How well do you move? Many people have subtle movement issues they don’t notice. A stiff hip or weak core could set you up for injury. It might limit your sports performance too.

The functional movement screen (FMS) is a movement assessment tool that reveals these hidden problems. It’s a screening tool that checks basic movement patterns. The goal is to spot dysfunction or imbalances in your body.

Doctors made FMS in the 1990s for athletes. Now physical therapy experts and coaches use it for everyone. FMS checks your movement health and guides a plan to boost mobility and stability.

What is the Functional Movement Screen?

The functional movement screen is a structured movement assessment that ranks and grades key movement patterns. It includes seven basic tests, and each one demands both mobility and stability. In this type of movement assessment, you are observed performing controlled motions that reflect how the body works in real life, especially in Sports.

A trained professional watches you complete each movement assessment and looks for compensation, pain, or limitation. Each movement is scored from 0 to 3. The seven scores are then added for a total score out of 21 points. This scoring system is designed to track patterns needed for normal function and to identify problems like limited movement, asymmetries, or dysfunction. The creators point to reliability, including interrater reliability and intrarater reliability, as well as validity when using this tool across different settings, including Sports.

FMS puts you through seven movements, not seven isolated joint tests. It does not focus on single joint flexibility or single muscle strength. Instead, it looks at how your body handles full-body patterns under load and control. It tests balance, core stability, and coordination all at once as part of a broad movement assessment.

The creators explain that this approach is meant to capture fundamental movement, motor control, and early signs of dysfunction without trying to diagnose a specific injury. What it does is rate overall movement quality and highlight pain or compensation. Low scores may point to poor mechanics and ongoing dysfunction during daily tasks. Over time those habits can wear down the body, lower efficiency, and raise injury risk, which also makes the reliability of the scoring system important when tracking progress.

The Seven Movement Patterns of the FMS

The FMS has seven distinct tests. Together, they show your mobility, stability, balance, and coordination.

Deep Squat

You do a full overhead squat with a dowel above your head. The deep squat tests total body mobility. Your ankles, knees, and hips need good flexibility. It also tests core stability and balance in a basic movement. Problems might mean limited ankle or hip mobility or poor core strength.

Hurdle Step

You stand tall with a dowel at your shoulders. Then you step over a string set at knee height. The hurdle step checks your single-leg balance. It tests hip stability as you shift weight. This shows any differences between left and right. It reveals if you can keep core and hip stability while stepping.

In-Line Lunge

You put one foot right in front of the other. Then you lunge while holding a dowel along your spine. This test challenges hip and ankle mobility. It also tests core and trunk stability as you keep the dowel aligned. A rough lunge might mean tight hip flexors or poor balance.

Shoulder Mobility

One arm goes over the shoulder. One goes behind the lower back. You try to touch your hands. The shoulder mobility test measures the range of motion in your shoulders.

Active Straight Leg Raise

You lie flat on your back. You lift one straight leg as high as you can. The active straight leg raise checks hamstring and calf flexibility. It also tests hip mobility and core stability to keep the other leg down.

Trunk Stability Push Up

You do a push up in very strict form. This test measures core strength more than upper body strength. The trunk stability push up checks if your core can hold your spine stable during an upper body push.

Rotary Stability

You start on hands and knees. You lift one arm and the opposite knee at the same time. Then you touch your elbow to your knee while keeping balance. This move checks your total core stability. It tests rotary stability coordination between upper and lower body across the torso.

Each test scores 0 to 3. Low scores show movement deficits that affect your movement competency. After the screen, your total FMS score creates a quick movement profile. The person giving the screen will prescribe corrective exercises based on results. The FMS acts as a screening system that guides targeted exercise prescription. This improves your movement efficiency and cuts injury risk.

Who Can Benefit from a Functional Movement Screen?

The functional movement screen works for almost everyone. By checking basic movement patterns, FMS helps athletes, rehabilitation patients, and fitness fans.

Athletes and Sports Performance

Pro and amateur athletes use FMS to find weak spots that could hurt performance in sports. The movement assessment shows imbalances or limited mobility that might not show up during regular training. For example, a runner might score low on rotary stability. This reveals a core weakness. Fixing it can improve running form and sports performance.

Coaches use FMS results to shape training programs. Studies show athletes with higher FMS scores often have better performance in their sports. Movement competency matters for athletic success and performance enhancement.

Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation

Physical therapy clinics use FMS to guide treatment plans and assess movement competency. If you’re recovering from injury, FMS shows which movements stay limited and how your biomechanics respond. This helps your therapist know where to focus rehab. The screen is gentle, has intrarater reliability, and sets clear targets.

General Fitness and Injury Prevention

Regular people who work out benefit too. An FMS reveals movement issues before they cause problems. The movement assessment gives you specific areas to work on. This makes your workout time more useful for injury prevention.

Understanding FMS Scores and What They Mean

Your total FMS score ranges from 0 to 21. Research suggests a score of 14 or below might mean higher injury risk. The reliability of FMS is actually quite good. Multiple studies show strong interrater reliability. This means different people scoring the same person get similar results. One study trained raters through online courses. They still achieved good reliability, scoring on seven tests.

Research also shows strong intrarater reliability. The same person scores the same way each time. One study found excellent interrater reliability across all seven tests. Another showed strong interrater reliability when testing someone multiple times. Additional research confirmed good interrater reliability even with novice raters. Studies consistently report high interrater reliability for the total score. The interrater reliability for individual tests is also strong. Research demonstrates that interrater reliability holds up across different settings. The intrarater reliability means you can track progress over time. One more study validated the interrater reliability of the scoring system.

The validity of FMS as an injury predictor is more complex. Some research finds that people with low FMS scores get hurt more often. Other studies find no clear link. A recent review found that FMS injury prediction was inconsistent. The validity as a risk assessment tool varies by sport and population. The validity across different sports settings shows mixed results. More research is needed to examine the validity of FMS for screening. Studies question the validity of using FMS alone. The validity improves when combined with other tools. Current evidence suggests limited validity for injury prediction. Research continues to explore the validity in athletic populations.

Pain during an FMS test is a strong sign. FMS includes clearing checks to catch painful responses. The FMS is very useful for checking movement quality and finding dysfunction. It is highly reliable as a screening tool. However, its validity as an injury predictor is limited. Think of FMS like a blood pressure check for movement. Experts say to use FMS with other checks for complete info. This approach gives much better predictability than one screen alone. FMS remains a great starting point. It measures movement competency in a simple way. Just remember it’s one movement tool in the toolbox.

Takeaway: Moving Better for the Long Run

The functional movement screen provides a report card for your body’s basic movements. Scoring how well you squat, lunge, reach, stabilize, and balance highlights areas that need work. An FMS gives rich info about your core control, balance, and coordination.

With that info, you can make a targeted plan through exercise prescription. Maybe you need to work on motor control and build better movement competency. Or you might focus on improving your core to support your spine. The goal is to boost movement health. This lets you do activities you love with better biomechanics and less injury risk.

Approach FMS as a starting point. Even very fit people find weak spots. Many pro sports athletes have an FMS pattern that isn’t perfect. FMS simply shows your personal compensation or limits so you can fix them. Improving basic movement patterns pays off in many ways. You get better sports performance and smoother workouts. You gain better posture and core control.

While FMS isn’t perfect for predictability, it’s a smart step for risk assessment. By fixing dysfunction in how you move, you reduce strain on joints and muscles. When your body moves in alignment, everything runs better with less wear. The movement assessment reminds us to check the basics. It asks: Can your body do basic movements correctly? This check helps everyone from weekend athletes to elite sports performers.

Ready to discover your movement weak spots? Schedule a functional movement screen with a qualified physical therapy professional like us today. Take control of your movement health and build a stronger body that performs at its best.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a functional movement screen take?

A complete assessment takes about 10 to 15 minutes. This includes all seven movement patterns and scoring.

Can I do the functional movement screen at home?

While you can try the movements yourself, proper scoring needs a trained professional. A physical therapist or certified trainer can spot subtle compensation and score accurately.

How often should I repeat the FMS?

Most experts recommend retesting every three to six months. This lets you track progress after doing your exercise prescription and movement strategies.

What happens if I score low on the FMS?

A low score isn’t a failure. Your movement health professional will create targeted rehabilitation plans to address your specific issues. Many people see big improvements in just a few weeks of focused work.