The accuracy of the functional movement screen to identify individuals with an elevated risk of musculoskeletal injury

Abstract

Clinical scenario: Injuries are somewhat commonplace in highly active populations. One strategy for reducing injuries is to identify individuals with an elevated injury risk before participation so that remediative interventions can be provided. Preparticipation screenings have traditionally entailed strength and flexibility measures thought to be indicative of inflated injury risk. Some researchers, however, have suggested that functional movements/tasks should be assessed to help identify individuals with a high risk of future injury. One assessment tool used for this purpose is the Functional Movement Screen (FMS). The FMS generates a numeric score based on performance attributes during 7 dynamic tasks; this score is purported to reflect future injury risk. Expanding interest in the FMS has led researchers to investigate how accurately it can identify individuals with an increased risk of injury.

Focused clinical question: Can the Functional Movement Screen accurately identify highly active individuals with an elevated risk of injury?