Background/Purpose Little information exists regarding the fitness profiles of law-enforcement trainees prior-to- and following a required physical conditioning program at a state-funded academy. The Functional Movement Screen™ (FMS) has been purported to predict performance by assessing an individual's ability to complete 7 functional movement patterns which challenge mobility and stability. This study sought to describe the FMS profiles of deputy sheriff trainees prior-to- and following a prescribed physical-conditioning program.
Method Demographic and anthropometric data, as well as basic baseline fitness measures, were obtained from 20 deputy sheriff trainees (17 men, 3 women; average age 28.9 years; average BMI 28.4). Trainees completed the FMS protocol prior-to- and following a 10-week physical conditioning program that included aerobic (running), anaerobic (resistance training), and self-defense components.
Analysis/Results T-test analysis found no significant increase in total FMS score following the physical conditioning period (p = 0.33). Linear regression indicated a significant inverse association between BMI and FMS scoring both prior to- and following physical conditioning training (p = 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively). One-way ANOVA was used to investigate potential associations between change in BMI secondary to training and individual FMS scores prior-to- and following physical conditioning training. FMS score changes were not associated with BMI change due to training (p = 0.24).
Conclusions A conventional physical-conditioning program is ineffective at increasing FMS scoring in law-enforcement trainees. Consequently, the predictive value of FMS scoring is suspect. Further investigation is needed to evaluate the efficacy of physical conditioning programs at changing fitness levels.