PNS Academy

Functional Movement Screening

This program is a product of years of innovation and current research. The philosophy starts with a system that monitors fundamental movement. From the information gathered the user can develop corrective exercise programs based on individual movement patterns. It is equally effective in fitness and sports conditioning because it targets the “weak link in movement.”

“Working on any other part of the chain will not change the strength of the chain.”

Specifically, the Functional Movement Screen is a ranking and grading system created to document movement patterns that are key to normal function. By screening these patterns, functional limitations and asymmetries are readily identified. Basic movement pattern limitations can reduce the effects of functional training, physical conditioning, and distort proprioception (body awareness). At the heart of the system is the Functional Movement Screen Score, which helps to target the problem and track progress. The scoring system is directly linked to the most beneficial corrective exercises to restore mechanically sound movement patterns.

Benefits of Utilizing the Functional Movement Screen and Exercise Philosophy

• Creates a continuous focus on the fundamentals of movement
• Creates a functional baseline to mark progress
• Reliable and reproducible screen with specific markers for movement problems
• Improves functional fitness and athletic performance
• Helps to reduce the potential for training and sports injuries
• Provides a simple grading system to assess movement patterns
• Can be easily utilized in both the athletic and active fitness populations
• Identifies physical imbalances, limitations, and weaknesses
• Improves fundamental movement patterns with simple corrective exercises
• Helps to individualize training and conditioning programs for specific results
• Works to identify potential cause and effect relationships of micro-trauma as well as chronic injuries in relation to movement asymmetries and weakness

We now use this program with every player as a pretest and evaluation tool before we even begin to train them. This individualizes our training as we can now focus more on improving weaknesses, imbalances and asymmetries in an effort to improve functional movement patterns. It's the foundation of our program. Everything we do builds off of it. We wouldn’t think of not using this program.”

Jon Torine, Head Strength Coach, Indianapolis Colts