Implementing the Functional Movement Screen Into Fitness Facilities

Poor functional movement capabilities can often be indicative of an increased risk for non-contact musculoskeletal injury. The Functional Movement Screen is an efficient screen that categorizes people into "at risk for injury" or "not at risk for injury" through the use of seven comprehensive movement tests. Past research has shown that the screen is a valid and reliable tool in identifying an increased risk for injury. The Functional Movement Screen is ideal for fitness settings because those who exercise more often are putting themselves at a higher risk of developing harmful movement patterns or imbalances. Therefore, highly active populations would benefit the most from regular Functional Movement Screens. Functional Movement Screen scores could be utilized by fitness professionals to produce more effective and more individualized training programs that include exercises to maintain or correct functional movement capabilities. The scores on each individual movement test could be analyzed, and any low scores or asymmetries should be noted. Corrective exercises should target the low and asymmetrical scores. The Functional Movement Screen would benefit people who are seeking personal training, because their score on the screen could allow the fitness professional to design a program that targets their individual movement needs. Training programs could implement corrective exercise into the training plan to correct or maintain functional movement while also increasing strength or endurance. Motivational theory-based strategies could provide a method for fitness professionals to foster adherence to the corrective exercises. By increasing feelings of intrinsic motivation using the constructs of the Self-Determination Theory, fitness professionals could increase clients' adherence to corrective exercise and maintain or improve upon their functional movement capabilities.