| Description |
Assessment of functional movements in athletes can help to assess athletes' risk of injury. The purpose of this study was to examine the use of the Functional Movement Screen™ (FMS) assessment tool as a predictor of injury in secondary school athletes. It was hypothesized that due to differences in musculoskeletal maturation, the cut-off score to predict injury would be lower than the score of 14, a standard score used in the adult population. Both male and female athletes, ages 13-17, from football, soccer, and volleyball were tested during the preseason using the Gray-Cook standard FMS protocol. Anthropometric measurements were used to categorize athletes as before or after peak height velocity (PHV). Injury data was collected throughout the regular season on the screened participants. Data analysis included an independent samples t test and a receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curve to determine a cutoff score that maximized sensitivity and specificity of total FMS scores. Likelihood ratios were calculated to determine how much a subject's total FMS score influenced the posttest probability of becoming injured. A total of 82 participants were tested (55 males, 27 females), and 29 sustained a noncontact injury. Athletes with a noncontact injury scored 13.07 ± 2.37, and healthy athletes scored 14.34 ± 1.74, P = .015. Athletes before average PHV scored 13.33 ± 2.11, athletes after scored 14.27 ± 1.96, P = 0.45. One or more asymmetries between FMS components increased likelihood of injury, P = .001. The ROC curve showed a score of 13 maximized accuracy of injury prediction, sensitivity 62%, specificity 80%. A score of 13 or lower should be used to determine injury risk in adolescent athletes. However, the FMS may not be a valid predictor of injury due to low sensitivity. Presence of asymmetries may identify athletes that are at a higher risk of injury; more research is needed to support this finding. |
