Is Your Body a Functional Movement System?

Fitness professionals such as personal trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, and athletic trainers spend most of their time figuring out “solid” exercise programs that help their athletes or clients achieve their physical and mental goals. However, the risk of injury exists with any type of physical activity and must be considered by fitness professionals throughout the entire program. There are numerous of methods that can be implemented to reduce the chance of injury, such as myofascial release, dynamic warm up, and proper technique cue utilization. Yet, it is commonly ignored to examine or ‘look’ at the body and its readiness for physical activity prior to the beginning of the exercise program.

The functional movement system (FMS) is a great tool to identify dysfunctional movement patterns that can increase the athlete’s vulnerability to injury before he engages in physical activity and strength programs. According to www.functionalmovement.com/fms , “the FMS is a ranking and grading system that documents movement patterns that are key to normal function. By screening these patterns, the FMS readily identifies functional limitations and asymmetries”. The FMS has been around since 1995, but is still unknown by many fitness professionals. Grey Cook and Lee Burton, two of the most influential clinicians in the fitness world, are the co-founders of this great tool.

FMS consists of seven-point movement screen test that the clinician uses to assess the body’s flexibility, strength, and proprioception.  The results from the test can be used to create an exercise program that corrects the athlete’s muscle imbalances and dysfunctions; thus setting up the athlete with the opportunity to produce efficient movements, reduce the risk of injury, and increase muscular performance.