For some time now, we have been providing the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) to patients and athletes at Great Moves. The FMS is essentially a 7-part movement test that was designed to predict and qualify an athlete’s ability to perform normal athletic movements free of pain. The screen is a quick one. You try 7 movements. You can do them or you can’t–you have pain with them or you don’t. Simple, and nothing if not efficient. In most cases, we can screen athletes in 10-15 minutes.
Recently, we were able to demonstrate the FMS for several members of Boulder Running Company’s Women’s Fit Team. The ladies on the team had a great time seeing in action what patients oftentimes have difficulty putting into words when it comes to difficulty with common athletic motions. Running causes many common movement problems, and we were able to provide a lot of simple movement solutions for the team.
One of the biggest issues we saw at the clinic was asymmetry in stability and mobility.
Stability and Mobility
Like most runners, most athletes we screen are surprised to see that stability asymmetries promote (or result from) a big part of their injury history. We see athletes capable of holding a plank for minutes, but have a tough time keeping their hip and low back stable when simply stepping over a short hurdle.
As a runner and a clinician, I know this is nothing out of the ordinary for endurance athletes. But it points to a part of the bigger picture for every athlete: Your stability means little unless it transfers to your sport or the demands of your life!
Most people can train hard, but it usually takes an outside eye to look at a training program and show you the gaps in your training. That’s what the FMS is all about.
Please call our office for pricing on this valuable screen. A simple screen with full explanation of your scoring can be done in 30 minutes. You can also opt to have a full hour with The Functional Movement Screen in addition to corrective exercises and assistance with your training program.