A movement screen can be anything that looks at the quality of range of motion, strength, stability, or proprioception. These are all components of healthy movement/motion. For instance, if we have mobility but not stability then we can't effectively move. If we have stability but can't recognize our bodys position (proprioception) then we can't replicate effective movement strategies.

Some of these screens are formal and require training to complete where as others are just looking at movement through common activities. The formal ones will have a strict grading stratagy that standardizes everything. Evaluating how someone performs a squat, snatch, agilities or other general movement

Below are broad stroke descriptions of complex ideas. There will be more indepth explanations of these in the future so stay tuned.

The most commmon is the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) which uses 7 tests and 3 joint clearing manuvers to evaluate all of the components listed above. The most revealing test is the overhead squat (pictured adjacent).

Related to the FMS is the SFMA (Selective Functional Movement Assessment) which can break down faulty components by joint and function. So if the shoulder motion is limited in the FMS then the SFMA will look at the primary joint (shoulder) and the foundational joints (thoracic spine, elbow, scapula) to see where the limit is coming from.

The Y-Balance is another test utilized to check the coordination/stability of the lower extremity. The patient will balance then reach in 3 directions forming what looks like a Y pattern.

The last movement diagnostic I use is the McKenzie Institute MDT (Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy) model. This is a series of test-retests embedded in an algorhythm that chases down what is limiting motion and how to correct it. This is primarily a spinal motion check but does extend to evaulating extremity motions.

Often people look to movement screens to identify potential injury. That is oversimplifying what can potentially cause injuries

The way I look at movements screens, they can be used for two main things. They can be used to identify faulty movement patterns that would impact training and joint durability. They can also be used to check movement efficiency to include performance and ADLs (activities of daily living).

Once we know where the energy leaks in your system are then we can design correctives to address them.

The short answer, no. There will always be some sort of asymmetry based on daily habits, type of job, and what sort of training you prefer.

We do need to fix the assymetries that are leading to injury/-itis.

What we can do though is ensure that you have full control of available ranges of motion and hopefully improve those ranges.

The goal is to move optimally with stability through all of the available mobility.