Looking to improve performance? Want to learn which exercises can help you move better? Don’t treat the pain, find the source with FMS and YBT. Functional Movement Screen and Y Balance Tests are our state-of-art Movement Screening Systems. They are like an X-Ray into all your muscle weaknesses. If there is an imbalance – we’ll find it and show you how to fix it.
What is the Y Balance Test?
It is a functional screen that measures the mobility and stability of your hips and shoulders. The YBT helps find muscular areas of weakness so that they can be targeted with functional range conditioning and corrective exercise.
What is the Functional Movement Screen?
The FMS test mobility and stability across seven principle movement patterns. The FMS helps determine what mobility and corrective exercises one should do.
Why the FMS YBT?
If you want to get strong, you need to work on your weaknesses. Simple as that. But what if you don’t know what your weaknesses are? Or you don’t know why you aren’t good at pullups or overheads? Or why you get pain from running?
The YBT and FMS provide the what and the why. Your mobility instructor at Sand and Steel takes that information and determines which stretches, mobilizations, and corrective exercises will be most effective for improving those weaknesses.
The FMS / Y Balance Test
- Like a Crystal Ball to Prevent Future Injuries
- Correct and improve movement exercise movement patterns
- Learn why you are getting injured, and how to stop it
- Build Tank-like Durability for any Sport
- Unlock your Maximum Fitness Potential
Don’t Leave Injuries to Chance.
- Overhead Shoulder Mobility
- Squat Technique
- Pushup-Technique
- Inline- Lunge Technique
- Hurdle Step
Find Weak Patterns and Strengthen with Custom Corrective Exercises
- Shoulder Internal External rotation
- Groin and Glute Activation
- Core Recruitment
- Transverse Abdominal Recruitment
- Hamstring and Lumbar Mobility
Download the Official Y-Balance Test and FMS Scoring Report
The Y Balance YBT FMS Paper
The FMS / Y-Balance Screen is our state-of-art Movement Screening System. It’s like a X-Ray into all your muscle weaknesses — if there is in imbalance – we’ll find it and show you how to fix it.
With this one hour test you’ll have a full analysis of your movement patterns including areas that are functioning well, and areas that are not. You’ll also learn how to correct the areas where you have poor mobility, range of motion, nueromuscular control, and/or strength. If you’ve been injured, we can use this screen to assess damage. Even if you don’t have any injuries, this screen can help predict risk of injury.
Case Study #1: Nick Jamison – Functional Movement Screen
- Inline Lunge (Right and Left)
- Trunk Stability Pushup
- LQ L/R Legs Overall Score
- Deep Squat
- Hurdle Step
- Active Straight Leg
- UQ L/R Arms Overall Score
- YBT LQ Post Medial L/R
- YBT UQ Post Medial L/R
Interpreting the results of the FMS/YBT screen. Starting from the first assessment we can issues with ankle mobility. While performing the test, the client was unable to hit depth in the squat without support of the ankles from the fms board. As we look at the Hurdle step test, we do see an issue with the right hip having less motor control than the left. The shoulder mobility showed lack of flexibility and range of motion in both arms. On both the left and the right arm, the range with range more than 1.5x the length of the hand. As we observe the rotary stability we can also see an issue with motor control with the right hip and transverse abdominus. This correlates with previous testing in the hurdle step test. Looking at the results of the ankle clearance assessment, we see poor range of motion on both feet with significant asymmetry on the right side. The lack of mobility in this joint is undoubtedly the source of the asymmetries with the right hip and stabilization. The Y Balance Test shows a similar imbalance pertaining to the right hip particularly in the posteromedial position. The movement requires a large amount of motor control and stability in the ankle and hip. The Upper Quadrant of the YBT shows less variation between left and right arm. Both arms can benefit from mobility as seen in the FMS shoulder mobility screen. The external rotation of both arms is limited.
Based on the analysis of both tests, we can determine that both ankles show a significant imbalance in range of motion. The imbalance in the hips are a result of the lack of mobility of the right ankle. The range of motion in the shoulders would be the next pattern to attend to.
Corrective Exercise Strategy
Based upon the results the FMS and YBT, The following exercises have been chosen to improve movement quality:
- Inline Halo Lunge – core, hip, and glute motor control
- 3 point lunge – glute stability through sagital and transverse planes of motion
- Theraband clams – glute medius activation and strength
- Plank with 1 arm moving valslide circles – transverse abdominus, hip, and shoulder stability in anterior, post medial and lateral motions
Case Study #2: Jim Stepanski – Functional Movement Screen – FMS YBT
- Deep Squat
- Hurdle Step
- Inline Lunge
- Shoulder Mobility
- Active Straight Leg Raise
- Trunk Stability Pushup
- Rotary Stability L/R
- YBT LQ Post Medial L/R
- YBT UQ Post Medial L/R
Corrective Exercise Strategy
Based upon the results the FMS and YBT, The following exercises have been chosen to improve movement quality:
- Inline Halo Lunge – core, hip, and glute motor control
- 3 point lunge – glute stability through sagital and transverse planes of motion
- Theraband clams – glute medius activation and strength
- Plank with 1 arm moving valslide circles – transverse abdominus, hip, and shoulder stability in anterior, post medial and lateral motions
Case Study #3: Samantha Smith
- Active Straight Leg Raise
- Hurdle Step
- Rotary Stability
- Deep Squat
- Shoulder Mobility
- Inline Lunge
- Trunk Stability
Corrective Exercise Strategy
This case study was unique due to the client’s acute shoulder injury. Overhead movements, external rotation, flexion and tension on the shoulder was not possible due to pain in the shoulder capsule. In cases of pain during any testing, clients are instructed to seek a medical evaluation as soon as possible. The following exercises do not require use of the shoulder:
- Inline Halo Lunge – core, hip, and glute motor control
- 3 point lunge – glute stability through sagital and transverse planes of motion
- Banded Glute Walk – Glute strength and stability
Case Study #4: Dwayne Samson
Corrective Exercise Strategy
This case study was unique due to the clients lack of motor control. Majority of the assessment showed below average body awareness and poor flexibility. The following exercises are recommended to enhance movement quality:
- Deep Squat
- Hurdle Step
- Inline Lunge
- Shoulder Mobility
- Active Straight Leg Raise
- Strunk Stability Pushup
- YBT Overall Score LQ
- YBT Overall Score UQ
- Rotary Stability
- Ankle Range of Motion
- FMT Bird Dogs – Core activation and rotary stability
- FMT Leg Lowers – Core activation and pelvic control
- Banded deadbugs – core, hip flexor, arm and leg motor control
- thoracic rotation and extension – restore mobility and normal resting length of the thoracic spine
- banded W’s – improve shoulder external rotation
Functional Movement Systems Wrap Up
The FMS and YBT serve as excellent assessments for evaluating faulty movement patterns, potentials for injury, current injuries and their effect on other joints in the body. The results of both tests can provide a foundation on which we establish corrective exercise strategies to change and improve movement quality.