Physical fitness in older adults: Is there a relationship with the modified Functional Movement Screen™?

The modified Functional Movement Screen™ (mFMS) has been used to screen for mobility, stability, motor control, and balance in older adults, yet, its relationship to measures of physical fitness is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between mFMS scores and measures of physical fitness in older adults. A secondary aim was to determine physical fitness differences depending on mFMS Lower Body Motor Control Screen scores.

One hundred and eight older adults completed this cross-sectional study. Measurements of physical fitness included: Handgrip Strength (HG), Back-Leg Strength Dynamometer (BLS), 8 foot Up and Go (8UG), Vertical Jump (VJ), Medicine Ball Throw (MBT), Chair Stand (CST), Arm Curl (AC), and 6-Minute Walk test (6 MW). The mFMS consisted of four screens: Shoulder Mobility Screen (SMS), Deep Squat (DS), Active Straight Leg Raise (ASLR), and a Lower Body Motor Control Screen (LB-MCS). Spearman's R correlations determined associations between physical fitness tests and mFMS scores (DS, SMS, ASLR). Independent t-tests or Mann Whitney U tests determined whether individuals who passed the LB-MCS displayed higher physical fitness scores.

The DS was significantly correlated with all fitness measures (p < 0.05). Higher DS scores were associated with better HG (r = 0.31), BLS (r = 0.49), VJ height (r = 0.54), MBT (r = 0.41), CST (r = 0.57), AC (r = 0.30), 6 MW (r = 0.50), and 8UG (r = -0.61) performance. Individuals who passed the LB-MCS displayed superior BLS, 8UG test, and 6 MW test performance (p < 0.05).

Higher DS scores are associated with higher physical fitness scores. Individuals who passed the LB-MCS displayed better physical fitness scores. Practitioners may desire to use the mFMS to measure physical fitness in older adults.