Functional Mobility Assessment – Spice Health & Fitness

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Hi , these assessments are used to determine your starting functional level when starting any SpiceSTRONG program or our STRONG Zone Membership. It will determine your starting level (beginner, intermediate or advanced) along with setting a range of where you are within that level (high-mid-low). This will help to give a picture or timeline as to when you might transition to a higher workout level.
Additionally, ongoing assessments will determine the correct time to transition to a higher level, thereby avoiding progressing too soon and getting injured or disheartened with inability to complete workouts.

NOTE: The foundation for these assessments is the Gray Cook FMS Protocol. We have modified various aspects to better correlate with an older, in-active woman beginning a fitness journey, and self-assessing at home.

Hey , don’t rush the assessment, follow the video instructions carefully and get some family or friend support if needed.

Throughout each of the assessments you’ll be asked to score your attempt between zero and three. Note down your score for each assessment and when finished total them for a score out of 18. This total score establishes what your Starting Workout Functional Level (Beg, Int, Adv).

Score
0-6 Beginner
7-12 Intermediate
13-18 Advanced

Hey, if you scored below what you thought don’t be disheartened, with commitment to regular workouts you’ll begin to see improvement.

Access to a doorway, broom stick (handle only) or piece of equivalent dowel, masking tape, and two books (25mm or 1-inch thick).

Start your Assessment

Read Deep Squat Transcript

The Deep Squat assesses the mobility and stability of the hips, knees, and ankles.

HOW:
– Place tape on the floor 1 foot from the door frame.
– Keep the feet shoulder width apart, with toes touching the tape.
– Hold the rod on the shoulders
– Heels are flat on the floor
– Feet are parallel or slightly turned out, and not rotating
– Drop the hips below the knees while keeping the knees aimed over the feet.
– No part of the body or dowel touches the door frame.
– The upper body is straight with the chest up, hips below knees and knees aligned over the feet.

NOTE: If you can’t go down into a full squat, you may have some neuromuscular imbalances like tight calves, or even sore knees can impact on going into a full squat.

SCORE

3.
– CHEST & HEAD upright and can look ahead to horizon.
– HIPS dip below knees.
– KNEES aligned over feet.

2.
– UPPER BODY leans forward.
– HIPS won’t go below knees.
– DOWEL doesn’t touch doorway, or
– HEELS raised 25mm/1-inch enabling you to do all of 3 above.

1.
– DOWEL touches doorway.
– HIPS won’t go below knees.
– BALANCE lost and grab doorway.

0.
– If any PAIN with the movement.

NOTE: Perform the movement three times with the left leg going over the tape, then three times with the right leg going over tape.
To SCORE, record the points for the leg that recorded the LOWEST result.

Read Hurdle Step Transcript

The Hurdle Step assesses the bilateral mobility and stability of the hips, knees and ankles and feet, while also testing the flexibility of some upper body muscles. It will show any asymmetry as you step.

HOW:
-Place the dowel rod on the shoulders. Don’t hold the door frame.
-Place tape across the doorway at approximately the height of the bump (greater trochanter) below your knee cap.
-Stand behind the tape with Your toes directly under the tape and your feet TOGETHER.
-Take a foot over the tape, tap the floor with the heel, then take the foot back again. Don’t touch the tape with the moving foot.
-Hips, knees and ankles are aligned forward.
-The dowel is not dipping or touching the door frame.
-Minimal movement in the spine and no excessive upper body movement.

SCORE

3.
– STABLE hips, knees & ankles.
– MINIMAL MOVEMENT in upper body.
– DOWEL ROD not dipping or touching doorway.

2.
– ALIGNMENT LOST between hips knees & ankles.
– MOVEMENT in upper body.
– FOOT OVER TAPE a little unbalanced.
– DOWEL ROD is dipping.

1.
– CONTACT between foot and tape.
– BALANCE is lost.
– FOOT OVER TAPE can’t get foot over.

0.
– If any PAIN with the movement.

NOTE: Perform the movement three times with the left leg in front, then three times with the right leg in front.
To SCORE, record the points for the leg that recorded the LOWEST result.

Read Inline Lunge Transcript

The In-line Lunge assesses the hip mobility and stability, quadricep (thigh) flexibility and foot , ankle and knee stability on both sides of the body.

This assessment may be affected if you have poor balance or problems with you ankle, knees or hips.

HOW:
-Cut some tape to put across the floor in the centre of the doorway. the length of the tape should be the same as the distance from the floor to the bump below the kneecap (greater trochanter)
-The toes of the rear foot are on the back of the tape, and then the heel of the front foot goes on the front of the tape.
-Dowel on shoulders and Lower down until the knee of the back leg is touching the front of the tape.
-The front leg here is being assessed.

SCORE

3.
– DOWEL doesn’t touch door frame & stays horizontal.
– UPPER BODY remains stable, no sideways movement.
– KNEES rear knee touches tape & both knees stay facing forward.

2.
– DOWEL dips or touches door frame.
– FEET don’t remain upright and aligned.
– REAR KNEE doesn’t touch the tape.

1.
– BALANCE can’t be maintained so that you remain on tape.

0.
– If any PAIN with the movement.

NOTE: Perform the movement three times with the left leg being raised, then three times with the right leg being raised.
To SCORE, record the points for the leg that recorded the LOWEST result.

Read Straight Leg Raise Transcript

The Straight Leg Raise assesses the mobility and flexibility of the hamstrings and calves of the leg that is being raised, as well as the mobility of the hip extension of the leg on the floor. It is also looking at the stability of the pelvis while challenging the hamstring and calves.

HOW:
-Begin on your back with arms out to the side and palms up.
-Your head should be flat on the floor, but you can put a cushion under your head if you have curvature of the upper back.
-The middle of the thigh (between the hip and the knee) should be in the door frame.
-Lift your leg closest to the doorway.
-Keep the foot flexed and leg extended.
-Keep the other leg in contact with the floor.
-Head and arms shouldn’t move.

SCORE

3.
– ANKLE BONE clears front of doorway with straight leg.
– OTHER LEG remains on floor & extended with no flexing or lifting.

2.
– ANKLE BONE gets to doorway but doesn’t clear it with straight leg.
– OTHER LEG remains on floor & extended with no flexing or lifting.

1.
– ANKLE BONE doesn’t reach doorway & leg is is bent.
– OTHER LEG remains on floor but flexes at the knee.

0.
– If any PAIN with the movement.

NOTE: Perform the movement three times with Left Arm & Leg or Left Arm & Right Leg (depending on which you could do), then three times with Right Arm & Leg or Right Arm & Left Leg(depending on which you could do).
To SCORE, record the points for the leg that recorded the LOWEST result.

Read Rotary Stability Transcript

The Rotary Stability assess your mobility and stability while coordinating movement between the upper and lower extremities.

HOW:
-On hands and knees place knee at one end and hand at other
Movement 1
-Using arm & leg on same side at the same time.
-Extend fully out then return to touch knee to elbow, then fully out again.
Movement 2
-Using arm & leg on opposite side at the same time.
-Extend fully out then return to touch knee to elbow, then fully out again.

SCORE

3.
– HAND & LEG performed on same side.
– 15cm/1-inch above ground when fully extended.
– No touching the ground.
– Knee & elbow touch each other.

2.
– HAND & LEG performed on opposite side.
– 15cm/1-inch above ground when fully extended.
– No touching the ground.
– Knee & elbow touch each other.

1.
– HAND & LEG can’t perform movement with opposite sides and/or,
– Can’t maintain balance during movement and/or,
– Can’t touch knee to elbow.

0.
– If any PAIN with the movement.

Read Seated Rotation Transcript

The Seated Rotation assesses the upper trunk stability during rotation (twisting).

HOW:
-Sit on the floor cross legged and knees on the door frame
-With 1 foot each side of the door
-Hold the rod on the chest
-Touching the collar bone at all times.
-With a straight back.
-Twist to the side so the rod touches the door frame.

NOTE: If you can’t sit cross legged on the floor, sit with your feet together, or alternatively, sit on a chair with the back of the chair against the doorway.

SCORE

3.
– TWIST & DOWEL so dowel touches door frame remaining level & touching chest.
– BACK remains upright & straight.

2.
CHAIR
Can perform 3 above but only from chair as can’t get down to floor.
FLOOR
– DOWEL touches door frame.
– BACK isn’t upright & straight.
– DOWEL dips not remaining horizontal.

1.
CHAIR
– Can perform 2 above but only from chair as can’t get down to floor.
FLOOR
– DOWEL doesn’t touch door frame

0.
– If any PAIN with the movement.

Hey , how was the assessment? We’d love to hear your thoughts, drop a comment below.

Start your Assessment

Read Deep Squat Transcript

Read Hurdle Step Transcript

Read Inline Lunge Transcript

Read Straight Leg Raise Transcript

Read Rotary Stability Transcript

Read Seated Rotation Transcript

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