title: High prevalence of dysfunctional, asymmetrical, and painful movement in elite junior Australian Football players assessed using the Functional Movement Screen.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of dysfunctional, asymmetrical, and painful movement in junior Australian Football players using the Functional Movement Screen (FMS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Elite junior male Australian Football players (n=301) aged 15-18 years completed pre-season FMS testing. The FMS consists of 7 sub-tests: deep squat, hurdle step, in-line lunge, shoulder mobility, active straight leg raise, trunk stability push-up (TSPU) and rotary stability. The shoulder mobility, TSPU, and rotary stability tests were combined with an accompanying clearing test to assess pain. Each sub-test was scored on an ordinal scale from 0 to 3 and summed to give a composite score out of 21. Composite scores ≤14 were operationally defined as indicating dysfunctional movement. Players scoring differently on left and right sides were considered asymmetrical. Players reported whether they missed any games due to injury in the preceding 22 game season.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty percent of players (n=182) had composite scores ≤14, 65% of players (n=196) had at least one asymmetrical sub-test, and 38% of players (n=113) had at least one painful sub-test. Forty-two percent of players (n=126) missed at least one game in the previous season due to injury. Previous injury did not influence composite score (p=0.951) or asymmetry (p=0.629). Players reporting an injury during the previous season were more likely to experience pain during FMS testing (odds ratio 1.97, 95% confidence interval 1.23-3.18; p=0.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Junior Australian Football players demonstrate a high prevalence of dysfunctional, asymmetrical, and painful movement during FMS testing.
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Australia. Electronic address: joel.fuller@mymail.unisa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Joel T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Australia; Sport and Exercise Science, School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Australia.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chalmers
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Debenedictis
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Townsley
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lynagh
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Cara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gleeson
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zacharia
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thomson
authors.affiliation: Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Sansom Institute for Health Research, University of South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magarey
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005538:Football; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D000067009:Youth Sports / Q000293:injuries*
keywords: Adolescent; Athletic injuries; Exercise test; Injury prevention; Risk factors