SFMA
What is it?
The purpose of the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) is to allow the therapist to observe how muscles and joints move in relation to one another and make a determination of the best possible course of treatment which will restore the entire body back to full, pain-free mobility.
The SFMA begins with a top tier screen, which is a series of baseline movement patterns. Should any painful or dysfunctional movement be detected, the pattern is further broken down into its segments to determine the root cause of the faulty motion. Treatment of the altered movement patterns consists of three phases, known as “The Three R’s:”
- Reset-manual interventions completed by the therapist that helps the patient improve mobility or motor control with little or no active participation.
- Re-Enforce-the therapist discusses the means by which to enhance their rehabilitation. These discussions could include topics such as increased hydration, optimal sitting and sleeping positions, workout modifications, and bracing/splinting/kinesiotaping to create a feedback loop for the body.
- Reload-corrective exercises based on the results of the SFMA. This allows the body to learn the proper soft tissue and joint stresses required to complete a motion without relying on a dysfunctional movement pattern. Through repetition, the nervous and musculoskeletal systems assimilate these new, healthy movement patterns, and allow for the pain-free integration of more challenging movement activities.
(source: Selective Functional Movement Assessment Seminar Manual, version 15. Pages 187-188.)
A comprehensive physical therapy examination includes the SFMA as an important piece of restoring an active, healthy lifestyle for everyone from young athletes to senior adults. To experience how the Selective Functional Movement Assessment may help you move and perform at your best, Contact Us Today at Westport, CT Center to schedule your individualized evaluation and treatment plan creation.
