Musculoskeletal screening is a process whereby the sporting person is assessed using specific standardised tests and procedures to gain information on several areas of the patients physical make up. These components can be divided into roughly 4 categories:
- Joint ROM
- Flexibility
- Core Strength
- Functional Strength
The purpose of the screening is to highlight any previous injury and its effects on performance and conditioning, it also aims to highlight areas within the 4 categories above where the patient demonstrates inefficiency which could be a pre determining factor to injury. It is therefore very much a tool for improving physical health and performance, as well as a tool for injury prevention.
The screening is divided into 3: First we carry out a detailed questionnaire looking at your history of injuries in order to relate the screening to those areas. We will question your activities and sporting habits from the equipment you use to your preparation and cool down activities. Next we carry out the screening which will take between 30-45 minutes of mild to moderate exertion and finally we advise you on a set of exercises to help address any issues found during the screening process.
Anyone can receive a screening assessment, from amateur to professional sports people, to someone who has been injury prone or out of sport or activity for a period of time and wants to get back to sport safely.
Musculoskeletal screening is a safe effective way of assessing the body for areas that can be improved. So if you are trying to shave time off your PB on your bike, improve your marathon time or you want to return or take up a new sport, screening could benefit you.