subjectively, but also objectively. Changes (whether improvements or deteriorations) are clearly identified, documented, and highlighted through re-testing.
During one of our regular internal training sessions at BodyLab osteopathy and Physiotherapy | Rehabilitation and Training in Zurich, we focused on the Functional Movement Screen (FMS).
The Functional Movement Screen (FMS)
A relatively quick and simple way to measure active movement in terms of both quality and quantity is the Functional Movement Screen (FMS).
An example of a qualitative movement characteristic is movement strength. This characterizes the extent to which muscle strength is utilized within a movement.
The quality or range of motion describes the optimal spatial extent of a movement. It is therefore dedicated to the trajectory of a movement.
The FMS test is a test battery developed in the 1990s for "high school athletes" by Gray Cook, a physiotherapist and strength coach, together with Lee Burton, an athletic coach. What was originally intended for athletes now serves as an objective tool for both trainers and physiotherapists.
The basic principle of the FMS is that movement quality should be improved first before quantity can be adjusted. If movement quality (strength, movement power) is not good enough, the deficit can lead to compensation in another area, which can mean further injuries for you.
Furthermore, the FMS gives us insights into how you move (quantity) and allows additional areas to be included in the examination.
Procedure of the Functional Movement Screen (FMS)
The test includes seven different movements or movement patterns that demonstrate an interplay of mobility and stability.
These movements are:
Deep squat (Overhead Squats)
Hurdle step (Hurdle Step)
In-line lunge (Lunge)
Active straight leg raise (Active straight leg raise)
Shoulder mobility (Shoulder mobility)
Trunk stability push-up (Trunk stability push up)
Rotary stability (Rotory stability)
Each of these movements provides the tester or therapist with information about imbalances, muscular weaknesses, asymmetries, and limitations, which then reveals an overall movement assessment for you.
The individual test movements can be scored using a point system. The points are awarded as follows:
0 = Pain
1 = Unable to perform the movement
2 = The movement can be performed, but with compensation
3 = The movement can be performed completely.
If the required movement or exercise cannot be performed due to pain, it is scored with a 0 and the test is invalid or cannot be evaluated (the movements must be able to be performed pain-free).
The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) in Physiotherapy
When we perform the tests with you as our patient or athlete at BodyLab, we pay particular attention to the movement pattern and how it is executed.
In Physiotherapy, the primary focus is not on scoring points, but rather on the overall movement pattern. It gives the therapists both objective and subjective clues as to which areas we should test and look at even more specifically. In this way, a targeted, objectively measurable course of therapy can be ensured. Because when we work on your weak points using both exercises and manual therapy and then "re-test", we can see clearly whether imbalances, weaknesses, asymmetries, and limitations are objectively improving. And in addition, whether your pain can be subjectively influenced and reduced.
It serves as a "tool" to measure active movements that we as therapists cannot feel with our hands. This provides both us and you with objective insights and benchmarks showing where you can (further) improve with our help or have already improved.
Feel free to check out the official Functional Movement Screen (FMS) website, where you can find further detailed information.
Whenever you need us, we are here for you!
Your BodyLab team, your destination for rehabilitation and training
osteopathy and Physiotherapy | Rehabilitation and Training
Zurich Altstetten
You can find out more on our sports therapy page.
References
Functional Movement Screen (FMS)
