Functional Movement Screen^TM total score does not present a gestalt measure of movement quality in youth athletes

ABSTRACT

We aimed to evaluate the internal consistency and factor structure of the Functional Movement Screen (FMS^TM) in youth athletes and quantify differences between individual task score at different stages of maturation. FMS^TM and anthropometric variables were measured in 144 youth athletes (96 female, 48 male). Biological maturation was categorised as before- (<-0.5 years), at- (−0.49–0.50 years) and after- peak height velocity [PHV] (>0.51 years). Internal consistency was poor (Cronbach’s alpha; 0.53, ±90% confidence limit 0.10; ordinal alpha 0.6, ±0.09). Principle component analysis extracted two components, representing 47% of the total variance. Tasks loading highest on component 1 required stability, while those loading highest on component 2 favoured mobility. “Likely” decrements in component 1 tasks were observed before-PHV. In-line lunge (effect size ±90% confidence limit; −0.47, ±0.49), hurdle step (−0.38, ±0.49), and trunk stability push-up (−0.51, ±0.45), were lower compared with athletes at-PHV and rotatory stability (−0.44, ±0.37) was lower than those after-PHV. Boys’ scored “most likely”, higher (0.73, ±0.28) in trunk stability push-up, and girls “likely” higher in shoulder mobility (0.46, ±0.29). In our population, the FMS^TM is not uni-dimensional, thus total score should be avoided. Clear maturation affects were observed in stability tasks.

KEYWORDS:

• PCA
• FMS^TM
• long-term athlete development

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank all the young athletes who participated in this study and to Tees Valley Sport for enabling a platform for talented young athletes to access athletic development support in the Tees Valley.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.