FMS 7 Exercises: Understanding the Functional Movement Screen and Its Core Movements

What are the FMS 7 exercises?

The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a standardized screening tool comprising seven fundamental movement patterns designed to identify limitations and asymmetries in mobility and stability, providing a baseline for guiding corrective exercise strategies and optimizing movement quality.

Understanding the Functional Movement Screen (FMS)

Developed by physical therapists Gray Cook and Lee Burton, the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a system used to evaluate fundamental movement patterns in individuals. Its primary purpose is not to diagnose specific injuries or conditions, but rather to identify movement dysfunctions, asymmetries, and pain that could predispose an individual to injury or hinder optimal performance. By assessing how an individual moves through a series of foundational patterns, the FMS provides insights into potential "weak links" in the kinetic chain, allowing fitness professionals and clinicians to develop targeted corrective exercise programs. The FMS emphasizes the quality of movement over the quantity or strength of movement.

The Seven Core FMS Movements

The FMS consists of seven specific movements, each designed to challenge different aspects of mobility and stability. A trained and certified professional observes and scores each movement based on predefined criteria, looking for limitations, compensations, and pain.

1. Deep Squat

• Description: The individual performs a full bilateral squat, holding a dowel overhead. This movement requires the entire body to work in unison.
• What it Assesses: Bilateral, symmetrical, functional mobility of the hips, knees, and ankles, alongside bilateral, symmetrical, stable, and mobile shoulders. It reveals overall neuromuscular control and coordinated movement of the extremities and trunk.
• Implications of Poor Performance: Often indicates limitations in ankle dorsiflexion, hip mobility, thoracic spine extension, or shoulder flexion, which can lead to compensatory movements and increased stress on the lumbar spine or knees.

2. Hurdle Step

• Description: The individual steps over a hurdle (string at tibial tuberosity height) while maintaining balance on one leg, with a dowel held behind the back.
• What it Assesses: Hip mobility and stability of the stance leg, dynamic stability of the pelvis and core, and ankle mobility of the stepping leg. It highlights unilateral balance and coordination.
• Implications of Poor Performance: May indicate poor hip mobility (especially abduction/adduction), inadequate core stability to prevent pelvic drop, or insufficient balance, potentially increasing risk of lower extremity injuries.

3. In-Line Lunge

• Description: The individual performs a lunge with one foot directly in front of the other, touching the back knee to the heel of the front foot, while holding a dowel vertically along the spine.
• What it Assesses: Ankle and hip mobility and stability, knee stability, and dynamic balance. It evaluates the body's ability to maintain balance and control in a narrow base of support.
• Implications of Poor Performance: Often reveals limitations in ankle dorsiflexion, hip flexion/extension, or poor core stability, which can contribute to patellofemoral pain or lower back issues.

4. Shoulder Mobility

• Description: The individual attempts to touch their hands behind their back, one reaching over the shoulder and the other up from below, with specific measurements taken.
• What it Assesses: Bilateral shoulder range of motion (flexion, extension, internal and external rotation), scapular stability, and thoracic spine extension.
• Implications of Poor Performance: Restricted shoulder mobility can lead to compensatory movements in the neck or lumbar spine, increasing the risk of shoulder impingement, neck pain, or poor posture.

5. Active Straight-Leg Raise (ASLR)

• Description: The individual lies supine and actively lifts one leg as high as possible while keeping the other leg flat on the ground and the pelvis stable.
• What it Assesses: Active hamstring and gastrocnemius-soleus flexibility while maintaining core stability and pelvic control. It differentiates between true hamstring flexibility and neural tension.
• Implications of Poor Performance: Primarily indicates hamstring tightness or poor pelvic stability, which can contribute to lower back pain or alter gait mechanics.

6. Trunk Stability Push-up

• Description: The individual performs a push-up with hands positioned according to their height (male: thumbs at forehead; female: thumbs at chin), focusing on maintaining a rigid spine.
• What it Assesses: Trunk stability in the sagittal plane while a symmetrical upper-body pushing movement is performed. It highlights the body's ability to transfer force without compensating through the lumbar spine.
• Implications of Poor Performance: Suggests inadequate core stability or an inability to dissociate upper body movement from lumbar spine extension, potentially leading to lower back strain during activities involving pushing.

7. Rotary Stability

• Description: The individual performs a quadruped movement, simultaneously extending one arm forward and the opposite leg backward, then touching the elbow to the knee, maintaining balance.
• What it Assesses: Multi-planar core stability, dynamic balance, and coordination. It evaluates the body's ability to control rotation and maintain stability during reciprocal limb movements.
• Implications of Poor Performance: Indicates poor core stability, particularly in controlling rotational forces, which can increase the risk of lower back injuries or compromise athletic performance requiring rotational power.

FMS Scoring System

Each of the seven movements is scored on a scale of 0 to 3:

• 3: The individual performs the movement pattern perfectly, meeting all criteria.
• 2: The individual performs the movement with slight compensation or a visible limitation, but without pain.
• 1: The individual is unable to perform the movement pattern or cannot meet the minimum criteria.
• 0: The individual experiences pain during any part of the movement pattern, regardless of quality. A score of 0 immediately flags the movement for further clinical assessment by a qualified healthcare professional.

Why is the FMS Important for Fitness and Health?

The FMS serves as a valuable tool for:

• Injury Prevention: By identifying movement limitations and asymmetries, the FMS can help predict potential areas of vulnerability, allowing for proactive intervention before an injury occurs.
• Guiding Exercise Programming: The scores from the FMS directly inform the development of corrective exercise strategies. Rather than blindly prescribing exercises, professionals can target specific dysfunctions, prioritizing mobility or stability as needed.
• Establishing a Baseline: The FMS provides an objective baseline of movement quality, allowing for tracking progress over time as corrective exercises are implemented.
• Optimizing Performance: Addressing fundamental movement deficiencies can improve overall movement efficiency, reduce energy expenditure, and enhance athletic performance in various activities.
• Promoting Safe Training: By ensuring an individual has the foundational movement capacity for certain exercises, the FMS helps prevent the exacerbation of existing issues or the creation of new ones during training.

Limitations and Considerations

While highly valuable, it's crucial to understand the FMS's limitations:

• Screen, Not a Diagnostic Tool: The FMS is designed to screen for movement patterns, not to diagnose specific injuries or medical conditions. A score of "0" or persistent pain necessitates referral to a healthcare professional for a thorough diagnosis.
• Requires Certified Administration: The accuracy and utility of the FMS depend on proper administration and scoring by a certified professional who understands the nuances of each movement pattern.
• Does Not Replace Comprehensive Assessment: The FMS is one piece of the puzzle. It should be used in conjunction with a comprehensive health history, lifestyle assessment, and specific physical evaluations (e.g., strength, endurance, power testing) to gain a complete picture of an individual's physical capabilities and needs.
• Focuses on Fundamental Patterns: The FMS assesses general movement competency, not sport-specific skills. An athlete might score well on the FMS but still have specific movement issues related to their sport.

Conclusion

The FMS 7 exercises provide a systematic, evidence-based approach to evaluating fundamental human movement. By identifying functional limitations and asymmetries, this screen empowers fitness professionals and healthcare providers to develop precise, individualized exercise programs. Understanding and addressing these foundational movement patterns is paramount for enhancing physical resilience, preventing injuries, and ultimately optimizing an individual's capacity for pain-free, high-quality movement throughout their life.