Our body is designed to move in a natural alignment, which means nerves communicate properly, and the actions of soft tissues such as muscles remains uninhibited. If we have an imbalance in muscle tightness, this can then change our skeletal alignment, which can then compress nerves, reducing the strength of the signal and thereby our ability to use voluntary structures properly or as they were designed.
Tight muscles, then, will change how our body moves and through continued exercise and daily movement will then create inflammation and pain in and around the dysfunctional area. A common example we see in clinic with runners can be seen below; daily postures like sitting at a desk and driving contribute to a pattern of dysfunction that can lead to a plethora of injuries. For example:
When there is tightness in one of the hip flexors, this will cause the hip to rotate forward. The knock-on effect of this would be for the Glute muscle to become tight and eventually switching off. As the glute switches off, the ITB then has to take over the work of keeping the hips level as each leg swings forward in running/walking. If we put all of this together, the manifestation is often seen via lower back issues on the affected side, along with knee and adductor issues (the muscles which move the leg toward the body). ITB syndrome is commonly a product of this chain of dysfunction, but without proper assessment, runners are often sent away to stretch and foam roll the ITB rather than strengthening glutes and working on hip flexor flexibility.
"The outcome of the appointment was very specific and even during the generic assessments, Jason took the time to explain how each step contributed to this outcome of diagnosing the cause and rehabilitation plan for my knee injury."
So why have a Functional Movement Screen? Maybe you have had long-standing issues which you can’t get to the bottom of or an issue that has recently developed. Or perhaps you’re just curious as to how you could further improve your human performance? Understanding how your body is moving and finding ways to influence those idiosyncrasies you’ve developed couldn’t be easier…
"I felt it was very well tailored to my needs and went into great detail. Jason highlighted a number of issues, some of which I was aware of and some I wasn’t."
The process begins with some simple medical and injury history prior to your
appointment. We then couple some posture related tests with a series of movement tests, culminating in testing movements and patterns pertinent to your sport. After building a complete picture of how the body is moving and what is affecting the system as a whole, you’re provided with a complete report of findings including a corrective strength and conditioning programme. We then reassess after six weeks to check progress and review everything while maintaining contact via telephone or email to ensure the validly and effectiveness of your programme.
To book a Functional Movement & Strength Screening appointment just go through the booking link on the website or drop us a contact form for some more information.
"I feel I am on the road to correcting what have possibly been some long term mechanical issues. While it is still relatively early days I do feel it very worthwhile in continuing. I feel this will make me a stronger and less injury prone runner."
Jason – Sports Therapist and Strength & Conditioning specialist
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