20 Feb Ensuring Better Movement
The Selective Functional Movement Assessment, SFMA is the evaluation tool used by elite athletes to identify biomechanical dysfunction and increase perform-ance. If your goal is to reduce the likelihood of injury and unlock the key to peak performance, then take advantage. Essentially what we do is we evaluate several key multi-joint movements that are critical to our daily function and sport. Comparable to having a mechanic check out a car before you buy it. It allows us to look “under the hood” to identify muscle imbalance, poor movement patterns which decrease performance and set you up for injury. We look “Up and Downstream” from problem areas to check the body as a whole global system. For example, someone with runner’s knee or ITB syndrome likely has soft tissue and joint dysfunction in the foot and ankle as well as the hip. The movement screen provides a baseline for where the athlete is in real time. What the Movement Screen Does -Uncover key muscle imbalances that lead to injury. – Gives us a model to reduce Load and increase Capacity in order to recover from and even prevent injuries related to sports and exercise. -Identifies adhesions or fibrous tissue that sticks muscles together and restricts movement and causes pain. Assessing movement combined with palpation directs us to a specific diagnosis of what anatomical structures are involved in specific muscle and joint pain syndromes, for example Runner’s knee or patellofemoral pain syndrome. -It is not sufficient to label someone with ITB syndrome, Runner’s knee, shoulder impingement, plantar fasciitis and the like. In order to fully appreciate what is really happening to the body within each of these “Muscle and Joint pain syndromes”, we need to evaluate how the body moves and detect specific changes in the soft tissues and joint of the body. By being extremely focused and detailed in our diagnostic approach, we can identify with great specificity the exact anatomical structures that we need to treat. – Once we identify faulty movement and the structures responsible for causing these poor movements, then we can develop a strategic approach to resolve these issues. -The number one priority needs to be to restore mobility. Due to our modern day lifestyle we sit way too much and we have developed postural changes in the way we hold and move our bodies. From these dysfunctional postures and movements, we attempt to move through sport and exercise and daily living activities. There is always a price to pay. -By combining proper joint movement treatment with manipulation along with soft tissue treatments such as Active Release Techniques we can restore joint motion and restore proper gliding to the sliding surfaces of the mody (the muscles and fascia). Once we achieve proper movement, we can reinforce and stabilize this functional movement with corrective exercises to further our progress to better movement. Find out more about high quality treatment for muscle and joint pain here