But are we really measuring what matters? Are you measuring your strength? Flexibility? Endurance? How about quality of movement? Probably not.
Is there really a new approved Medical Screen that is mandatory...no, not really. I was just wishfully thinking.
When I was in Physical Therapy school one of my professors really enjoyed working with the "geriatric" population. Her shtick was to make sure that her patients could get on the floor and off of the floor at least once a day. When was the last time you did that? I can hear the snickers out there right now. Do you have any idea how many patients I see every week who can't do that? We aren't talking about the geriatric population either. Can you imagine how many people are unable to do this simple feat?
Can you touch your toes? Can you do a real push up? Can you crawl? Can you climb stairs? Or a ladder? Can you squat below parallel with your heels on the ground? Can you carry a 5 gallon water jug for 25 feet? How about a suitcase on vacation? If you are female can you blow dry your hair and fasten your bra in the back? Can you hang from a bar like you did when you were a kid for at least 15 seconds? Can you turn your head over your shoulders when you drive so that you can actually see something when you merge into traffic? Can you work overhead? Can you stand on one leg with your eyes closed or even open for that matter? Can you help pull a bike out of the ditch? Could you change a flat tire by yourself?
I could go on and on. If you can do all of these things, GREAT! Make sure that you keep the ability to do so. If you can't, think about it, this is a huge wake-up call! WAKE UP PEOPLE! It isn't getting any better with time.
Movement as a study is extremely complex. I am trying to learn as much as I can about functional movement and it is a little overwhelming, to say the least. You can develop your own method of screening yourself if you wanted to but it is difficult to be objective and to record change. However, there are standardized screens out there that you can benefit from. I am most familiar with the Functional Movement Screen or FMS. I love to use this in my practice once painful conditions have been addressed. I also think it should be mandatory in all schools and gyms so that everyone would have an opportunity to measure their quality of movement.
The FMS is used to rank movement. It is not a test that you can pass. It is a screen that highlights imbalances, weakness, and asymmetries. It is comprised of 7 functional movements and 3 clearing tests including: the deep squat, hurdle step, in-line lunge, shoulder mobility, impingement clearing test, active straight leg raise, trunk stability pushup, press-up clearing test, rotary stability, and the posterior rocking clearing test. It takes approximately 15 minutes and provides you, your healthcare provider or athletic trainer some valuable information. Once you have completed this screen you are able to see quite clearly where problems exist in your basic movement patterns. Corrective exercises can now be applied so that you can improve your movement before dysfunctional patterns are ingrained. Of course, you have to actually do the exercises, about 15 minutes a day to see change for the better.
To see how the Seattle Seahawks have benefited from the FMS check out this link here and you all know what happened after they introduced this screen and the corrective exercises...the dang Super Bowl! If it is good enough for them it is definitely good enough for me too. Maybe the New Orleans Saints could add this into their training too.
Wouldn't you think that this should be part of our quest for health and longevity? I certainly do. Maybe instead of getting your cholesterol tested you should get your movement tested...just saying!
You know what I am going to say..."Everyone Deserves a Good Mechanical Assessment and Treatment Plan!" This includes a Functional Movement Screen. To schedule yours today, visit GrimmPT.com or call 504-228-0524 to schedule your screen today.
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