Functional Movement Screens (FMS)

We are going to talk about what Functional Movement is and how the FMS can make a big impact in your training and recovery routines on this page. The FMS was put together by Grey Cook PT to help establish a standard way to evaluate key movemetns to see how an individual is moving in their every day life. These movements include both stability and mobility requirements and helps your chiropractor at Rising Sun to help make more specific recommendations to your home exercise programs.

How do you improve on a body that is already performing well?

The FMS is a grading system for movement patterns. This system simplifies choices when it comes to your exercises, it helps to show us movement problems and will help identify specific exercises that are needed. No one size fits all approach. Your life and body is unique and your exercises should help you recover and keep you at your best.

Can you prevent injury using the FMS?

The FMS is our tool to see how you, no matter age, can move in everyday life. This system will give your chiropractor the information to make decisions on exercise and movement with precision and purpose. Preventing injury is always on our minds, you cannot predict an accident but you can get a good understanding of how your body responds to your daily activity. Those movements and may be setting you up for injury, and you can reduce that risk.

How does the FMS help with programming decisions?

It tells us where you move well, areas to improve and what you can add too, it will also help identify what needs help and support to be corrected. The FMS takes out the home exercise guesswork! At the end of an FMS, you will have valuable information and a program specific to you to meet goals and keep you healthy.

What does a Functional Movement Screen Look Like?

Deep Squat

Evaluating key points in your ability to squat tells us a lot about your stability and mobility from the ground up. We can get a sense of your capacity to move in a very foundational pattern. All aspects of your life require you to squat in order to carry out your day. Getting off a chair, the toilet, off the floor or lifting from the floor require the foundations of a squat. Our chiropractors see the ability to squat as your insurance policy as you age, if you want to stay independent keep your ability to squat.

Hurdle Step

This movement teaches us about your ability to balance and compensate through movement that is challenging. It requires us to have stability between the hips, core and pelvis throughout the movement. Having your arms in an isolated position will help to expose how you may compensate to move through your hips, knees and ankles.

You may have problems with this motion if you have poor stability with your standing leg or poor mobility of the step leg. This does not test one single joint or part of your body but requires you to use just about everything.