Association between Functional Movement Screen Scores and Athletic Performance in Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This study systematically reviews the literature examining the relationship between Fundamental Movement Screen (FMS©) scores and athletic performance in youth. We searched English-language papers on PubMed/MEDLINE, SportsDiscus, CINAHL, and EBSCO for the following inclusion criteria: Participants aged between 11 and 17 years, studies had to include the Functional Movement Screen© (FMS©) and at least one of the following performance outcomes, highlighted by athletic development models (i.e., long-term athletic development (LTAD), youth physical development (YPD)): agility, speed, power, strength, endurance, and balance (YPD), fitness (LTAD), or sport-specific skill (LTAD and YPD). A total of 3146 titles were identified, with 13 relevant studies satisfying the inclusion criteria after full-text screening. The results of this systematic review suggest that children and youth who score highly on the FMS© also tend to have better scores for agility, running speed, strength, and cardiovascular endurance. The strength of associations was weak to moderate in nature. Only one study was considered or controlled for biological maturation in their analysis. These results provide evidence that, while there is a relationship between FMS© scores and tests of athletic performance in youth, they are not the same thing and should be considered conceptually different constructs.

ISAK-Based Anthropometric Standards for Elite Male and Female Soccer Players

“…Indeed, as can be observed from the somatochart ( Figure 5 ), the distribution of the somatotype of female soccer players shifts towards the lower left quadrant, indicating a higher amount of body fat than males, regardless of their playing position. Conversely, the somatotype of the general population was endomorphic mesomorph regardless of sex, which may be due to less emphasis on non-optimal adipose tissue levels that can negatively impact athletic performance when elevated [ 8 ]. As in other sports [ 19 , 20 ], playing positions also play a discriminatory role in body composition, necessitating specific references for both sport and sex as well as playing position.…”

“…Surface anthropometry serves as a valuable tool in understanding the morphological aspects of body composition, offering practical applications in fields ranging from sports science to clinical assessments. Indeed, body circumferences provide insights into body geometries and are influenced by both muscle and adipose tissue, particularly affecting endurance performance and movement quality [ 7 , 8 ]. Skinfolds, on the other hand, yield highly informative parameters for subcutaneous adipose tissue, a factor that negatively impacts endurance performance and mobility [ 2 , 4 ].…”

Using a golf specific functional movement screen to predict golf performance in collegiate golfers

“…According to Cook, issues at the foundational level can impact higher layers of movement capabilities. Previous research has found associations between functional movement and aspects such as physical performance, movement performance ( Fitton Davies et al, 2022 ; Zhang et al, 2022 ), and the occurrence of sports injuries ( Chorba et al, 2010 ; Dïnç & Arslan, 2020 ). However, the relationship between functional movement and movement performance lacks consensus ( Stapleton et al, 2021 ; Bennett et al, 2022 ).…”

Effects of functional training on muscle strength, jumping, and functional movement screen in wushu athletes: A systematic review

“…If a wushu athlete is restricted in many movements or unable to perform multi-joint movements on multiple planes, the limited motor function will seriously affect their performance [ 15 , 47 ]. Functional movement screen (FMS) is an effective tool to test the quality of athletes' exercise [ 48 ]. The body has 7 basic functional movement modes: squat, hurdle, straight lunge, active straight leg lift, shoulder flexibility, torso stability, and rotational stability [ 49 ].…”