The SFMA is based on 3 key concepts:
Regional Interdependence. Seemingly unrelated impairments in a remote anatomical region may contribute to or be associated with the patient's primary complaint.
Altered Motor Control. “Necessary input, sufficiently processed, with an acceptable output.” Injury and pain can alter motor control. Previous injury is by far the strongest factor related to future injury. Pain alters motor control in a somewhat unpredictable manner and that it is most likely related to the task at hand. Depending on a given task, when pain is present, the system may increase or decrease muscle activation. Furthermore, injury can result in limited mobility which will reduce the sensory input, creating a situation where ideal motor control cannot be achieved. With mobility deficits managed first, the opportunity for ideal motor control exists, but is not guaranteed.
Neurodevelopmental Sequence. the neurodevelopmental progression has taught us that movement was developed in patterns and not in individual muscles. “Poor movement can exist anywhere in the body. Poor movement patterns exist only in the brain.”
Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) is a series of 7 full-body movement tests designed to assess fundamental patterns of movement such as bending and squatting in those with known musculoskeletal pain. When the clinical assessment is initiated from the perspective of the movement pattern, the clinician has the opportunity to identify meaningful impairments that may be seemingly unrelated to the main musculoskeletal complaint, but contribute to the associated disability. This concept, known as Regional Interdependence, is the hallmark of the SFMA.
The assessment guides the clinician to the most dysfunctional non-painful movement pattern, which is then assessed in detail. This approach is designed to complement the existing exam and serve as a model to efficiently integrate the concepts of posture, muscle balance, and the fundamental patterns of movement into musculoskeletal practice. By addressing the most dysfunctional non-painful pattern, the application of targeted interventions (manual therapy and therapeutic exercise) is not adversely affected by pain.
Our approach at ImPackt
Pain-free functional movement depends on adequate posture, range of motion, muscle performance, motor control, and balance reactions. Impairments in any of these can alter movement, cause pain, or make pain worse. SFMA integrates posture, muscle balance, and fundamental movement patterns into our musculoskeletal practice and gives us feedback on how well the therapeutic exercise program is working.
We run SFMA on nearly every patient as a starting point. If a dysfunctional pattern shows up, we build a corrective exercise program (and often manual therapy) to normalize mobility, functional strength, balance, and pain-free function. Contact us at our South Jordan center to schedule an SFMA.
