Certain Actions from the Functional Movement Screen Do Not Provide an Indication of Dynamic Stability

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Biomechanics
• Kinesiology

Background:

• Dynamic stability is crucial for team sport athletes' performance and injury prevention.
• Functional Movement Screen (FMS) exercises are commonly used but their efficacy in assessing dynamic stability is debated.
• The modified Star Excursion Balance Test (mSEBT) is an established measure of dynamic stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between specific FMS exercises and the mSEBT in team sport athletes.
• To determine if FMS exercises can effectively identify athletes with varying levels of dynamic stability.

Main Methods:

• Forty-one team sport athletes completed selected FMS exercises and the mSEBT.
• Participants were categorized into high, intermediate, and low dynamic stability groups based on mSEBT performance.
• One-way ANOVA and correlation analyses were used to compare FMS performance with mSEBT results.

Main Results:

• No significant between-group differences were found for any of the FMS exercises.
• Only two weak positive correlations were observed between specific FMS exercises (TSPU, left-leg ILL) and mSEBT measures.
• The mSEBT effectively differentiated between athletes with different dynamic stability capabilities.

Conclusions:

• The selected FMS exercises have a limited capacity to identify dynamic stability in team sport athletes.
• The mSEBT is a more reliable tool for assessing dynamic stability in this population.
• Athletes and coaches should consider using the mSEBT for a more accurate evaluation of dynamic stability.