Assess, Correct, Protect, Perform
Many of us live with movement ‘imperfections.’ Often, these deficits are minor and don’t interfere with our daily activities. Other times, they’re more significant, but we adapt and work around them. In the worst cases, they limit our ability to do the things we love.
It might start as tight hamstrings, a weak glute, or feeling a little ‘off balance.’ Most of us choose to ignore these issues, hoping they’ll go away on their own. But ignoring these problems often allows minor issues to progress into major ones over time.
While it’s true that we all face some degree of physical decline as we age, not all of it is inevitable—or even age-related. The better our physical function is at any given time, the less impactful age-related changes will be in the future. By identifying and addressing movement ‘imperfections’ early, we can preserve physical function and reduce the risk of future limitations.
When left unchecked, these imperfections won’t simply disappear. Instead, they may progress, causing tissue damage, arthritis, pain, or difficulties performing the activities you love. Regular movement screenings and early intervention empower you to correct and avoid these problems. This will help you train without setbacks or limitations in the near term while putting you on the path to being a badass when you’re 100!
Why Movement Screening is the 5th Vital Sign
At Island Performance, we consider an Annual Movement Screen to be as important as your other vital signs. It is focused on optimizing and extending your health-span. This screen is a complete musculoskeletal assessment designed to spotlight deficits in how you move.
Much like a blood pressure reading ensures your cardiovascular health is on track, a movement screen ensures you meet the normal movement standards necessary to live, train, and perform at your best.
Unlike fitness tests, this screen isn’t about identifying who is the strongest, most flexible, or most fit. Instead, it’s about detecting subtle movement deficits that may increase your risk of injury or impair your performance.
If your screening reveals that you don’t meet the accepted movement standards, we’ll provide you with the tools to correct those deficits. Just as you’d adjust your lifestyle or take medication if you had high blood pressure, addressing movement deficits early reduces your short- and long-term orthopedic risks.
How the Screening Works
The Island Performance Movement Screen takes a deep dive into your movement competency. It evaluates strength, mobility, and functional movement patterns to detect even the smallest imperfections.
We begin with a ‘Top Tier’ mobility assessment to screen for pain or major deficits in your primary movements like cervical, lumbar, shoulder, and hip mobility. We then dive deeper into specific common limitations based on your age, gender, and health history.
We will complete comprehensive muscle strength testing to ensure adequate and equal strength throughout your body. This includes large muscle groups all the way down to finger and toe grip strength. Weaknesses and asymmetries can create instability and imbalances. They are easy to correct once we identify them.
We will then take you through a Functional Movement Screen. This 7 item test includes a deep squat, lunge, hurdle step, core stability, and shoulder stability. These movements are objectively measured and injury risk can be deduced based on your score.
Next, we will test static and dynamic balance and your vestibular system. Followed by a lateral agility test and reflex assessment. And we complete the assessment with a comprehensive gait assessment.
Expect the full assessment to take 90 minutes to complete. We recommend wearing normal exercise attire and not performing any physically demanding tasks 24 hours before your assessment. Upon request we can include sport specific testing, muscle endurance testing, and VO2 max testing.
Benefits of an Annual Movement Screen
Regular movement screening isn’t just about injury prevention—it’s about optimizing your ability to move and perform at your best.
Key benefits include:
Early Detection: Identify deficits in strength, mobility, and functional movement patterns before they cause problems.
Injury Prevention: Protect your muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints from long-term damage.
Enhanced Performance: Maximize your athletic potential and improve efficiency in daily movements.
Age-Related Decline Mitigation: Detect and address deficits in your gait, balance, and vestibular system to preserve long-term function.
Why It’s More Important Than Ever
As we age, natural declines in balance, gait, and mobility can increase the risk of falls and injuries. Early detection of these changes through a movement screen allows us to intervene and maintain physical independence for longer.
Movement screens aren’t just for athletes—they’re for anyone who wants to preserve their ability to move freely and do the things they love without pain or restriction.
Take Control of Your Physical Health
Invest in yourself today. Whether you’re an athlete, a weekend warrior, or someone who simply wants to move and feel better, the Island Performance Movement Screen is your foundation for long-term health and vitality.
By prioritizing an annual movement screen, you’ll set yourself up for success in movement, performance, and quality of life.
If you have any questions or if you would like to book your annual movement screen today please contact us.
Alohaaaa 🤙
Teddy Zabel, PT, DPT, OCS
808-201-6922
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