FMA - Functional Movement Assessment

The FMA (Functional Movement Assessment) is a screening test to proactively determine strengths and weaknesses in movement patterns that could help to prevent injuries. This is a PROACTIVE strategy to identify deficiencies in strength, muscle imbalances, flexibility/ range of motion, balance, coordination and structural abnormalities and address those issues BEFORE they lead to an injury. This type of strategy is used heavily among the most elite athletes in every sport especially golf.

Dr. Thornell has been in practice since 1997 and attained his degree in Sports Injury in 1996 as well as the certification as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Over the past 20+ years he has helped countless athletes recover from injuries and, over the past 2 decades, has shifted his focus to preventing injuries whenever possible. The techniques and science within the FMA are the exact same as those used by elite athletes in the Olympics, the NFL, the UFC, Major League Baseball, the NBA, the NHL and the PGA. What elite athletes know, and the general public is learning slowly, is that it is much easier (and better) to prevent an injury than to try to recover from it.

The Assessment is an 8 part series of tests which are graded individually and collectively. We use the latest in digital inclinometry to measure range of motion and surface EMG to look at muscular imbalance and nerve function along with tried and true methods for assessing strength and flexibility of the core. The participant will receive an overall grade and a thorough strategic plan to improve their standing in all 8 areas which includes; many different types of stretching, strengthening, agility training, balance exercises and more. You will have all of the information necessary to be a PROACTIVE participant in your pursuit of health and mobility for golf, tennis, chasing your grand kids around or anything else you want to do.

FMA's take about 30 minutes to perform and the strategic plan will be prepared within 48 hours. The plan also takes about 30 minutes to go over and demonstrate fully. FMA's are performed in our office on Tuesday afternoons, Thursdays and evenings (all by appointment). You may schedule your FMA by texting your name and "FMA" to 508-873-5029. Dr. Thornell will contact you to set up the date and time.

The cost for the FMA exam and the FMA strategic plan appointment (combined) is $199. There is no insurance billing for this type of exam.

Though chiropractic care may be suggested as part of the FMA strategic plan it certainly isn't mandatory and any recommendations can be followed up with your existing chiropractor if you already have one (if you want to maximize functional movement you really should have a chiropractor anyway, but we'll talk about that later).

Like a set of car tires that get out of alignment, the effects may not be noticeable immediately, but down the road the tires will wear out faster than they should and eventually you will have a blow out. PROACTIVELY discovering and addressing muscle imbalances, structural anomalies, loss of flexibility and weaknesses can restore the functional movement patterns (realign the tire) before the abnormal wear and tear knocks you out of the game or off the golf course.

2015 Masters Tournament Winner, Jordan Spieth, Credits Chiropractic Care for Good Health and Peak Performance

On April 12, 2015, Jordan Spieth became the second youngest golfer to ever win the Masters Tournament. Spieth did it by tying the Masters record with 18 under par. After his win, Spieth thanked several people including his chiropractor.

The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress issued a release on May 4, 2015, with the headline above and and stated, "Following a record-breaking win at the 2015 Masters Tournament, 21-year-old Jordan Spieth recognized those who significantly contributed to his victory, including his doctor of chiropractic Troy Van Biezen, Dallas, Texas. Since the age of 14, Spieth has relied upon chiropractic care to prevent injuries as well as optimize overall health and athletic performance."

The Star Tribune reported in an article on April 13, 2015, that Spieth made a home video when he was just 14-years-old, stating that he would one day win the Masters. His boyhood proclamation would have to wait until he was 21 to become a reality.

In thanking his chiropractor, Spieth commented, "Dr. Van Biezen is an important member of my team and, thanks to his care, my all-time dream of winning the Masters Tournament has now become a reality." Dr. Van Biezen currently travels full-time with Spieth and several other professional golfers, providing chiropractic care as regularly as once or twice per day.

Dr. Van Biezen noted that 4 out of 5 golfers will experience some form of back pain from the repeated motion of the sport. Van Biezen commented on Spieth's determination to win the Masters, "Since a very young age, Jordan has aspired to win the Masters and has since applied great discipline to achieve this goal. Many athletes, and especially golfers, understand the significance to spinal and pelvic motion to functional performance."

"Jordan finds that an individualized chiropractic care plan including prevention and recovery-focused techniques is essential for maintaining good health and a competitive edge," stated Dr. Van Biezen. "Regular chiropractic care helps to alleviate back pain and greatly improve an athlete's game." Dr. Van Biezen, goes on to say "Back pain is the most common complaint among golfers, but isn't the only pain experienced. Neck, shoulder, elbow and hip pain are also common complaints among golfers of all ages. Regular chiropractic care offers an effective non-pharmacologic solution for golfers seeking to rid themselves of pain and properly prepare for a successful and enjoyable game."