Movement Screening: Understanding Your Body: The Key to Performance and Longevity

Whether you’re training for your next marathon, competing in sport, enjoying regular gym sessions or simply trying to stay active and healthy, understanding how your body moves is one of the most effective ways to reduce injury risk and optimise your health and performance.

At South Coast Rx Physiotherapy, we offer two comprehensive movement assessment pathways designed to help you move better, stay active and continue doing what you love:

Athletic Movement Screen

Designed for athletes and performance-focused individuals.

Health MOT

Designed for active adults looking to maintain their health, mobility and physical independence.

Whilst the goals may differ slightly, both assessments use the same comprehensive testing battery to provide valuable insights into how your body moves, where your strengths lie and which areas may benefit from targeted intervention.

Why Movement Screening Matters

Many injuries do not occur because of a single event. Instead, they often develop over time due to a combination of factors including:

• Reduced mobility
• Strength imbalances
• Poor movement control
• Training errors
• Reduced physical capacity

By identifying these factors early, we can help you make informed decisions about your training, exercise and rehabilitation before problems arise.

Our movement screening process provides an objective snapshot of your current physical function, allowing us to identify areas that may be limiting performance or increasing injury risk.

What Does the Assessment Involve?

Every movement screen lasts approximately 60 minutes and is completed by one of our experienced physiotherapists.

During the assessment, we evaluate:

Joint Mobility

Adequate mobility is essential for efficient movement and optimal performance.

We assess key joints throughout the body including:

• Ankles
• Hips
• Thoracic spine
• Shoulders

Limitations in mobility can influence movement patterns and may increase stress on other structures throughout the body.

Balance and Movement Control

The ability to control movement effectively is fundamental for both performance and injury prevention.

Our testing assesses:

• Single leg balance
• Dynamic stability
• Coordination
• Neuromuscular control

These qualities are particularly important for running, field sports, racket sports and everyday physical activity.

Unilateral Strength

Most sporting activities and many daily tasks occur predominantly on one leg at a time.

We assess:

• Single leg strength
• Side-to-side differences
• Lower limb control
• Functional strength capacity

Identifying significant asymmetries can help guide training and rehabilitation programmes.

Functional Movement Capacity

Your ability to produce and tolerate force is a key factor in both performance and resilience.

We assess a range of functional tasks to understand how your body performs under load and identify areas that may require further development.

Athletic Movement Screen

Designed For:

• Runners
• Triathletes
• Cyclists
• Team sport athletes
• CrossFit athletes
• Gym enthusiasts
• Youth athletes

The Athletic Movement Screen is designed to provide sport-specific insights into movement quality and physical performance.

Our physiotherapists will interpret your results within the context of your chosen sport, helping identify:

• Potential risk factors for injury
• Movement limitations
• Strength deficits
• Areas that may impact performance
• Opportunities to optimise training

The aim is not simply to identify weaknesses but to provide actionable recommendations that help you perform at your best.

Health MOT

Designed For:

• Active adults
• Recreational exercisers
• Walking and hiking enthusiasts
• Gym members
• Individuals looking to age well
• Anyone wanting to stay active and independent

The Health MOT focuses on maintaining long-term physical health and function.

As we age, maintaining strength, mobility and balance becomes increasingly important for preserving independence and reducing injury risk.

The Health MOT helps identify areas that may benefit from targeted intervention before they begin affecting your quality of life or ability to participate in the activities you enjoy.

Your Bespoke Report

Following your assessment, you will receive a comprehensive personalised report.

Your report includes:

Traffic Light Scoring System

🟢 Green

Areas performing well.

🟠 Amber

Areas with room for improvement.

🔴 Red

Priority areas that may benefit from intervention.

Detailed Results

A breakdown of each assessment area including:

• Mobility findings
• Strength findings
• Movement control findings
• Functional capacity findings

Individual Recommendations

Our clinicians provide practical recommendations based on your results and goals.

Bespoke Exercise Programme

Every client receives a personalised exercise programme designed to address the specific areas identified during testing.

These programmes are delivered through our exercise prescription platform and provide clear guidance on how to improve your results.

Who Should Consider Movement Screening?

Movement screening can benefit:

• Athletes returning from injury
• Individuals preparing for an event
• Runners increasing training volume
• People experiencing recurring niggles
• Active adults wanting to stay healthy
• Anyone interested in improving how they move

You do not need to be injured to benefit from testing.

Many of our clients use movement screening proactively to identify potential issues before they become significant problems.

Why Choose South Coast Rx Physiotherapy?

At South Coast Rx Physiotherapy, we combine clinical expertise with objective assessment to provide meaningful insights that can be applied directly to your training and lifestyle.

Our movement screening pathways are built around our commitment to:

• Evidence based practice
• Individualised care
• Active rehabilitation
• Long term health and performance

We do not simply provide results. We provide clear actions and practical solutions to help you move better and stay active.

Book Your Movement Screen

Whether you are an athlete looking to optimise performance or an active adult wanting to maintain long-term health, our movement screening services can help you understand your body and take control of your future health and performance.

Portsmouth Clinic

📍 University of Portsmouth Ravelin Sports Centre

Fareham Clinic

📍 Fareham Leisure Centre

Book Online

Visit scrx.co.uk to book your Athletic Movement Screen or Health MOT today.