Functional movement screen proficiency of adolescent female volleyball players

Assessments and testing of young athletes often exclude the fundamental and functional movement capacity, which are critical for healthy motor development of adolescents. The aim of this study was to evaluate functional capacity of young female volleyball players and determine if participation in volleyball leads to development of movement dysfunctions. Two-hundred fifty-eight (258) adolescent female volleyball players (14.3 ± 1.7 yrs) underwent the functional movement screen. Person correlation showed no significant relationship between functional tests and playing experience, while age showed significant, but weak relationship with total functional score (r = 0.189; p < 0.005). Overall, 44% of participants scored less than 14. Paired sample t-tests show significant bilateral asymmetries in hurdle step, in-line lunge, and shoulder mobility tests. Functional movement screen was useful in identifying functional limitations and asymmetries in young female athletes. However, as neither age nor playing experience were strongly associated with functional score, more attention should be given to the qualitative movement assessment of individual tests, rather than the composite score.