Each screen has a purpose, for example to assess mobility and stability somewhere in the body. It is important for the trainer to do these screens as often as possible, to as many different people as possible. There is no such thing as knowing "exactly" what the client needs to work on just by observing them doing one movement. You as the trainer must do hundreds of screens to start understanding movement patterns, as well as learn more about the interrelationships of these gross moves. It is recommended that the trainer take workshops such as Introduction to Reebok Reactive Neuromuscular Training (RNT) to understand more of movement screening.

It is not necessary for the client to warm up before doing these screens, as the goal is to assess movement patterns as the client does them normally. There is also no extra resistance that is being added to the client's body. If desired, a few minutes of full body movements is acceptable.

All of the screens are shown using a dowel. This is to give you an added line of vision as your client does the movement. A light bar or broomstick would work the same way. One of the screens uses tape, although the trainer is encouraged to be creative when doing the screens if necessary. It is our goal at Reebok University to have personal trainers also become more skilled at observing movements without additional tools.

Scoring the Screens

Reebok University has developed a simple tool with which to score the screens. Each screen gives you criteria that are necessary in order for the client to receive a score of 2. If you do not see your client achieving these criteria, then you score the screen a 1. You are encouraged to record your own notes regarding your observations. If the client reports pain and/or discomfort in any of the joints while doing the movements or holding the postures, you should score a 0 and re-evaluate the readiness of the client to do these or any movements and/or exercises before seeking medical attention. These screens should only be done after the client has already successfully completed traditional assessments and health history.

Organization

Cue the client to perform each of the screens up to three times relatively slowly. Observe to see if the client achieves the necessary criteria to score a 2. If not, the score should be 1. We have explained a thought process to evaluate what you may see during the movements. This is a condensed explanation of the most common compensations or observations when the client does not score a 2. If the screen requires both legs to move independently of each other, then each side should be scored separately. The lower score would be the total score for that screen, and you are encouraged to record any notes you may think apply. Corrective exercises and stretches are suggested to address the potential reasons you scored 2 instead of 1.

Corrective Exercises

Corrective exercises are designed to help the body learn a movement pattern. You can determine whether your client needs an exercise by how difficult the exercise is for him to perform. You can determine whether your client needs stretching by assessing the range of motion around the joint, and if the muscles stretching are too short, limiting the passive range of motion.

Annette Lang
Reebok University

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