SFMA key terms

A clinical movement screen for people in pain that scores whole-body movement patterns as functional or dysfunctional and painful or non-painful, then guides targeted breakouts to locate the underlying impairment.

One of the ten full-body movements (cervical, upper extremity, multi-segmental flexion and extension, single-leg stance, squat, and rotary patterns) scored first before any regional breakdown is performed.

A top-tier score meaning the movement meets the stated criteria without provocation of symptoms; FN patterns require no further breakout and are simply maintained.

A score applied when the pattern fails to meet movement criteria but the client reports no pain; DN findings are the primary target for corrective exercise and motor control retraining.

A score given when the movement meets criteria yet reproduces the client's pain, signaling that load or range is provoking symptoms even though mobility and control appear adequate.

The most significant score: the pattern both fails movement criteria and reproduces pain, prompting immediate breakout to identify the painful component and guide referral or treatment decisions.

A structured sequence of partial or single-joint tests performed after a dysfunctional top-tier score to isolate which region, segment, or tissue limits the full pattern.

A top-tier pattern requiring even spinal flexion plus hip and ankle mobility; breakouts separate hip flexion limitation from thoracolumbar or posterior-chain restriction.

A top-tier pattern testing full-body extension with hip extension and thoracic mobility; breakouts distinguish limited hip extension, lumbar extension, and shoulder flexion contributions.

The foundational whole-body movements (squat, bend, push, pull, rotate, gait) that the screen decomposes; each top-tier test maps back to one or more of these patterns.

A reasoning approach that classifies each joint as primarily mobility- or stability-demanding, so findings are interpreted as predictable compensations up and down the chain rather than isolated faults.

The principle that seemingly unrelated impairments in one region can alter movement elsewhere, which justifies screening the whole body before treating a symptomatic area.

The explicit standard a top-tier pattern must satisfy, such as touching toes with knees straight or keeping heels down in the deep squat, which determines functional versus dysfunctional scoring.

Reproduction of the client's familiar symptoms during a test; it drives the painful designation and takes priority over movement quality in clinical decision-making.

The pattern of symptom onset, duration, and response to load or position that helps the clinician distinguish a mechanical movement problem from a condition needing medical referral.

Red-flag findings such as night pain, progressive neurological signs, unexplained weight loss, or symptoms unresponsive to conservative care that warrant sending the client to another provider.

A clinical indicator suggesting serious pathology or a non-musculoskeletal cause, which suspends corrective programming and triggers prompt medical or specialist referral.

A programming grid that pairs four movement categories (flexion, extension, rotation, and a fourth such as squat or single-leg) with four treatment columns, from mobility to static motor control to dynamic control to full-pattern loading.

A sequenced plan that first addresses mobility restrictions, then stability and motor control deficits, and finally integrates the corrected movement into loaded functional patterns.

A prioritization rule holding that restricted range is addressed before stability training, because control cannot be trained through a joint that cannot reach the needed position.

Low-load, high-repetition practice that teaches the nervous system to recruit the right muscles in the right sequence, typically before adding resistance or speed.

The process by which repeated, variable practice produces lasting changes in movement coordination, influenced by feedback type, practice structure, and the stage of skill acquisition.

Rehearsing a whole functional pattern with cueing and feedback so that a corrected movement becomes automatic and transfers to daily or sport activity.

Directing the client's attention to the effect of the movement on the environment rather than to body parts, which generally improves automaticity and retention of the retrained pattern.

Information the client receives from their own senses during a movement, used to build self-monitoring before external cueing is faded.

Cueing or information supplied by the clinician, such as verbal cues or video, that is gradually reduced so the client does not become dependent on it.

A top-tier test of bilateral, symmetrical squatting with heels down and arms overhead, reflecting combined ankle, hip, and thoracic mobility plus core control; breakouts separate the limiting region.

A top-tier test of standing on one leg for a set time with a stable pelvis; it reveals hip stability, frontal-plane control, and balance deficits requiring breakout of the stance limb.

A top-tier test of cervical flexion, extension, rotation, and side bending, scored for range and symptom reproduction; breakouts examine upper cervical and thoracic contributions.

A top-tier test combining shoulder flexion, abduction, and rotation with scapular motion, used to screen overhead function and identify thoracic or glenohumeral limitations.

A top-tier test of seated or standing trunk rotation that assesses thoracic and lumbar rotation plus hip contribution, with breakouts isolating each segment.

A left-versus-right difference in a top-tier pattern or breakout test; it is treated as a meaningful finding even when both sides are technically functional.

Repeating the same top-tier and breakout tests after an intervention interval to compare scores and confirm whether the corrective plan changed the movement.

Systematic recording of scores, symptom reports, and functional measures across visits so progress, plateaus, and the need to change the plan are visible.

Written recording of each pattern's score, breakout findings, symptoms, and the resulting plan, using consistent notation so another clinician can interpret and reproduce the assessment.

The iterative decision process that links assessment findings to hypotheses, treatment choices, and reassessment, rather than applying a fixed protocol to every client.

A test interpreted by whether it reproduces or relieves symptoms; the response refines the hypothesis about which structure or movement strategy is involved.