The findings of the screen are utilized by the trainer or performance coach to help create a customized exercise program specifically designed to help the client/athlete avoid injuries while obtaining their related fitness goals.
It is used to assess bilateral, symmetrical, and functional mobility of the hips, knees, and ankles. The dowel held overhead assesses bilateral, symmetrical mobility of the shoulders as well as the thoracic spine. A number of things can hinder this movement including limited thoracic and shoulder mobility, limited dorsiflexion, or core weakness.
The movement requires proper coordination and stability between the hips and torso during the stepping motion as well as single leg
stance stability.
The hip, knees, and foot should be aligned in the sagittal plane. The dowel should stay parallel to the ground and there should not be flexion or extension throughout any part of the back. Limited hip mobility, and some stabilizers of the hips and a weak core may hinder the ability to perform this test correctly.
The inline lunge is a test that places the lower extremity in a scissored position, challenging the body’s trunk and extremities to resist rotation and maintain proper alignment. This test assesses torso, shoulder, hip and ankle mobility and stability, quadriceps flexibility and knee stability. Poor balance, core, and mobility in lower extremities can make this movement difficult.
It also requires normal scapular mobility and thoracic spine extension. The ability to perform the shoulder mobility test requires shoulder mobility in a combination of motions including abduction/external rotation, flexion/extension and adduction/internal rotation. It also requires scapular and thoracic spine mobility. The impingement test demonstrated in the image on the right clears this test.
The active straight-leg raise test assesses active hamstring and gastroc-soleus flexibility while maintaining a stable pelvis and active extension of the opposite leg. The ability to perform the active straight-leg raise test requires functional hamstring flexibility, which is the flexibility that is available during training and competition.
Lack of upper body and core strength are limiting factors with this movement.
The rotary stability test assesses multi-plane trunk stability during a combined upper and lower extremity motion. If the trunk does not have adequate stability during these activities, kinetic energy will be dispersed, leading to poor performance as well as increased potential for injury.
Founded in 2004, Elite Health Services, with locations in Old Greenwich, CT, is a world-class provider of certified Functional Manual Therapy™, personal training, pilates and running services. Elite Health Services has already helped thousands of your colleagues, friends and neighbors throughout Lower Fairfield County.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you, too.
Now offering Tele-health & Remote Services!
|