What is a Functional Assessment and why do i need one

What is a Functional Assessment and Why Do I Need One?

By Darren Macfarlane, Sports Injury and Rehabilitation Specialist

An athlete needs to have his body optimal to perform at the highest level; any deviation from this can lead to poor performance or even injury. Functional assessments are very important to athletes because it can let them know what strengths or weakness they have in there body. Any weakness or dysfunction in the body i.e. lack of mobility, weak core which are left undressed can severely impact upon your performance and increase risk of injury. Staying injury free is a key to success in sport. By understanding what’s dysfunctional in your body you then know what is needs to be corrected.

The tests I perform at Darren Macfarlane Sports Injury Therapy are:

• Posture

• Core Strength (using a pressure biofeedback monitor)

• Comparative Range Of Motion

• Movement (Lunge and Squat)

Why have these tests done?

Posture

The posture test can give me a good visual feedback of any deviation from optimal posture. It can highlight can excessive curves in the spine i.e. Hyperlordosis in lumber spine which can lead to lower back pain or Kyphosis in the thoracic region which can lead to shoulder and neck injuries. If your posture is incorrect while standing still then it will be incorrect when you move, this will result in restricting your movement and will make your body unstable through your joints, which will lead to injury and muscle imbalances .As part of the posture test I measure your spinal curves and pelvic tilt. Any tilt in your pelvis can lead to back pain or this can also highlight that there is any muscle imbalances. Any visual signs of fallen arches from posture test will then also be confirmed by gait analysis. Fallen arches can lead to shin splints, knee problems, quadriceps strains and hip pain.

Core Strength

Your body’s Core is designed to work automatically without us knowing, its function is to stabilise the joints of the spine and pelvic girdle therefore if this is not functioning properly it will lead to injury and especially injury of the Lower back. By assessing the core you determine where the weaker portion of it are and more importantly that it is working properly, this is important to provide spinal and pelvic stability needed to protect you from damaging forces as a result of gross movement during your particular sport or daily activities.

Comparative Range of motion

I use goiniometers and an inclinometer to measure range of motion in athletes. The range of motion assessment allows you to assess the flexibility of your muscles and the health of your joints, it also lets you know where there is a presence of pain and inflammation. It assesses the asymmetries which occur between the right and left hand side of body and lets me know what’s happening throughout the kinetic chain. This assessment can be made specific to your sport. Tight and inflexible muscles can lead to muscle strains which will frustrate athletes because they will need to rest for weeks which can hamper there training and fitness levels.

Movement

Movement is assessed by recording clients doing a lung and squat. This shows whether the athlete has stability and movement competency in order to train or compete without getting injured. In everyday life we move, that is why movement needs to be assessed so that we can see if the muscles that move us, and the muscles that stabilise us during movement are working efficiently.

Once the postural, core strength, flexibility, mobility and stability dysfunctions have been analysed a therapeutic corrective exercise program is designed specific to your individual needs.This program will get you to a level of function that you require which will allow you to do your sport properly without the risk of injury, staying injury free is one of keys in any sport, it will also improve your efficiency and performance level.

The assessments are done at your initial consultation which takes about an hour and then you return one week later to receive your individual corrective exercise program, where I address your dysfunction. I then take you through the exercises so that you do them properly with good form and understand them. Five weeks later the you return for re-assessment to monitor your progress.

You cannot determine a proper course of training and strengthening without a proper

Clinical assessment. You need to determine the correct course of action to correct any imbalances and apply the right training methods.

Have a functional Assessment today. Or for any information on functional assessments Call Darren at our Galway Clinic on 086 1957379
www.sportsinjurytherapy.ie