Functional Movement Therapy (FMT) is an effective therapeutic approach designed to enhance physical well-being by improving movement efficiency, stability, and strength. Through targeted exercises and personalized treatment plans, this therapy addresses mobility deficits, corrects faulty movement patterns, and restores functionality. Whether recovering from an injury, managing chronic pain, or improving your athletic performance, FMT offers a comprehensive approach to regaining optimal movement and overall physical wellness.
What is Functional Movement Therapy?
Functional Movement Therapy is a total body approach that focuses on correcting dysfunctional movement patterns and improving physical performance. It blends principles from physical therapy, exercise science, and movement analysis to help individuals regain proper mobility and strength. This therapy promotes efficient and safe movement in daily life by emphasizing functional movements, such as squatting, lifting, and bending. It is designed to be customized, with one-on-one physical therapy sessions ensuring that each treatment addresses the root cause of the individual’s dysfunction.
Key Features of Functional Movement Therapy
Functional Movement Therapy incorporates a variety of techniques to restore movement quality. This includes balance, strength, and flexibility tests to evaluate an individual’s physical limitations and establish a baseline for treatment. Focusing on real-world movement sequences, such as those used during sports or daily tasks, provides a goal-oriented strategy that enhances mobility and strength. The FMT 360 method also integrates advanced therapy techniques with a personalized approach to addressing each patient’s unique needs.
The Science Behind Functional Movement Therapy
Functional Movement Therapy is grounded in physical therapy principles and movement training. The therapy draws from the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), which evaluates how individuals move and identifies any deficiencies or asymmetries in their movement patterns. The FMS consists of seven key movement patterns, each requiring mobility and stability to perform correctly. These movements are graded on a scale from 0 to 3 points, which adds up to a total score ranging from 0 to 21. This scoring system helps physical therapists evaluate overall movement quality, identify weaknesses, and create a targeted treatment plan to improve mobility and reduce the risk of future injuries. FMT targets these root causes to help alleviate discomfort and enhance overall movement performance and stability.
Why Is Functional Movement Important?
Functional movement is essential daily and contributes directly to overall physical wellness. Physical therapy can improve mobility by addressing movement deficiencies, restoring function, and enhancing your body’s ability to perform everyday tasks easily. By incorporating targeted exercises and therapeutic techniques, physical therapy helps you regain the strength and flexibility necessary to perform functional movements efficiently.
Functional Movements in Everyday Life
We engage in functional movements daily, often without realizing how essential they are for our well-being. Squatting to sit, reaching for an item on a shelf, or lifting a heavy box are just a few movements that require proper alignment, strength, and coordination. Functional movement disorder physical therapy aims to restore the body’s ability to perform these tasks without pain, promoting better flexibility and overall mobility.
How Poor Movement Patterns Affect Your Body
When the body repeatedly performs functional movements with improper form, it can result in decreased physical functionality over time. Muscle imbalances, joint stiffness, and chronic back pain are common outcomes of inefficient movement. This is why physical therapy for functional movement disorder is crucial: it helps correct faulty movement patterns and retrains the body to move correctly, reducing the risk of injury and improving overall stability.
Understanding the Functional Movement Screen (FMS)
The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is an assessment tool used to evaluate an individual’s movement patterns. It involves performing a series of exercises that assess flexibility, strength, and stability. A physical therapist can identify weaknesses or imbalances that might contribute to injury or dysfunction through this screen. FMS is widely used in both rehabilitation and performance optimization, as it provides valuable insights into an individual’s functional ability and potential for improvement.
Preliminary studies by Kiesel et al. revealed that athletes who scored 14 or lower on the FMS demonstrated dysfunctional movement patterns that could be linked to an increased risk of injury. This insight emphasizes the importance of addressing movement issues early to prevent long-term damage and improve athletic performance.
Steps in a Functional Movement Screen
The FMS process typically involves several movement performance tests that assess various components of mobility and stability. These movements are scored on a scale, helping therapists identify areas of concern. Based on the results, a personalized treatment plan is developed that targets specific weaknesses or limitations in movement. This may include a corrective exercise program to improve strength, flexibility, or coordination.
What FMS Results Tell You About Your Body
FMS results provide valuable insight into an individual’s functional movement patterns. Poor scores or asymmetries in the screen highlight areas where movement is restricted or inefficient. These findings are crucial for creating a targeted exercise regimen that corrects imbalances and improves overall mobility and strength. For example, if a test reveals a stability deficit, the therapy may involve exercises to improve core strength and joint stability.
Benefits of Functional Movement Therapy
Functional Movement Therapy offers many benefits, from short-term relief to long-term improvements in overall health. By addressing mobility deficits and optimizing movement patterns, FMT helps individuals move more efficiently, reducing pain and improving physical performance.
Short-Term Benefits
In the short term, functional movement therapy can alleviate back pain, knee pain, and other musculoskeletal issues by improving alignment and addressing dysfunctional movements. Individuals often experience increased stability, enhanced flexibility, and greater ease of movement shortly after starting therapy. It’s a therapeutic method designed to help people feel better quickly while setting the foundation for longer-term improvements.
Long-Term Benefits for Overall Health
Over time, functional movement therapy helps prevent injuries and promotes better athletic performance and overall physical wellness. By correcting poor movement patterns and improving strength and flexibility, individuals experience fewer injuries, less pain, and improved function in everyday tasks and activities. Regular participation in FMT helps maintain joint health, manage chronic pain, and improve posture, resulting in long-term improvements to quality of life.
Who Can Benefit from Functional Movement Therapy?
Functional Movement Therapy is beneficial for individuals of all ages and fitness levels. From athletes to seniors, this therapy can help improve mobility, reduce pain, and enhance functional capacity.
Functional Movement Therapy for Athletes
Athletes can greatly benefit from functional movement therapy by improving their performance and reducing the risk of injury. FMT helps athletes develop better stability, agility, and flexibility, all essential for optimal performance in sports. By addressing movement deficits early on, athletes can prevent more severe injuries from improper technique or movement imbalances.
Functional Movement Therapy for Rehabilitation
Functional movement therapy is also a powerful tool in rehabilitation programs. Whether recovering from an injury or surgery, physical therapy for functional movement disorder helps individuals regain mobility and strength. A personalized treatment plan ensures that recovery is tailored to the individual’s needs, allowing for safe and effective restoration of function.
How Physical Therapy Supports Functional Movement
The functional movement screen physical therapy plays a key role in assessing movement quality in physical therapy. Using the results from this screening, therapists can detect mobility deficits and dysfunctional movement patterns. This allows for a more targeted approach to strengthening and improving overall movement quality, crucial for reducing pain and increasing physical performance.
At Progressive Mobility Physio & Performance, we focus on enhancing your mobility through personalized functional movement therapy. Our team uses advanced assessment tools like the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) to design customized programs that address movement imbalances, improve strength, and prevent injuries. Whether recovering from injury or aiming to boost athletic performance, we provide the targeted support you need to optimize your body’s functionality and achieve your goals.
Physical Therapy Techniques for Functional Movement
A variety of physical therapy techniques are used to enhance functional movement. These include manual therapy, movement reeducation, and specific exercises to improve joint mobility, muscle strength, and posture. Physical therapy evaluation is essential in creating a comprehensive plan that addresses the individual’s unique needs, ensuring effective progress.
When to Seek Help from a Physical Therapist
If you’re experiencing chronic pain, mobility issues, or difficulties with everyday movements, it’s important to consult a physical therapist. A therapist can help identify underlying movement dysfunctions, develop a corrective exercise program, and guide you through a total body approach to restoring optimal function.
Common Roadblocks to Functional Movement
Several factors can impede functional movement, including poor posture, muscle imbalances, and injuries. Postural challenges and stability deficits can significantly hinder your ability to perform basic tasks easily. Addressing these issues through targeted therapy can restore functional movement and improve overall well-being.
Postural Challenges to Functional Movement
Poor posture is a common obstacle to functional movement. Misalignment of the spine, pelvis, or shoulders can affect body movement and lead to discomfort or injury. Physical therapy for functional movement disorder focuses on improving posture through strengthening and stretching exercises, which help restore proper alignment and reduce strain.
Overcoming Chronic Conditions That Impair Movement
Chronic conditions like arthritis, piriformis syndrome, or sciatica can impair mobility and movement patterns. Physical therapy for functional movement disorder can help individuals manage these conditions by improving strength, flexibility, and coordination, reducing pain, and improving function.
Conclusion
Functional Movement Therapy is a powerful tool for improving mobility, preventing injury, and enhancing physical performance. Whether dealing with chronic pain, recovering from an injury, or simply aiming to improve your daily function, FMT offers a holistic, goal-oriented approach to better movement and overall health. By correcting movement deficiencies and focusing on strength, stability, and flexibility, functional movement therapy helps individuals of all ages and fitness levels live a pain-free, active life.
FAQs
What is the Functional Movement Screen (FMS)?
The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) assesses movement patterns and identifies dysfunctions that could lead to injury or pain. It provides a baseline for creating personalized treatment plans.
Can functional movement therapy help with chronic pain?
Functional movement therapy can address chronic pain by identifying and correcting dysfunctional movement patterns contributing to discomfort and promoting better movement performance.
How often should I perform functional movement exercises?
The frequency of functional movement exercises depends on your individual goals and progress. Your physical therapist will create a customized targeted exercise regimen based on your needs.
