Functional Movement Screen (FMS) — Overview
Sources and review status
Review pending — this text hasn’t been signed off by a reviewer yet.
See this lesson’s sources0% read · 2 min left
A seven-task movement-quality screen scored 0–3 per task (max 21) that flags mobility/stability limitations and asymmetries to guide corrective work — a qualitative screen, not a fitness test.
Detail
The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) rates fundamental movement quality across seven tasks, each scored 0–3 (3 = clean, 2 = completes with compensation, 1 = cannot complete, 0 = pain during the movement). Maximum composite = 21.
The seven tasks:
- Deep squat
- Hurdle step
- In-line lunge
- Shoulder mobility (with an impingement clearing test)
- Active straight-leg raise
- Trunk-stability push-up (with a press-up clearing test)
- Rotary stability (with a posterior rock-back clearing test)
Use: identify limitations and left/right asymmetries to target with corrective exercise, and screen before loading. A pain (0) on any task should be referred for evaluation. Asymmetries (different scores left vs. right) are emphasized regardless of total.
Evidence caveat: the once-popular composite ≤ 14 = elevated injury risk cut-point has weak/inconsistent predictive validity in research and should not be used as a standalone injury predictor. The FMS is best treated as a movement-quality screen informing programming, not a diagnostic or strong injury-prediction tool. (predictive-validity claims are contested)
Key facts
- 7 tasks, each scored 0–3 (0 = pain); composite max 21; 3 clearing tests included.
- Tasks: deep squat, hurdle step, in-line lunge, shoulder mobility, active SLR, trunk-stability push-up, rotary stability.
- Emphasizes asymmetries and pain (refer on any 0).
- The ≤14 injury cut-point is not reliably predictive — use FMS to guide corrective work, not to predict injury.
Connections
- Y-Balance Test — companion movement/balance screen.
- Building a Baseline Assessment Battery — where a movement screen fits in a battery.
- Muscle Balance (Agonist/Antagonist) as Injury Prevention — corrective rationale.
- Benefits and Outcomes of Flexibility Exercise — mobility tasks within FMS.
Sources
Exercise guides
Keep this lesson, or ask how it applies to you.
Educational content only — not medical advice. Always consult a qualified professional for individualized guidance, especially around injury, pregnancy, or medical conditions.