ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the reasons for screening and assessing movement capacity, including its association to muscle function and injury risk. Abnormalities in movement capacity present through altered movement patterns, often in association with muscular dysfunction and poor control of the neuromuscular system. Altered movement patterns may significantly impact joint loading within the kinetic chain. A number of tools exist to screen and assess movement capacity. A systematic review by R McCunn and co-workers has identified ten tools in the literature, each suggesting a valid measure of movement quality, and each using a number of different measures to assess 'fundamental' movement patterns. The chapter presents the context of the changing health status of the population and the need for exercise prescription to address increasingly sedentary lifestyles. It describes a range of movement assessment tools, as well as practical tasks provided for the development and improvement of movement assessment skills.
