The Functional Movement Screen: A Review

THE FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT SCREEN (FMS) IS A PRE-PARTICIPATION SCREENING TOOL COMPRISING 7 INDIVIDUAL TESTS FOR WHICH BOTH INDIVIDUAL SCORES AND AN OVERALL SCORE ARE GIVEN. THE FMS DISPLAYS BOTH INTERRATER AND INTRARATER RELIABILITY BUT HAS BEEN CHALLENGED ON THE BASIS OF A LACK OF VALIDITY IN SEVERAL RESPECTS. THE FMS SEEMS TO HAVE SOME DEGREE OF PREDICTIVE ABILITY FOR IDENTIFYING ATHLETES WHO ARE AT AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY. HOWEVER, A POOR SCORE ON THE FMS DOES NOT PRECLUDE ATHLETES FROM COMPETING AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL NOR DOES IT DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN ATHLETES OF DIFFERING ABILITIES.