Selective Functional Movement Assessment

What Is A Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA)?

Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) is a comprehensive diagnostic system utilized by healthcare professionals, such as physical therapists, chiropractors, and athletic trainers, to evaluate and identify functional limitations and asymmetries in patients' movement patterns. This diagnostic tool helps practitioners focus on the root cause of pain or dysfunction rather than merely addressing the symptoms.

The SFMA process involves assessing seven fundamental movement patterns essential for daily activities and sports performance, such as cervical spine patterns, upper extremity patterns, multi-segmental flexion, extension, rotation, single-leg stance, and squatting. Patients are observed performing these movements, and practitioners assign a score based on the quality of the movement. The scoring system includes functional and non-painful, functional and painful, non-functional and non-painful, and non-functional and painful categories.

By analyzing a patient's movement patterns and pinpointing areas of dysfunction, healthcare professionals can develop a targeted treatment plan that tackles the underlying causes of pain or movement limitations. This approach enhances overall functional movement, reduces the risk of injury, and improves performance in daily activities or sports.

To learn more about Selective Functional Movement Assessment and how it can benefit patients experiencing pain or movement limitations, visit . Here, you will find detailed information about SFMA and other valuable physical therapy techniques designed to help individuals regain their functional abilities and improve their overall quality of life.

How To Use This SFMA

The Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) tool is an excellent example to help healthcare professionals evaluate a patient's movement patterns and identify potential dysfunctions. To use this Selective Functional Movement Assessment example effectively, follow the steps outlined below.

Step 1: Patient Information and Assessment Date

Begin by recording the patient's name, age, gender, date of assessment, and chief complaint. This information will provide context for the assessment and help track the patient's progress over time.

Step 2: Conduct the SFMA Assessment

Perform the SFMA assessment, observing the patient's movement through the seven fundamental patterns. Note any pain or dysfunction the patient experiences during these movements. In this Selective Functional Movement Assessment sample, the patient has demonstrated dysfunction in multi-segmental flexion, extension, rotation, and single-leg stance (right side), with pain occurring during multi-segmental extension.

Step 3: Record the Findings

Document the patient's performance for each movement pattern using the provided scoring system. The four possible scores are Functional Non-Painful (FN), Functional Painful (FP), Dysfunctional Non-Painful (DN), and Dysfunctional Painful (DP). Accurate scoring is essential for identifying areas of concern and guiding the treatment plan.

Step 4: Interpret the Results

Analyze the results of the SFMA assessment to identify any movement dysfunctions, limitations, or asymmetries contributing to the patient's chief complaint. In this case, the patient demonstrates dysfunction in several movement patterns and experiences pain during multi-segmental extension.

Step 5: Develop a Treatment Plan

Based on the identified dysfunctions, a certified SFMA practitioner should create a tailored treatment plan to address the root cause of the patient's movement limitations and alleviate pain. This plan may include targeted exercises, manual therapy, and other interventions to improve the patient's overall functional movement.

By following these steps, healthcare professionals can effectively use this Selective Functional Movement Assessment example to evaluate their patient's movement patterns and develop appropriate treatment plans to improve function and reduce pain.

When Would You Typically Use This SFMA?

The Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) is a valuable diagnostic tool for healthcare professionals to identify movement dysfunctions, limitations, or asymmetries that may contribute to a patient's pain or discomfort. Here are some typical scenarios when you would use the SFMA:

• Injury Assessment and Rehabilitation: When a patient presents with an injury, such as a sports-related incident or an accident, the SFMA can evaluate their movement patterns and identify any underlying functional limitations. By understanding the root cause of the issue, healthcare professionals can design a targeted rehabilitation plan to address the specific dysfunctions and facilitate the patient's recovery.
• Chronic Pain Management: Patients with chronic pain, such as lower back pain or persistent joint discomfort, can benefit from an SFMA assessment. Identifying dysfunctional movement patterns can help practitioners determine the potential causes of pain and develop a treatment plan that addresses the root issues, ultimately improving the patient's quality of life.
• Performance Enhancement in Athletes: Athletes often undergo assessments like the SFMA to identify movement limitations or asymmetries that may affect their performance or increase their risk of injury. Healthcare professionals can help athletes optimize their movement patterns by addressing these dysfunctions, enhancing performance, and reducing the likelihood of future injuries.
• Pre- and Post-surgical Evaluation: The SFMA can help evaluate patients before and after surgery, particularly in cases involving the musculoskeletal system. Pre-surgical assessments can identify movement limitations and help develop a targeted pre-habilitation plan. Post-surgical evaluations can monitor the patient's recovery progress and guide rehabilitation to ensure optimal functional outcomes.

The SFMA is a versatile diagnostic tool used in various scenarios to identify and address movement dysfunctions. By applying the SFMA in these situations, healthcare professionals can provide targeted care to improve their patient's functional movement, alleviate pain, and enhance overall well-being.

Who Can Use these Printable Selective Functional Movement Assessments?

Healthcare professionals can use printable Selective Functional Movement Assessments (SFMA) to evaluate patients' movement patterns and identify potential dysfunctions. Some of these professionals include:

• Physical Therapists: Physical therapists use the SFMA to assess patients' movement patterns, identify dysfunctions, and develop targeted treatment plans to address movement limitations, improve mobility, and alleviate pain.
• Chiropractors: Chiropractors use the SFMA to identify movement dysfunctions contributing to a patient's discomfort or pain. They can then incorporate manual adjustments and other therapeutic interventions to address the identified issues and optimize spinal alignment.
• Athletic Trainers: Athletic trainers use the SFMA to evaluate athletes' movement patterns and identify any limitations or asymmetries that may affect performance or increase the risk of injury. By addressing these dysfunctions, trainers can help athletes improve their performance and reduce the likelihood of future injuries.
• Sports Medicine Physicians: Sports medicine physicians may use the SFMA to comprehensively evaluate athletes and other active individuals. They can use the assessment results to inform their diagnosis and treatment recommendations, including referrals to other healthcare professionals for targeted interventions.
• Occupational Therapists: Occupational therapists may use the SFMA to assess patients' functional movement patterns in their daily activities and work-related tasks. Identifying and addressing movement dysfunctions can help patients improve their overall functional capacity and quality of life.
• Osteopathic Physicians: Osteopathic physicians, who focus on the body's musculoskeletal system and the relationship between structure and function, may use the SFMA to evaluate patients' movement patterns and guide their treatment approach, including manual therapy and exercise prescription.

These healthcare professionals and others trained and certified in the SFMA can use printable Selective Functional Movement Assessments to enhance their diagnostic capabilities and provide targeted care to improve functional movement and overall well-being.

Why Is This Assessment Popular With Physical Therapists?

The Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) is popular among physical therapists due to its comprehensive approach to evaluating movement patterns and identifying functional limitations or asymmetries in patients. Here are three key reasons why physical therapists find this assessment valuable:

• Comprehensive and Systematic Approach: The SFMA provides a structured and systematic approach to evaluating a patient's movement patterns by assessing seven fundamental movement patterns. This complete method enables physical therapists to identify movement dysfunctions that may contribute to pain, discomfort, or limited mobility, ensuring a thorough evaluation of the patient's functional abilities.
• Identifies Root Causes of Dysfunction: One of the primary strengths of the SFMA is its focus on identifying the root causes of movement dysfunction rather than just addressing the symptoms. By uncovering the underlying issues, physical therapists can develop targeted treatment plans that address the source of the problem, leading to more effective and lasting results for the patient.
• Enhances Treatment Outcomes: Using the SFMA in clinical practice helps physical therapists develop more targeted and effective treatment plans. By identifying and addressing movement dysfunctions, physical therapists can help patients improve their overall functional movement, reduce pain, and enhance their quality of life. This focus on practical outcomes aligns with the core goals of physical therapy, making the SFMA a valuable tool for achieving better patient outcomes.

The SFMA's comprehensive and systematic approach, focus on identifying root causes, and emphasis on enhancing treatment outcomes make it a popular assessment tool among physical therapists. By incorporating the SFMA into their practice, physical therapists can provide more effective and targeted patient care, ultimately improving their functional abilities and well-being.

Benefits of Free SFMA

Accessibility and Affordability

A free SFMA template allows healthcare professionals to access a valuable diagnostic tool without incurring additional costs. This affordability ensures practitioners can utilize the assessment to improve patient care without worrying about budget constraints.

Standardized Format

A free SFMA template provides a consistent and standardized format for evaluating patients' movement patterns. This uniformity helps ensure the assessment is conducted systematically and allows for easier comparison of results over time or between different practitioners.

Time-saving and Efficient

A pre-designed SFMA template saves healthcare professionals time by eliminating the need to create their assessment forms from scratch. With a ready-to-use template, practitioners can quickly and efficiently complete the assessment, allowing them to spend more time focusing on patient care.

Easy to Customize

Free SFMA templates are often easy to customize, allowing healthcare professionals to tailor the assessment form to their needs or preferences. This flexibility ensures practitioners can adapt the template to suit their practice and enhance its utility in their clinical setting.

Improved Patient Care

Using a free SFMA template ultimately improves patient care by enabling healthcare professionals to identify movement dysfunctions more effectively. By leveraging the standardized and systematic approach provided by the template, practitioners can develop targeted treatment plans to address the root causes of their patients' functional limitations, resulting in better overall outcomes.