BACKGROUND: Pain during Functional Movement Screen (FMS) testing is common and has a significant effect on FMS scoring but the effect on FMS injury risk predictions is unknown.
OBJECTIVES: Describe the location and severity of pain during FMS testing in junior Australian football players and investigate its effect on FMS composite score (CS) and injury risk.
METHODS: Junior male Australian football players (n=439) completed pre-season FMS testing. Pain location and 0-10 numerical pain rating scale (NPRS) severity were assessed for painful sub-tests. FMS CS was calculated using three scoring approaches: CStraditional scored all painful sub-tests zero, CSmoderate scored painful sub-tests zero if NPRS >4, and CSraw did not adjust painful sub-test scores. Players were monitored throughout the competitive season and considered injured if ≥1 match was missed due to injury.
RESULTS: 170 players reported pain during FMS testing. Pain scoring approach affected mean CS (CSraw: 14.9 > CSmoderate: 14.5 > CStraditional: 13.6; P<0.001). Sixty-eight percent of pain was mildly severe (NPRS ≤5). Back pain (50%) was more common than upper (24%) or lower (26%) limb pain (P<0.001). Upper limb pain caused a small increase in injury risk (Hazard ratio: 1.59; P=0.023). No other FMS pain location nor pain severity influenced injury risk (P>0.280). FMS CS was not associated with injury risk, regardless of pain scoring approach (P>0.500).
CONCLUSION: Pain is common during FMS testing in junior Australian football and has a notable effect on FMS CS, but minimal effect on subsequent injury risk. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, Epub 17 Sep 2019. doi:10.2519/jospt.2020.9168.