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The BioMechanics Method movement analysis process

This is an excerpt from BioMechanics Method for Corrective Exercise-2nd Edition, The by Justin Price.

The Typical Approach to Movement Assessments

It is customary for traditional movement assessments in the fitness, exercise, and health industry to focus on analyzing full-body movements like walking, squatting, lunging, bending, and balancing to evaluate a client’s ability to move (National Academy of Sports Medicine 2023; American Council on Exercise 2023; Clark and Lucett 2011). However, evaluating these full-body, dynamic movements is extremely challenging because it necessitates making many objective calculations about multiple factors in a hurried state (i.e., at the pace the movement is performed). The complex nature of full-body movements means you must not only evaluate a client’s quality of movement during the assessment but also the function of muscles involved in the movement; the level of neuromuscular coordination (including balance); body alignment; and how the presence of pain, injuries, or surgeries affects the observed movement (National Academy of Sports Medicine 2023; American Council on Exercise 2023; Clark and Lucett 2011). Understandably, these traditional types of movement assessments can produce feelings of nervousness and apprehension at the prospect of conducting them with clients.

Participating in full-body movement assessments often confuses clients as to exactly what is being assessed and for what purpose. This creates anxiety, compelling the client to simply trust the professional’s final word and remove themself from getting involved in the process. Reinforcing roles in which the client is subordinate to the professional’s authority decreases client confidence and program adherence, ultimately leading to program dropout (Tyler et al. 1999; Williams 1993).

A Fresh Take on Analyzing Movement

The BioMechanics Method movement analysis process is designed to overcome some of the inherent challenges associated with traditional full-body movement assessments by breaking down fundamental movement patterns into their individual intrinsic parts where common impairments can easily be observed.

The seven fundamental movement patterns required to function optimally and lead an active life are as follows:

1. Gait
2. Squatting
3. Lunging
4. Bending
5. Twisting
6. Pushing
7. Pulling (Chek 2011)

Appreciating the many elements involved in these fundamental movement patterns helps improve your ability to analyze movement and identify common movement impairments more effectively.

Gait, Squatting, Lunging, and Bending Movements

Gait movements (which include walking, jogging, and running) require mobility of the feet and ankles, knees, hips, spine and shoulders, and neck and head to help the body maintain balance and stability against increased gravity and ground reaction forces as weight is transferred forward and from side to side with each step (Price 2018). Similarly, during lunging, squatting, and bending movements, the body must remain balanced in response to the increased stress of gravity and ground reaction forces as the torso leans forward (or to the side) as the hips, knees, and ankles flex (Knudson 2007; Magee et al. 2007).

Twisting Movements

Functional movements often require key areas of the body to rotate or twist effectively so other parts do not have to compensate to help keep the body balanced and upright against gravity and ground reaction forces (McGinnis 2013). For example, gait requires the hips to rotate in one direction while the spine rotates in the other direction so weight can be transferred from foot to foot without excessive side-to-side swaying of the torso and head (Price 2018).

Pushing and Pulling Movements

Most everyday pushing and pulling movements involve interaction with an external object via the arms (e.g., vacuuming, pulling a suitcase, pushing a shopping cart) and are extensions of other full-body movements (i.e., gait, lunging, squatting, bending, twisting). Most functional-based gym exercises, such as deadlifts or rowing, and movements required for sports like wrestling, boxing, and shotput fit the same criteria. The increased load experienced during such pushing and pulling movements also requires more stabilization of the body as the hands (via the arms and shoulders) reach away from the center of mass to interact with the object (Chaffin 2006).

The fundamental movement patterns just described are possible because of smaller intrinsic movements that must work correctly both individually and together in order to achieve the desired movement. These intrinsic movements connect and coordinate body parts above and below, displace gravity and ground reaction forces, accelerate and decelerate movement, and provide stability and balance.

Musculoskeletal imbalances, postural habits, environmental stressors, occupation, hobbies, injuries, surgeries, and activities of daily living can impair many of these intrinsic movements. The most commonly impaired movements include:

• Dorsiflexion with a bent knee
• Dorsiflexion with a straight knee
• Knee flexion
• Knee extension
• Non-weight bearing hip flexion
• Hip extension
• Internal hip rotation
• Weight-bearing hip flexion
• Spine rotation
• Shoulder flexion
• Internal rotation of shoulder
• Neck rotation
• Neck side flexion

In the chapters that follow, you learn how to analyze these individual intrinsic movements to help you more successfully detect issues that may affect a client’s ability to move correctly during gait, squatting, lunging, bending, twisting, pushing, and pulling movements. Step-by-step movement analysis procedures for the feet and ankles, knees, hips, spine and shoulders, and neck and head are provided to enable you to identify common movement impairments in these key areas that can cause pain, lead to injury, and affect the body’s ability to function effectively. The process is easy to implement and designed in such a way that both the professional and client are confident and engaged.

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