Functional Movement Screening

Assess how your body moves during everyday and athletic tasks

Functional movement screening looks at how you perform a series of common movements such as squatting, stepping, lunging, balancing and reaching.

The purpose is to identify areas where movement feels limited, uncomfortable, poorly controlled or noticeably different from side to side. The findings can then help guide exercise, rehabilitation, strength training or preparation for sport.

Functional movement screening is not designed to predict exactly who will become injured. Instead, it provides a structured way to understand your current movement ability and identify areas that may benefit from additional work.

What is functional movement screening?

Functional movement screening involves observing how the body performs selected movement tasks.

Depending on your goals, the assessment may look at:

• Squatting
• Lunging
• Stepping
• Single-leg balance
• Reaching
• Bending
• Rotating
• Shoulder movement
• Hip movement
• Ankle mobility
• Trunk control
• Differences between sides

The tests are considered alongside your symptoms, strength, previous injuries and current activity level.

The aim is not to make every movement look identical or technically perfect.

Who may benefit from functional movement screening?

Screening may be useful if you:

• Want to understand how you move
• Are starting a new training programme
• Are returning to exercise
• Have a history of repeated injuries
• Want baseline movement information
• Are preparing for sport
• Feel restricted during certain exercises
• Notice a difference between sides
• Are unsure whether mobility or strength is limiting you
• Want guidance before increasing gym training
• Are progressing from rehabilitation into more demanding exercise

You do not need to have pain or an injury to complete a movement screen.

What happens during the assessment?

The session usually begins with a discussion about your physical activity and goals.

You may be asked about:

• Current exercise
• Sport
• Previous injuries
• Previous surgery
• Pain or stiffness
• Gym training
• Running
• Work demands
• Activities you find difficult
• Movements that feel restricted
• What you would like to improve

A selection of movement tasks can then be used to build a picture of how you currently move.

Squat assessment

The squat is a useful movement because it requires coordinated movement through the:

• Ankles
• Knees
• Hips
• Trunk

The assessment may consider:

• Depth
• Balance
• Heel position
• Knee movement
• Trunk position
• Comfort
• Differences between sides

A squat does not need to look exactly the same for everyone.

Body proportions, ankle mobility, hip structure and experience can all influence technique.

The important question is whether the movement is comfortable and suitable for the activities you need to perform.

Single-leg squat

A single-leg squat places greater demand on:

• Leg strength
• Balance
• Hip control
• Knee control
• Trunk control

This may be useful for people involved in running, jumping or field and court sports.

The assessment can help identify whether one side is noticeably weaker or less controlled.

If limitations are found, exercises can be selected to address them.

Lunge assessment

Lunging requires:

• Hip movement
• Knee movement
• Ankle mobility
• Balance
• Trunk control

It is also relevant to many gym exercises and sporting movements.

The assessment may look at:

• Step length
• Balance
• Knee control
• Trunk position
• Differences between sides

A lunge can often be modified if mobility, strength or confidence is limited.

Step-up and step-down assessment

Stepping is relevant to:

• Stairs
• Running
• Hiking
• Sport
• Everyday movement

Step tests may help assess:

• Leg strength
• Balance
• Hip control
• Knee control
• Ability to lower the body under control

These movements can also provide useful information when returning after a lower-limb injury.

Single-leg balance

Single-leg balance can provide information about:

• Stability
• Foot and ankle control
• Hip control
• Confidence

For athletes, standing still on one leg is usually only the starting point.

More demanding balance may involve:

• Reaching
• Stepping
• Turning
• Hopping
• Dynamic movement

The level of challenge should match your goals.

Hip mobility

Hip movement can influence activities such as:

• Squatting
• Lunging
• Running
• Cycling
• Gym training

Screening may assess:

• Flexion
• Rotation
• Extension

However, greater mobility is not automatically better.

Some people naturally have more movement than others.

The aim is to determine whether you have enough movement for the activities you want to perform comfortably.

Ankle mobility

Ankle movement can affect:

• Squatting
• Walking
• Running
• Stairs
• Landing

Limited ankle movement may cause the body to compensate elsewhere during certain tasks.

If ankle mobility appears limited and relevant to your goals, exercises may be recommended.

For others, ankle strength or control may be more important than increasing flexibility.

Shoulder movement

For people involved in:

• Swimming
• Tennis
• Cricket
• Gym training
• Overhead sport

the screen may include shoulder movement.

This may look at:

• Overhead reach
• Rotation
• Differences between sides
• Shoulder blade movement

Findings are considered alongside strength and sporting demands.

Not every difference in shoulder mobility requires correction.

Trunk movement

The trunk needs to:

• Bend
• Extend
• Rotate
• Transfer force

depending on the activity.

Movement screening may consider how comfortably you move through these directions.

For athletes, trunk control may also be assessed during:

• Squatting
• Lunging
• Single-leg tasks
• Throwing
• Running-related movement

The aim is not to keep the spine rigid during every exercise.

Movement asymmetry

It is normal for the body to have some differences between sides.

You may naturally:

• Prefer one leg
• Throw with one arm
• Rotate more easily one way

A difference on screening does not automatically represent a problem.

It becomes more relevant when it is associated with:

• Pain
• Previous injury
• Significant weakness
• Difficulty performing an activity
• A large functional difference

The findings should be interpreted rather than simply labelled as abnormal.

Movement quality

Movement quality describes how a task is performed.

The assessment may consider:

• Balance
• Control
• Coordination
• Comfort
• Ability to complete the movement

However, there is rarely one perfect movement pattern.

A squat performed by a tall athlete may naturally look different from one performed by someone with shorter legs.

The focus should be on useful movement rather than achieving one ideal shape.

Mobility versus strength

A movement may look restricted for different reasons.

For example, a squat may feel difficult because of:

• Limited ankle mobility
• Limited hip movement
• Reduced strength
• Balance
• Lack of experience

Stretching is not always the answer.

The assessment helps determine whether the main priority should be:

• Mobility
• Strength
• Control
• Practice

This can make the exercise programme more specific.

Functional screening before gym training

A movement screen may be useful if you are starting or returning to gym exercise.

It can help identify comfortable starting positions for movements such as:

• Squats
• Lunges
• Deadlifts
• Pressing
• Overhead exercise

If a movement is difficult, the exercise can often be modified rather than avoided completely.

For example, squat depth or stance may be adjusted while strength or mobility improves.

Functional screening for athletes

Athletes may use movement screening as one part of a wider physical assessment.

Depending on the sport, additional testing may include:

• Strength
• Jumping
• Hopping
• Running
• Sprinting
• Changes of direction

Movement screening alone does not tell us everything about sporting performance.

An athlete may move well during a slow squat but still lack the strength or speed required for competition.

Functional screening for runners

Runners may be assessed using movements such as:

• Single-leg squat
• Step-down
• Calf raise
• Balance
• Hopping

These tasks may provide useful information about strength and control.

Running itself should also be considered if symptoms only occur during running.

A movement screen should not be used to assume that a particular squat or lunge pattern is automatically causing a running injury.

Functional screening for field sports

Football, rugby and hockey involve:

• Running
• Sprinting
• Cutting
• Jumping
• Contact

Screening may look at basic strength and movement control before progressing to faster tasks.

Later assessment may need to include:

• Running
• Jumping
• Landing
• Direction changes

The slower movement screen is only one part of the wider physical picture.

Functional screening for court sports

Sports such as:

• Tennis
• Padel
• Basketball
• Netball
• Badminton

require rapid lateral movement and changes of direction.

A functional screen may include:

• Single-leg control
• Lunging
• Squatting
• Balance
• Shoulder movement where relevant

Higher-level testing may then assess speed and reactive movement.

Screening after injury

Functional movement screening may be useful when returning from injury.

It can help identify whether you have regained:

• Movement
• Balance
• Basic strength
• Confidence

For example, after a knee or ankle injury, the assessment may compare:

• Squatting
• Lunging
• Stepping
• Single-leg control

More demanding return-to-sport testing may still be required later.

Screening after surgery

After surgery, movement screening may form part of later rehabilitation once healing and medical restrictions allow.

Assessment may look at:

• Joint movement
• Strength
• Balance
• Functional tasks

Exercises should continue to follow any restrictions or guidance provided by the surgical team.

Screening should not be used to rush progression before healing is adequate.

Screening before starting sport

If you are returning to sport after a long period away, screening can help establish a starting point.

It may identify:

• Reduced leg strength
• Limited balance
• Restricted mobility
• Difficulty with single-leg tasks

These findings can then guide a preparation programme before training becomes more demanding.

Screening during pre-season

Functional movement screening may also form one part of pre-season assessment.

It can provide baseline information before:

• Running volume increases
• Sprint training begins
• Matches restart
• Gym demands increase

For athletes, it is usually most useful when combined with strength and sport-specific testing rather than used alone.

Screening and injury prevention

Functional movement screening is sometimes promoted as a way to predict injuries.

In practice, injuries are influenced by many factors including:

• Training load
• Contact
• Previous injury
• Strength
• Fatigue
• Recovery
• Sporting demands

A movement screen cannot reliably tell us exactly who will become injured.

Its value is in identifying movement characteristics that may be worth addressing within a wider strength and conditioning programme.

Screening and performance

Movement screening may highlight areas that limit certain exercises.

For example:

• Limited ankle movement may affect squat depth
• Reduced hip control may affect single-leg tasks
• Shoulder restriction may affect overhead movement

Improving these areas may make certain movements easier.

However, athletic performance also depends on:

• Strength
• Power
• Speed
• Conditioning
• Sport-specific skill

Movement screening should therefore support training rather than replace performance testing.

Turning screening findings into exercise

The assessment is only useful if the findings lead to practical recommendations.

Your programme may include:

• Strength exercises
• Mobility work
• Balance
• Movement practice
• Gym exercises
• Sport-specific progression

For example, reduced single-leg control might lead to:

• Split squats
• Step-downs
• Single-leg deadlift variations
• Hopping later in the programme

The exercises should address what was actually identified.

Strength training after screening

If limited strength appears to be affecting movement, exercises may include:

• Squats
• Split squats
• Lunges
• Step-ups
• Deadlift variations
• Calf raises
• Rows
• Pressing movements

The resistance can gradually increase as strength improves.

The aim is not simply to repeat screening exercises indefinitely.

Mobility exercises after screening

If a relevant movement restriction is identified, mobility exercises may be prescribed.

These may focus on:

• Ankles
• Hips
• Shoulders
• Upper back

Mobility work should have a clear purpose.

If increased range does not improve the movement you need, repeatedly stretching the same area may not be useful.

Movement practice

Sometimes a movement feels difficult simply because it is unfamiliar.

In this case, practising the movement itself may be useful.

For example, someone new to strength training may initially find squatting awkward despite having adequate strength and mobility.

Practice can improve:

• Confidence
• Coordination
• Technique

without needing to “correct” a physical problem that is not actually present.

Screening does not need to identify a problem

A movement screen may show that you already have suitable mobility and control for your activity.

In this situation, there may be no need for corrective exercises.

Your programme may instead focus on:

• Strength
• Conditioning
• Performance

Screening should not create problems simply because the purpose of the appointment is to look for them.

Corrective exercises

The term “corrective exercise” is sometimes used for exercises selected after movement screening.

In practice, these exercises are usually simply:

• Strength exercises
• Mobility work
• Balance training
• Movement practice

The goal is to improve a useful physical quality rather than correct the body into one ideal movement pattern.

Re-screening

Selected movements may be reviewed after a period of training.

Re-screening can help assess whether:

• Mobility has changed
• Strength has improved
• A previously difficult task feels easier
• Side-to-side differences have reduced

Not every movement needs to be repeatedly tested.

The tests that matter most to your goals can be selected.

Functional movement and everyday activity

Movement screening is not only for athletes.

It may also be useful if you are having difficulty with activities such as:

• Squatting
• Using stairs
• Lifting
• Getting up from the floor
• Reaching overhead

The assessment can help identify which physical qualities may need improvement.

A rehabilitation programme can then focus directly on those tasks.

Functional movement and older adults

For older adults, functional screening may focus less on athletic movements and more on:

• Sit-to-stand
• Walking
• Stairs
• Balance
• Reaching
• Getting up from lower positions

The aim may be to support independence and confidence rather than sporting performance.

Exercises can be adapted according to mobility and balance.

Functional movement and hypermobility

People with hypermobile joints may already have considerable range of movement.

In these situations, screening may show that additional flexibility is unnecessary.

The programme may instead focus on:

• Strength
• Balance
• Joint control
• Movement confidence

The aim is to use available movement effectively rather than continually trying to increase range.

What if a movement causes pain?

Pain during screening should be taken seriously.

A painful movement may need:

• Modification
• Further assessment
• A different test

The goal of screening is not to force you through painful tasks.

If pain is significant or unexplained, a physiotherapy assessment may be more appropriate before completing the full screen.

When functional movement screening may not be the right first step

An individual assessment may be more appropriate if you have:

• A new injury
• Significant pain
• Major swelling
• Repeated joint instability
• Recent surgery
• New weakness
• Neurological symptoms
• Significant loss of movement

In these situations, identifying and managing the clinical problem should come before general movement screening.

When further medical assessment may be needed

Seek appropriate medical or clinical assessment if you experience:

• Severe or rapidly worsening pain
• Significant unexplained swelling
• Inability to put weight through a limb
• New significant weakness
• Persistent numbness
• Pain after a major injury
• Repeated unexplained loss of balance
• Unexplained loss of physical function

These symptoms should not simply be treated with mobility or strengthening exercises without appropriate assessment.

Screening based on your goals

The movement screen should reflect what you want to do.

Your goals may include:

• Starting gym training
• Returning after injury
• Improving squat or lunge movement
• Preparing for sport
• Understanding a movement restriction
• Improving single-leg control
• Establishing a baseline
• Preparing for a strength and conditioning programme
• Building confidence with exercise

The tests can then be selected around those goals.

What happens after functional movement screening?

Following the assessment, you may receive recommendations involving:

• Strength exercises
• Mobility work
• Balance exercises
• Movement practice
• Gym exercise modifications
• Further physiotherapy
• Strength and conditioning

Not everyone will require a long exercise programme.

The focus should be on the small number of findings that are most relevant to your activity.

How many appointments will I need?

Some people may only need one screening session and a programme to continue independently.

Further appointments may be useful if:

• A significant limitation is identified
• You are returning after injury
• Exercises need progression
• You want to review movement changes
• The screen forms part of a wider training programme

The number of appointments depends on your goals rather than following one standard schedule.