Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA)

The Selective Functional Movement Assessment is a paradigm shift in the assessment and treatment of orthopedic conditions. The SFMA is a comprehensive movement assessment used to categorize movement patterns and direct manual therapy and therapeutic exercise choices. 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 contributes to the associated disability. This concept, known as Regional Interdependence, is the hallmark of the SFMA.

The selective functional movement assessment consists of seven full body movements. These are fundamental movements of life, such as bending forward and squatting. When a non-painful dysfunctional movement is found, the clinician breaks down the movement into segment parts and addresses them separately. After the intervention, manual therapy (massage), manipulation, mobilization, exercise or drill, the clinician reassess the progress of the movement.