What is Functional Movement?
In the world of fitness, rehabilitation, and physical health, the term "functional movement" is frequently used—but what does it mean?
Functional movement refers to the natural, efficient patterns of motion that your body uses to perform everyday activities, from walking and bending to lifting and climbing. It’s the foundation for how we move in the world and how we interact with our environment.
Said differently, functional movements are movements based on real-world situational biomechanics. They usually involve multi-planar, multi-joint movements which place a demand on the body’s core musculature and neurological innervation.
These specific movement patterns can be professionally assessed in a standardized way that informs individually prescribed corrective exercises patients can then implement to address their dysfunctional movement patterns and improve their performance, decrease their risk of future injury, and eliminate nagging chronic pain.
Why Does Functional Movement Matter?
Functional movement exercises are ideal for maintaining mobility, preventing injuries, and optimizing performance in both daily life and athletic endeavors. When our bodies move as they’re designed to—using the right muscles, joints, and coordination—it minimizes strain and maximizes efficiency. However, previous injuries and modern lifestyles, which often involve long periods of sitting and repetitive movements, can disrupt these natural patterns.
Over time, this can lead to poor posture, muscle imbalances, joint pain, and even chronic injuries. By understanding and improving functional movement, we can restore balance, improve performance, and enhance overall well-being.
Characteristics of Functional Movement - Functional movement involves:
Multiple Muscle Groups and Joints: Functional movements engage multiple areas of the body, working in harmony. For example, squatting involves the spine, hips, knees, ankles, and core.
Real-Life Application: These movements mimic everyday actions like lifting a bag of groceries, climbing stairs, or getting out of a chair.
Core Stability: A strong and stable core is central to functional movement, providing the foundation for efficient and safe motion.
Balance and Coordination: Functional movement tests and improves your ability to maintain control and stability as you perform tasks.
Assessing Functional Movement
A key way to evaluate functional movement is through a Functional Movement Screen (FMS). This professional assessment added to a physical examination helps identify movement deficiencies, imbalances, and areas of weakness or tightness. A common example is the overhead deep squat test, which reveals issues in mobility, stability, or strength along the entire kinetic chain, rather than solely relying on limited joint-specific orthopedic tests - which are great for isolating regional and localized conditions, but provide almost no predictive value in global whole-body movement quality.
Examples of Functional Movements:
Squats: Mimic sitting and standing and strengthen the legs and core.
Lunges: Help with balance, stability, and the strength needed for walking and climbing.
Push-Ups: Engage the upper body and core, simulating the motion of pushing or bracing.
Pulling Movements: Such as rows, which replicate actions like pulling open a door or lifting something heavy.
Rotational Movements: Twisting motions, like those used in sports or turning to grab something from behind you, are also functional.
Improving Functional Movement
Functional movement training focuses on exercises that enhance strength, mobility, stability, and coordination in a way that translates to real-life activities. Techniques may include:
Corrective Exercises: Target specific weaknesses or imbalances.
Mobility Work: Stretching and flexibility exercises to improve joint range of motion.
Strength Training: Functional strength exercises like deadlifts, kettlebell swings, or resistance band drills.
Dynamic Movements: Activities like yoga, Pilates, or functional fitness workouts to build strength and mobility simultaneously.
Functional movement is about more than fitness—it’s about fostering a body that moves well, feels good, and can handle the demands of life with ease. Whether you’re an athlete striving for peak performance or someone looking to prevent or treat an injury and maintain independence as you age, focusing on functional movement can transform how you move through the world. By assessing and improving your movement patterns, you’ll not only enhance your physical performance but also build a stronger, more resilient body for the long term.
