FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT

SCREEN

Brad Eggebraaten PT, SCS, ATC

Optimum Performance Pyramid

Functional Skill

Functional Performance

Functional Movement
Optimum Performance Pyramid
Mobility
ROM / flexibility
Stability
core stability / neuromuscular control
Testing
FMS / Y balance test

Functional Movement
Optimum Performance Pyramid
Kinetic linking movements
gross movement not isolation
Power production movements
Olympic lifts / plyometrics

Functional Performance

Testing
vertical leap / medicine ball toss
Optimum Performance Pyramid
Sports specific training

Functional Skill

Control and proper technique

coaching / video analysis
Testing
3 point shooting / baseball infield testing
 Key question
Are we building fitness and skill on top of dysfunction?

Functional Skill

Functional Performance

Functional Movement
 What is the FMS?
• A series of movements designed to evaluate
stability and mobility (i.e. functional movement)

• Uses extreme positions where weaknesses and

imbalances become noticeable

• Ultimate goal is to identify athletes at increased

risk for injury
 Key Principles

• Optimum functional movement

– Balance between mobility and stability
• Tightness = weakness
– Example :
» Hamstring seemingly become tight when the core is
too weak to control the pelvis
» Targeting the tightness only will result in a short
term gain at best
 Functional Movement Screen
• Consists of 7 tasks
• Scored 0 (lowest) through III (highest)
– Lowest score counts on bilateral tests
• Best possible score = 21
 ™
Scoring the FMS
III – Able to complete task
II – Able to complete task with compensation
I – Unable to complete the task
0 – Pain during test (or clearing exam)

Max Score = 21 points

Also looking for asymmetry

 Asymmetry
• musculo-skeletal asymmetry is a well
established risk factor for injury
Ekstrand & Gillquist, 1983; Knapik et al.,
1991; Baumhauer et al., 1995; Nadler et al.,
2000; Soderman et al., 2001; Plisky et al.,
2006; Myer et al., 2008; Yeung et al., 2009
 Functional Movement Screen
• Deep Squat
• Hurdle Step
• In-line Lunge
• Shoulder Mobility
• Active Straight Leg Raise
• Trunk Stability Push Up
• Rotary Stability
 DEEP SQUAT
Requires:
closed kinetic chain dorsiflexion of the
ankles
flexion of the knees and hips
extension of the thoracic spine
flexion and abduction of the shoulders
 DEEP SQUAT
Requires:
mobility :
ankle, knee, hip, thoracic spine, and
shoulders

stability :
core in symmetrical stance
 DEEP SQUAT
Upper torso is parallel
with tibia or toward
vertical
Femur below horizontal
Knees are aligned over
feet
Dowel aligned over feet

FunctionalMovement.com
 HURDLE STEP
Requires:
stance-leg
stability of the ankle, knee, and hip
closed-kinetic chain extension of the hip

step-leg
open-kinetic chain dorsiflexion of the ankle
flexion of the knee and hip

adequate balance-dynamic stability

 HURDLE STEP
Requires:
mobility :
step leg ankle, knee and hip
stability :
stance leg ankle, knee, and hip with
closed chain hip extension
core stabilization to maintain adequate
balance in single leg stance
 HURDLE STEP
Hips, knees and ankles
remain aligned in the
sagittal plane
Minimal to no
movement is noted in
lumbar spine
Dowel and hurdle
remain parallel

FunctionalMovement.com
 IN-LINE LUNGE
Requires:
stance leg
stability of the ankle, knee, and hip
apparent closed kinetic-chain hip abduction
step-leg
mobility of hip abduction
ankle dorsiflexion, and rectus femoris
flexibility
adequate balance due to the lateral stress
imposed
 IN-LINE LUNGE
Requires:
mobility :
stance leg ankle, knee, and hip
kneeling leg thigh flexibility
stability :
bilateral ankle, knee, hip
core stabilization to maintain balance in
asymmetrical stance
 IN-LINE LUNGE
Dowel contacts remain
with lumbar spine
extension
No torso movement is
noted
Dowel and feet remain
in sagittal plane
Knee touches board
behind heel of front
foot

FunctionalMovement.com
SHOULDER MOBILITY
Requires:
shoulder mobility in a combination of
motions including
abduction/external rotation,
flexion/extension, and
adduction/internal rotation
scapular and thoracic spine mobility.
SHOULDER MOBILITY
Fists are within one
hand length
(Assume one hand
length is 8 inches)

FunctionalMovement.com
 ACTIVE SLR
Requires:
functional hamstring flexibility, which is the
flexibility that is available during training
and competition
(this is different from passive flexibility,
which is more commonly assessed)
adequate hip mobility of the opposite leg
lower abdominal stability
 ACTIVE SLR
Requires:
Mobility :
functional hamstring flexibility, which is
the flexibility that is available during
training and competition
(this is different from passive flexibility,
which is more commonly assessed)
adequate asymmetrical hip mobility
Stability : lower abdominals
 ACTIVE SLR
• Ankle/Dowel resides
between mid-thigh
and ASIS

FunctionalMovement.com
 TRUNK STABILITY
PUSH UP
requires:
symmetric trunk stability in the sagittal plane during a
symmetric upper extremity movement
(Many functional activities in sport require the trunk
stabilizers to transfer force symmetrically from the upper
extremities to the lower extremities and vice versa)
If :
the trunk does not have adequate stability during these
activities, kinetic energy will be dispersed and lead to
poor functional performance, as well as increased
potential for micro traumatic injury
 TRUNK STABILITY
PUSH UP
Males perform one
repetition with thumbs
aligned with the top of
the forehead

Females perform one

repetition with thumbs
aligned with chin
 ROTARY STABILITY
Requires:
asymmetric trunk stability in both sagittal
and transverse planes during asymmetric
upper and lower extremity movement
 ROTARY STABILITY
Performs one correct
unilateral repetition
while keeping spine
parallel to surface

Knee and elbow touch

FunctionalMovement.com
 Clinical Implications
• Identifies athletes at risk of injury

• Targeted Objective Exam

– Narrows the scope

• Implement Exercise Progressions

– Specific to deficiencies found during the FMS
 Research
• J Occup Med Toxicol. Apr 2007.
– 433 firefighters
– 62% reduction in lost time with intervention
– 42% reduction in 12-month injury rate
• NFL Data
– If FMS score is < 14, and there is an asymmetry, then
the probability of suffering a time loss injury increased
from 15% (pre-test probability) to just over 50%
– Scores can be improved with a specific off
season training program.
 Research
• Intrarater and Interrater Reliability
– Minick, KI, Kiesel, KB, Burton, L, Taylor, A, Plisky, P, and Butler,
RJ. Interrater reliability of the Functional Movement Screen. J
Strength Cond Res 24(2): 479–486, 2010

– Teyhen,DS, Donofry DF, Shaffer SW, Walker MJ, Lorenson

CL,Dugan JL, Halfpap JP, Childs MD. Functional movement
screen: a reliability study in service members. US Army
Med Dep J. 2010 Jul-Sep:71
 References
• Cook, Gray Athletic Body in Balance,
2003.
• Functional Movement.com