Functional Assessment Screens and Clinical Relevance
Functional movement screens have become increasingly common in sports medicine, rehabilitation, and musculoskeletal practice. But how useful are they in real clinical settings, and how should osteopaths interpret the results?
This CPD lecture explores the clinical relevance of commonly used functional screening tools including the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), the Y-Balance Test (YBT), the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS), and the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) framework.
Drawing on current systematic reviews and prospective cohort research, the lecture examines what the evidence actually supports, where limitations exist, and how these tools can be integrated safely into patient-centred osteopathic care.
Rather than presenting movement screens as stand-alone diagnostic tests, this course demonstrates how they can be used as structured observation tools that support clinical reasoning, identify movement patterns, and guide treatment planning.
The lecture also covers red-flag screening, patient safety considerations, and the importance of interpreting movement findings within the broader clinical context.
By the end of this module, practitioners will have a clearer understanding of how functional movement screens fit within evidence-informed musculoskeletal practice and how they can be incorporated into osteopathic assessment and rehabilitation strategies.
This course is designed for osteopaths and other manual therapy practitioners seeking a practical and balanced approach to functional movement assessment.
Course Includes
ā¢ 45 minute CPD lecture (audio)
ā¢ Downloadable lecture notes (PDF)
ā¢ Knowledge assessment quiz
ā¢ Certificate of completio