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Is There a Relationship Between the Functional Movement Screen, Star Excursion Balance Test, and Balance Error
Nicole D Harshbarger1, Barton E Anderson, Kenneth C Lam
1Athletic Training Programs, Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, A.T. Still University, Mesa, Arizona.
Objective:
To evaluate associations between the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT), and Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) scores.
Design:
Correlational.
Setting:
College athletic training facilities.
Participants:
Fifty-two intercollegiate athletes (men = 36 and women = 16) representing 8 sports and cleared for unrestricted sport participation.
Interventions:
Participants completed the FMS, SEBT, and BESS, in random order, during 1 testing session. Testing order was randomized to control for fatigue and learning effects.
Main Outcome Measures:
Composite and item scores for the FMS, SEBT, and BESS.
Results:
A fair, negative correlation was found between FMS asymmetry and SEBT composite (r = -0.31, P = 0.03) scores. Fair, positive correlations were reported for FMS rotary stability task and SEBT anterior (r = 0.37-0.41, P ≤ 0.007) and posteromedial (r = 0.31, P = 0.03) reaches. Fair, negative correlations were reported for FMS deep squat and BESS single-leg firm (r = -0.33, P = 0.02), double-leg foam (r = -0.34, P = 0.02) and tandem foam (r = -0.40, P = 0.003), FMS inline lunge and BESS single-leg firm (r = -0.39, P = 0.004), FMS trunk stability pushup and tandem foam (r = -0.31, P = 0.025), and FMS composite and BESS single-leg firm (r = -0.37, P = 0.007). Little-to-no correlations were reported for remaining comparisons.
Conclusions:
Results indicate that each instrument provides distinct information about function, with only small areas of overlap. Associations between the FMS asymmetry score and SEBT composite score may indicate a relationship between movement asymmetry and postural stability. Associations between the FMS deep squat and BESS foam tasks may be related to underlying neuromuscular control factors.
