In the world of fitness and rehabilitation, movement is the foundation of all physical activity. Whether you're an athlete striving for peak performance or someone seeking to improve daily functionality, how you move can either enhance or hinder your goals. A Functional Movement Assessment (FMA) is a powerful tool that helps pinpoint potential injury risks, identify current issues, and pave the way for effective corrective strategies. As a Corrective Exercise Specialist, I’m here to explain how this process works and how it can benefit you.
What is a Functional Movement Assessment?
An FMA evaluates your body's movement patterns to identify imbalances, limitations, or dysfunctional movements that might lead to pain or injury. Unlike isolated strength or flexibility tests, an FMA focuses on how your body works as a whole, observing how different joints and muscles coordinate during various tasks.
Key aspects of an FMA include:
Evaluating posture and alignment.
Analysing range of motion and joint mobility.
Identifying muscle imbalances or weaknesses.
Observing compensatory movement patterns.
Popular systems, like the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) or Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), provide structured approaches to assessing movement. They offer a scoring system to categorise dysfunction and prioritise areas needing improvement.
How an FMA Helps Pinpoint Potential Injuries
1. Spotting Asymmetries and Weaknesses
Many injuries stem from muscle imbalances or asymmetrical movement patterns. For example, a dominant side might overcompensate during a workout, placing undue stress on certain joints or muscles. Foot,ankle and hip imbalances may lead to knee and lower back pain.
An FMA identifies these red flags before they turn into injuries.
2. Highlighting Restricted Mobility
Tight hips, limited shoulder range of motion, or restricted ankle mobility can cause a chain reaction of improper movements. These restrictions often lead to overuse injuries in other areas as your body compensates.
3. Uncovering Poor Movement Mechanics
Faulty mechanics, like collapsing knees during squats or a rounded back during deadlifts, can increase the risk of injury. An FMA brings these issues to light, even if pain isn’t present yet.
4. Identifying Existing Dysfunction
If you're already experiencing pain, an FMA can help pinpoint the underlying cause, rather than simply addressing the symptoms.
The area of pain isn't always where the problem is!
Knee pain often originates from issues in the hips or feet. Stiff hips limit mobility, altering gait and placing extra stress on the knees. Similarly, restricted motion in the foot or ankle disrupts alignment and shock absorption, forcing the knee to compensate. Addressing these areas can alleviate knee discomfort.
Assessment Check Points:
The Role of a Corrective Exercise Specialist
As a Corrective Exercise Specialist, I work to bridge the gap between fitness and rehabilitation. Here's how I can help:
1. Designing Individualised Programmes
Every FMA reveals unique findings. I use this information to create a tailored corrective exercise program that addresses your specific needs. For instance:
If tight hamstrings are limiting your mobility, I might incorporate, mobility exercise, dynamic stretches along with strengthening your hip flexors.
If your knees collapse inward during squats, we may focus on stretching your TFL muscle, correcting your foot position, and strengthening your glute medius muscle.
2. Enhancing Movement Efficiency
By addressing imbalances and optimising movement patterns, I can help improve your overall efficiency. This not only reduces injury risk but also enhances performance in sports, workouts, and daily activities.
3. Preventing Future Injuries
Corrective exercises target weak links and dysfunctional patterns that may lead to future injuries. Strengthening stabilising muscles, improving joint mobility, and reinforcing proper mechanics create a solid foundation for all movement.
4. Collaborating with Other Professionals
If your FMA uncovers an issue that requires more specialised care, I collaborate with physio therapists, chiropractors, or other healthcare professionals to ensure a comprehensive approach.
Common Corrective Strategies
Corrective exercise programmes often include:
Mobility Work: Foam rolling, dynamic stretching, and joint mobilisations.
Stability Drills: Exercises that improve balance and control, such as single-leg deadlifts or core stabilisation drills.
Strengthening Exercises: Targeted strength work for weak or under-active muscles, like glute bridges or banded rows.
Movement Re-Education: Practising proper form for specific movements, like squats, lunges, or overhead presses.
Why It Matters
Investing in a Functional Movement Assessment and corrective exercise programme can:
Prevent painful and costly injuries.
Improve your ability to move freely and confidently.
Enhance athletic performance and daily functionality.
Address existing pain by tackling its root cause.
Final Thoughts
Your body is designed to move efficiently, but modern life and repetitive stress can lead to dysfunctional patterns. A Functional Movement Assessment is your road-map to understanding how your body works and where it might be vulnerable. As a Corrective Exercise Specialist, I’m here to guide you on the journey toward better movement, less pain, and a stronger, more resilient body.
If you're ready to uncover your movement potential, let’s start with an assessment and create a plan tailored just for you. Together, we can transform the way you move—and feel—for life.
Contact me at boris.stone@btinternet.com or call reception to book a consultation or treatment on 01305 831726
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