How FMS and the Y-Balance Test Help Athletes Perform Better and Reduce Injury Risk

In today’s competitive sports environment, athletes are constantly searching for ways to gain an edge—whether that’s improved performance, greater durability, or staying healthy throughout the season. Strength, speed, and conditioning are essential, but how an athlete moves is just as important. The Move to Perform Program is built around this concept, using proven movement assessments like the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and the Y-Balance Test to help athletes move better, perform better, and reduce injury risk.

What Is the Functional Movement Screen (FMS)?

The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a standardized movement assessment that evaluates an athlete’s fundamental movement quality. Rather than testing how strong or fast an athlete is, FMS focuses on identifying limitations in mobility, stability, and coordination that may interfere with performance or increase the likelihood of injury.

Athletes are scored based on how efficiently and safely they move through a series of foundational patterns. These scores provide valuable insight into movement asymmetries and compensations that often go unnoticed during traditional training.

Why FMS Matters

Research and real-world application have shown that athletes with higher FMS scores tend to experience fewer injuries, particularly non-contact injuries. Poor movement patterns and asymmetries can place excessive stress on joints and tissues, especially under high training loads. By identifying these issues early, coaches and trainers can address them before they lead to breakdowns or time lost from sport.

Key benefits of FMS include:

• Identifying movement limitations and asymmetries

• Highlighting potential injury risk factors

• Guiding individualized warm-ups and corrective strategies

• Establishing a baseline to track movement improvements over time

The goal of FMS within the Move to Perform Program is not perfection—it’s awareness and improvement.

What Is the Y-Balance Test?

The Y-Balance Test is a dynamic balance assessment that evaluates an athlete’s ability to maintain stability and control on one leg while reaching in multiple directions. This test challenges strength, coordination, and neuromuscular control, all of which are critical in athletic performance.

The Y-Balance Test provides measurable data that allows coaches to compare side-to-side differences and identify balance deficits that may increase injury risk.

Why Balance and Single-Leg Control Are Critical

Most sports are played on one leg at a time—sprinting, jumping, cutting, and landing all require strong single-leg stability. Deficits in balance or significant asymmetries between limbs can increase stress on the ankle, knee, and hip, making athletes more susceptible to injury.

Athletes who demonstrate better balance and control tend to:

• Absorb force more efficiently

• Change direction more quickly

• Maintain better joint alignment under fatigue

• Reduce the risk of lower-body injuries

How FMS and Y-Balance Work Together

The strength of the Move to Perform Program lies in combining these two assessments.

• FMS identifies how well an athlete moves

• Y-Balance evaluates how well an athlete controls movement under dynamic conditions

Together, they create a comprehensive picture of an athlete’s movement health. This allows training programs to be customized to address individual needs rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Performance Gains Through Better Movement

Athletes who move efficiently often perform at a higher level. Improving mobility, stability, and balance can enhance:

• Speed and agility

• Power transfer

• Body control and coordination

• Overall movement confidence

Better movement doesn’t just reduce injury risk—it helps athletes unlock their full physical potential.

Reducing Injury Risk Before It Happens

One of the biggest advantages of the Move to Perform Program is its proactive approach to injury prevention. Instead of reacting to injuries after they occur, athletes address potential risk factors early through:

• Targeted mobility work

• Stability and core training

• Single-leg strength development

• Sport-specific movement preparation

Athletes with stronger movement foundations are better equipped to handle the physical demands of training and competition.

Final Thoughts

The Move to Perform Program is designed to help athletes build a stronger foundation through better movement. By utilizing tools like FMS and the Y-Balance Test, completed in our move to perform evaluation, athletes gain insight into how their bodies move, where improvements are needed, and how to train smarter.

Athletes who move well perform better—and those with higher-quality movement patterns and higher FMS scores are less likely to get injured. Investing in movement is an investment in performance, durability, and long-term athletic success.

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