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If you’ve been following this site for any period of time you’ll know that I’m a big fan of Gray Cook’s concepts.  I’ve been using the functional movement screen (FMS) since 2006 and even wrote a big research review of the available research for the screen that you can find HERE:

That being said, I’ve been waiting to take the medical professional version of the FMS known as the selective functional movement assessment (SFMA) for the past 5 years or so.  The SFMA is meant to serve as a diagnostic tool used by medical professionals to find faulty movement and better direct treatments.

I’ve been finding a bit of controversy about the SFMA online lately and I’m glad that people are challenging the system.  I think it is important to stay critical but also to stay open minded to new ideas as they emerge.  Most of the comments I read have been based in a lack of understanding for what the SFMA truly represents and was created for.   I wanted to create this review to shed some light on the system as well as to give some honest feedback about my experience.

For the past few weeks I’ve been able to apply the SFMA in my clinical practice and I feel like I’m really getting benefit from it.   Here are some positives and negatives I’ve taken away from the SFMA and also how the system has helped my clinical practice as a new physical therapist.

The Pros:

1) A more in depth and systematic way to find biomechanical faults and quickly apply specific interventions

• The SFMA presents a great way to make sure you dot all of your i’s and cross all of your t’s with your initial evaluation.  We aren’t going in and guessing what might be wrong, we’re …read more
  

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Generally, research does not support the effectiveness of stretching exercises for pain.  However, the neck is a bit of an exception.  When it comes to neck pain, there is some high quality research (randomized controlled trials) to support stretching as an intervention (1).

In one study, stretching as part of a home program 5 times per week improved pain equally as well as osteopathic doctor mobilization with massage twice per week (2).  

This opened my eyes a bit as a clinician and has brought me back to stretching for those with neck pain.  I’ve made a video of a few easy stretching exercises given to my patients as a home exercise program after the initial evaluation.

Of course a few basic stretches in no way replaces a full evaluation by a knowledgeable professional but these stretches are an easy way to give your patients some relief on their own that might actually end up decreasing their pain as much as mobilization would.   Feel free to send this video to your patients or try it yourself then let me know what you think!

And no, I don’t have normal range of motion in my neck, not by a long shot,

Dan Pope, PT, DPT, CSCS

P.S. If you enjoyed this glorious video and want to stay up to date with the next wave of awesome then sign up for the newsletter on the top right hand side of the page and become enlightened!

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