The Utility Of Movement Pattern Evaluations In Mass Sports Pre-participation Exam: A Pilot Study

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of performing a single leg squat (SLS) and functional movement screen (FMS) during a mass youth sports pre-participation examination (PPE) and to compare the normative values of these results across wide range of ages and sports. Additionally, this study sought to determine the relationship between these movement pattern screenings and musculoskeletal injuries sustained during the subsequent athletic season. METHODS: A mass PPE session was held for youth athletes with stations set up to perform the FMS and SLS musculoskeletal assessments. Throughout the subsequent academic year, musculoskeletal injuries were monitored with the assistance of each school’s athletic trainer. Main Outcome Measures: FMS consists of seven movements scored from 0-3 points (0 = any pain with movement and 3 = completes movement without pain), creating a sum overall score between 0-21 points. SLS evaluation consisted of three trials on each side with examiner noting arms flailing, drop of the contralateral pelvis or collapse of the supportive knee into valgus. The presence of any or all of these constituted an abnormal SLS trial. An overall abnormal SLS was defined as 5 or more of the 6 trials being abnormal. RESULTS: Eighty-one youth athletes participated in this study (injury n = 18, no injury n = 63). Within the cohort with a subsequent musculoskeletal injury noted, the mean number of sports played was 2.2 with a standard deviation of 0.8, final FMS mean of 14.2 with standard deviation of 3.2, and 9 total abnormal SLS noted. Within the cohort without a subsequent musculoskeletal injury, the mean number of sports played was 2.0 with a standard deviation of 0.8, final FMS mean of 13.7 with standard deviation of 2.5, and 39 total abnormal SLS were noted. The p-value for final FMS was 0.486 and for SLS was 0.365 respectively and therefore the results of the study demonstrated no significant correlation with FMS composite score or single leg squat and injury. CONCLUSIONS: Though our study demonstrated no significant correlation with single leg squat or FMS composite score and injury in youth athletes, our study was limited by sample size, response bias from participants during administration of FMS and SLS, and dependence on athletes to report injuries to athletic trainers.