Functional movement test performance improves in youth ice speed skaters after 8-week FMS training

In sports competitions worldwide, the scheduling of tournaments is tightly packed, imposing strict demands on athletes' physical fitness. In high-intensity environments, the risk of sports-related injuries significantly escalates. The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) test has gained recognition among coaches in multiple countries and has been employed within sports teams. To more effectively and rapidly identify issues among athletes and devise corresponding intervention training plans, this study combined interview methods to understand the training situation of a speed skating team. It conducted FMS screenings on 16-speed skaters, exploring their overall body control stability, joint flexibility, and potential issues in overall proprioception. Specific intervention plans were developed based on identified problems. Results: Before intervention training, the average score of FMS tests for speed skaters was (15.38 ± 0.92) points, which increased to (19.13 ± 0.64) points after training. Conclusion: Through the intervention training devised in this study, athletes exhibited significant improvements in various scores and overall FMS scores, thereby enhancing their athletic performance.