The Functional Movement Screening in Collegiate Soccer Players

The Functional Movement Screening in Collegiate Soccer Players

Alvin Sherman Library

About 70% of soccer injuries are non-contact, resulting from underlying mobility, stability, or movement pattern issues. Soccer players are particularly susceptible to ankle, knee, and hip injuries due to the high demands on lower body mobility, stability and repetitive dynamic motions. Functional Movement Screening is a popular evaluation method that is used to find asymmetries and dysfunctional movement patterns that could put athletes at risk for injury. Scores from the FMS test have been linked to injury risks. The purpose of this study is to conduct and evaluate the FMS performances among collegiate soccer players (n=26) to decrease injury risk, reduce asymmetry, and determine which individual test had the greatest correlation with overall movement quality. Participants will perform seven exercises and six clearing tests that include evaluating the lower body mobility and clearing (hip, knee, ankle), upper body mobility (shoulder), and core stability. The preliminary findings yielded lower average scores in hurdle step and rotary stability which indicates limitations in hip-pelvic control, single-leg stability, and transverse-plane core function. Correlation analysis demonstrated that rotary stability and active straight-leg raise had the greatest impact on the FMS score, indicating deficits in rotational-core control and posterior chain mobility. These deficits can be linked to non-contact lower extremity injuries such as ACL, hamstring, and hip injuries, which can commonly occur in the cutting, landing, and directional changes in soccer.