The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a screening tool from Bon Secours Sports Performance. This proven tool is used to filter out mobility, stability, and movement pattern deficiencies in a large group of people. It is used widely in college athletics as well as at the professional level.
The FMS consists of 7 screens, each of the screens is assessed and given a score of 3 to 0.
The majority of baseball and softball athletes at Tuckahoe Sports were screened this past September. Along with the FMS, we also ran a Pro Agility (5-10-5 shuttle) and a Vertical Jump test for all of the athletes.
If any parent or athlete would like to review their FMS score with Bon Secours Sports Performance, please feel free to contact Brandon Johnson directly to schedule a phone or Zoom review of the test. Contact info is noted below. Also, starting March 29, Brandon will be available at TSI on Monday and Wednesday with appointment times at 6:00 PM, 6:15 PM, 6:30 PM and 6:45 PM to review or discuss the FMS score and testing numbers.
The Functional Movement Screening Tool is also available for any student-athlete in the community. Please contact Brandon Johnson to inquire.
Each of the screens is then categorized into 1 of 3 groups: Mobility, Stability, and Movement Patterns. The top score that can be achieved is 21 and we have seen lows in the single digits. The scoring criteria looks like this:
- 3 is when the person performs the movement described, just as described
- 2 is when they do the movement well with minor deficiencies
- 1 is given if you are unable to perform the movement and
- 0 is only when pain occurs during the screen.
If pain, not soreness or tightness, is present during a screen, that participant should be referred to a doctor or physical therapist for further evaluation. Our goal is to be above a 14 for a total score and symmetrical between the right and left sides. According to research, if we are above 14 and symmetrical we have a lower chance of injury, not zero, but lower.
Along with the screens there are a number of exercises that correlate with each screen and are designed to help with mobility, stability, or movement pattern deficiencies. Those exercises are referred to as Corrective Exercises.
The goal of the Corrective Exercises is to improve the movements of each of the screens. The goal of the FMS is to diagnose the limitations of a participant, give the participant a plan to improve that movement and keep them healthy, active and participating in their events.
For example:
Athlete A comes in for a screening, they are screened and have a score of 16. But they scored a 2 on the Active Straight Leg Raise (ASLR) and 3 on the Shoulder Mobility (SM). When designing our corrective program the ASLR and SM screen are categorized into the Mobility group, which is the first group that we work on first.
The hierarchy of the screen and the determination of which screens are corrected first, it goes: Mobility, Stability and Movement Patterns.
The correctives that we may prescribe are:
- Foam rolling, to loosen tissue in the targeted area
- Lying Hamstring Stretch with a stretch band at 90 degrees 2x 10
- Leg lowering 2x 10
- A variation of a Single Leg Romanian Deadlift (SLRDL) 2x 10
The FMS is a great tool to help practitioners easily screen a large group and help with mild to moderate deficiencies/quality of movement. If we can improve our movement and move more freely our rate of injury should go down and our chance of performance should go up.
Please contact Brandon for all available appointment times.
Brandon Johnson CSCS
Bon Secours Sports Performance Coordinator
(804) 325 8814
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