Feasibility and reliability of the Functional Movement Screen battery in adults with intellectual disability.
The FMS can be scored reliably in adults with ID, yet clinicians should expect lower scores and completion challenges in moderate/severe cases and should not use it for injury-risk screening.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team gave the seven-move Functional Movement Screen to adults with intellectual disability.
They watched how many people could finish every test and how often two raters gave the same score.
What they found
Most adults could do the screen and the scores were fairly consistent between raters.
People with moderate or severe ID had lower scores and needed more help to finish.
The screen did not show who might get hurt later.
How this fits with other research
Johnson et al. (2009) also found good test-retest numbers when they measured body size in adults with severe ID.
Oppewal et al. (2013) showed the Berg Balance Scale is usable too, so motor screens can work in this group.
Dijkhuizen et al. (2017) looked like a contradiction: they said the modified Berg Balance Scale had low validity.
The difference is their sample also had visual disabilities, which makes balance scores drop and validity harder to show.
Why it matters
You can use the FMS to track basic movement skills in adults with ID, but expect lower scores and plan extra prompts.
Do not rely on it to predict injury risk; use it only as a simple snapshot of current movement quality.
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Try the FMS with one adult client—give extra demonstrations and record if they need physical prompts to finish each move.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: The feasibility and reliability of the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) battery for predicting injury risk have been widely studied in athletic, military, public service and healthy populations. However, scant research has been carried out in people with disabilities. This study aimed at identifying the feasibility and reliability of the FMS battery when administered to adults with intellectual disability (ID). METHODS: Adults from a residential and day care centre over 18 years of age, diagnosed with ID and able to follow simple instructions, were included in the study. All participants with behavioural or health problems that prevented the completion of the FMS battery were excluded. All exercises were video recorded to assure proper scoring. Three assessors (one trained and two novices) scored each of the FMS subtests performed separately from the videos. Feasibility was based on completion rates. Reliability of the composite test scores was analysed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). RESULTS: A total of 30 people with ID (mean age: 35.5 ± 7.12 years; 33.3% women) completed all assessments. The battery showed to be feasible, although difficulties when performing two of the subtests were observed among those with moderate and severe ID. Mean total scores from the three assessors ranged from 7.83 to 8.90. An inverse trend was observed indicating that the higher the ID level, the lower the total FMS score. Test-retest reliability was good for the trained assessor (ICC = 0.89) and mostly moderate for both novice assessors (ICC range: 0.60 to 0.76). Moderate to good inter-rater reliability was observed (ICC range: 0.65 to 0.80). CONCLUSION: The FMS battery is a reliable tool that can be performed by people with ID, albeit with certain difficulties, especially in those with moderate to severe impairment. The battery does not seem to be useful for identifying people with ID at risk of suffering a sport injury. Adequately powered, well-designed studies are required to determine if the FMS battery is appropriate for identifying changes in functional performance in this population.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2022 · doi:10.1111/jir.12916