MOVEMENT, PERFORMANCE & INJURY PREVENTION · STAFFORD, VA
Functional Movement Assessment: A Broader Look At How You Move
A movement assessment should answer a practical question: how well does your body handle the demands you actually place on it? At Divine Physical Therapy, testing is individualized rather than built around one standardized screen or one composite score.
THE DEFINITION
What Is A Functional Movement Assessment?
A functional movement assessment is a physical therapist-led evaluation of how you move, where your mobility and strength may be limited, how well you control common tasks, and whether your current physical capacity matches the demands of your sport, work or daily life.
At Divine Physical Therapy, there is no single test battery used for every person. Dr. Paige selects movement tasks and measures based on your age, activity level, history, goals and physical demands. The assessment may include squatting, hinging, lunging, stepping, reaching, single-leg tasks, range-of-motion testing, strength testing, balance testing and other functional measures as appropriate.
Individualized testing, not one universal score.
Divine Physical Therapy uses functional movement as one part of a broader clinical picture. The goal is not to reproduce a single proprietary screening system or hand everyone the same movement score. The goal is to establish useful baselines, identify meaningful limitations and choose practical priorities.
INDIVIDUALIZED TESTING, NOT ONE UNIVERSAL SCORE
What Might Be Included?
The exact test battery depends on the person in front of Dr. Paige. A recreational lifter, a teenage athlete, a postpartum client and an active older adult may all need different measures.
01
Functional Movement
Squat, hip hinge, lunge, step, reach and single-leg control.
02
Mobility & Range Of Motion
Ankle dorsiflexion, hip mobility, shoulder mobility, thoracic mobility and other region-specific measures.
03
Strenght
Manual muscle testing and, when appropriate, more objective strength or functional strength measures.
04
Balance
Static and dynamic balance measures, including standardized testing when appropriate.
05
Athletic Capacity
Selected landing, hop, change-of-direction or return-to-sport measures when relevant.
06
Daily Function
Stairs, sit-to-stand, floor transfers, carrying, lifting and other tasks matched to your real-life demands.
The battery serves the person - not the other way around. Dr. Paige may draw from multiple areas of training and clinical experience rather than forcing every client through the same protocol.
STANDARDIZED TOOLS
Are Standardized Tools Ever Used?
Yes, when they add useful information. Dr. Paige has training in the Y-Balance Test and the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), and may incorporate standardized balance, orthopedic or return-to-sport measures when clinically appropriate.
Divine Physical Therapy does not market the Annual Movement Physical as a formal Functional Movement Screen (FMS) or promise an FMS score. Some familiar movement patterns may overlap with movements used in standardized systems, but the service itself is an individualized physical therapy assessment rather than administration of one proprietary screening protocol.
THE HONEST VERSION
What Can An Assessment Honestly Tell You?
It can establish a baseline for mobility, strength, balance and movement control; identify limitations that may matter for your goals; show meaningful side-to-side differences; and give you a starting point for training or future comparison.
It cannot reliably predict exactly who will or will not become injured. Movement assessment is best used to inform decisions and establish priorities — not as a crystal ball.
AFTERWARD
What Happens After The Assessment?
Immediate On-Site Findings: Before you leave, Dr. Paige gives you a brief summary of what she was able to analyze on-site — the findings that were clear within the appointment — along with a few exercises to get started on right away.
Which tests were performed drives how much can be fully worked through in the room: for a more extensive battery, a complete explanation of every finding doesn’t always fit inside the same visit, and when that’s the case, a follow-up call is scheduled to walk through the full results and priorities properly rather than rushing it at the door.
Clinical Distinction: If the assessment uncovers pain, weakness, loss of function or another clinical concern that requires a fuller physical therapy examination, Dr. Paige will explain that distinction rather than treating a wellness screen as though it were automatically a rehabilitation visit.
The Annual Baseline: If you want a standing baseline that can be repeated over time, the primary service is the Annual Movement Physical. The movement assessment is one component of that broader visit, alongside mobility, strength, balance and functional capacity.
SEVENTY-FIVE MINUTES, START TO FINISH
What The Annual Movement Physical May Look Like.
01
History & Demands
Your Activity Level, Injury History, Personal Goals, And The Physical Demands Of Your Sport, Work, And Everyday Activities.
02
The Measured Battery
Selected movement patterns plus range-of-motion measures such as ankle, hip, shoulder or thoracic mobility when relevant.
03
The Findings, Plainly
Strength, Single-Leg Control, Balance, And Other Functional Measures Tailored To Your Individual Needs And Movement Goals.
04
The Year Ahead
A summary of on-site findings, recommended starter exercises, and a follow-up call if more time is needed to review the complete results.
YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
Frequently Asked
KEEP READING
Where To Go Next
THE YEARLY BASELINE
The Annual Movement Physical
The measured-every-year version — a yearly physical for how you move.
FOR ATHLETES
Injury Prevention For Athletes
Training load, growth, and what actually reduces injury risk in sport.
BEGIN WITH A DISCOVERY CALL
Want To Know Where Your Capacity Actually Sits?
Start with a complimentary Discovery Consultation. Dr. Paige will tell you what a screen would and wouldn’t answer for your situation before you spend a dollar on one.