A Movement Screen is a set of unique movement patterns designed to identify basic movement dysfunction. The movement screen model was developed in 1996 by Physical Therapist, Gray Cook, and Athletic Trainer, Lee Burton. In 1997, Lee and Gray formed the Functional Movement Screen (FMS).
In an OTP podcast interview, Lee explains how FMS was designed to be a way to screen groups, much like blood pressure is designed to screen people. “It’s designed to tell you that a problem exists, not to tell you what the problem is,” Lee exclaims. “It’s up to you as the professional to dig a little bit deeper and identify the problem.”
In the interview, Lee continues, “The Functional Movement Screen is designed to give you an idea; to narrow down and rule out certain things. That’s the way every screen is designed to work. A screen is something that can be done to start to narrow down certain things. Look at it as a filter.”
Click the link to hear the entire interview.
With the advent of FMS, Gray Cook and Lee Burton attributed the conception that you first have to know how an athlete moves when it comes to prescribing their training. Their movement ability dictates what they can and can’t do in a training program, and it directs what needs to be fixed before they can jump into higher intensity exercises, enhance performance and reduce the rate of injury.
