Normative data for the functional movement screen in middle-aged adults

The functional movement screen (FMS) is an easily administered and noninvasive tool for identifying weaknesses and asymmetry during exercises and daily activity. The clinical utility of FMS is currently limited by its lack of normative reference values. This study aimed to fill this void by providing normative reference values for healthy, middle-aged adults. Furthermore, we hypothesized that FMS would be affected by other factors such as age, body mass index (BMI), exercise participation, and Balance Error Scoring System scores. Six hundred and twenty-two healthy adults were assessed based on their performance on the 7-Point FMS. A higher level of exercise participation was associated with higher FMS scores, whereas higher BMI and age were associated with lower FMS scores. There was a significant difference between individuals with high (>30) and moderate BMIs (F[621] = 33.98, p < 0.0001). The normative reference values presented can be used in clinical practice to identify abnormal scores across a broad age spectrum.