| When I ask someone if they work out, a | | | | The best system available for assessing and |
| common response I hear is "Yes, I run three | | | | correcting asymmetries is the Functional |
| times a week", or "yes, I play hockey twice a | | | | Movement Screen (FMS). The FMS is a process |
| week and go skiing on weekends", or "I play | | | | administered by a strength and conditioning |
| basketball four times a week". The list of options | | | | specialist or therapist who will score you through |
| that people provide after the "yes" is endless, but | | | | the performance of 7 basic movements including |
| more often than not, it does not include working | | | | an overhead squat, a lunge, a hurdle step, |
| out. | | | | shoulder mobility, active straight leg raise, trunk |
| Participating in sports is good for you on so many | | | | stability push up, and rotary stability test. You will |
| levels: physically, socially, intellectually, and even | | | | be assigned a score for each test based on your |
| emotionally. But can playing sports be deemed | | | | ability to perform them, as well as the |
| working out? Can you play sports to get in | | | | compensatory patterns you demonstrate. The |
| shape? | | | | practitioner will identify the two tests for which |
| I think a better question is this: | | | | you are exhibit the most dysfunction, and will |
| Should you play sports to get in shape, or should | | | | prescribe corrective exercises to help you regain |
| you be in shape to play sports? | | | | proper movement. |
| The answer to this important question is no, you | | | | How effective is the FMS for identifying injury |
| should not play sports to get in shape; you should | | | | risk? A study of NFL players published in the |
| be in shape to play sports. | | | | North American Journal of Sports Physical |
| Why workout? | | | | Therapy (Aug 2007, vol. 2, Number 3) concluded |
| Working out is what you should do to prepare for | | | | that NFL players who scored 14 or lower (out of |
| the life you lead. For some people, that means | | | | 21) on the FMS were 11 times more likely to |
| preparing their body to be able to walk to and | | | | suffer injury than those who scored higher than |
| from work; to play with the kids at the park | | | | 14. |
| without back pain; or to sit at a desk all day | | | | Not surprisingly, the FMS has been used by many |
| without neck pain. For the athletes among us, it | | | | professional sports franchises, including the |
| also means preparing your body to be able to | | | | Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Montreal |
| jump, run, turn, stop, kick, and throw as well as | | | | Canadiens, Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, |
| possible without injury. | | | | Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, Cleveland |
| Most weekend warriors and recreational athletes | | | | Indians, and Toronto Blue Jays. |
| play sports for the fun of it, and so they do not | | | | And it is not just athletes who have reaped the |
| work out because they are not that interested in | | | | benefits of the FMS. A separate study was done |
| improving their performance. Sure it would be nice | | | | with firefighters in California. Firefighters who took |
| to run faster or jumping higher, but it is not a | | | | part in an FMS-directed workout program to |
| priority; they just want to be out there every | | | | improve strength and flexibility had a 62% |
| week. | | | | reduction in lost time due to injury over a one |
| I wish more people knew the truth about working | | | | year period (Journal of Occupational Medicine and |
| out or training: It is not really about performance! | | | | Toxicology, v2, 2007). |
| It is about injury prevention; about giving yourself | | | | For athletes, there are some other great |
| more of a chance of being out there every week | | | | assessment tools that complement the FMS, |
| instead of nursing a knee or back injury. It is | | | | including core endurance, single leg squat, side-lying |
| astounding the number of these athletes who | | | | abduction, and the Hop and Stop (for acceleration |
| continue to play or run despite a recurring | | | | and deceleration). The Hop and Stop test is |
| hamstring strain, IT band syndrome, shin splints or | | | | something you can have a trainer put you |
| back pain. They may go to see a manual | | | | through, but you can probably also try it at home |
| therapist about it, but once they are fixed, they | | | | on your own (instructions are available on the |
| jump right back into playing without even thinking | | | | Athletes by Design website. |
| about starting a workout regimen. I wonder if any | | | | It is important to note that it is not the |
| of them know that once they have suffered an | | | | assessment tools that reduce injury risk; it is the |
| injury they have a significantly higher risk for | | | | training you do as a result of the assessments |
| suffering another injury? | | | | that reduces injury risk. You should train with a |
| What are the other major risk factors for injury? | | | | program that contains corrective exercises to |
| Asymmetry in range of motion or strength tops | | | | address your specific movement dysfunction, as |
| the list. There are others of course - body mass | | | | well as strength and mobility work that relates to |
| index, playing surface are also factors. | | | | the activities you will be performing. The main goal |
| I believe there is a significant link between | | | | of your workout is to get you fit enough to |
| asymmetries and previous injury as risk factors. | | | | enjoy your sport, but it comes with a great side |
| When people return to play from an injury it is | | | | benefit of also making you "faster, stronger, |
| usually after being told by their doctor or physical | | | | higher". |
| therapist that they are "as strong as they were | | | | In answer to the initial question, if you play your |
| before they got injured". But unless the injury | | | | sport to train for your sport, you are probably |
| was a contact injury, that initial injury occurred | | | | not ready to play your sport - or at least not |
| because there was a weakness or asymmetry | | | | safely. So if you want to continue to enjoy your |
| somewhere, so getting back to pre-injury level is | | | | favorite activities well into old age, it is probably |
| not enough. | | | | time to start working out. |
| How do you find out if you are ready to play? | | | | |