FMS - Level 1 |Latest Updated 2025/2026 (Graded A+)
What are the 6 anatomical landmarks you need to identify? ✔️ASIS (anterior superior iliac spine), mid-patella, tibial tuberosity, lateral / medial
malleolus, distal wrist crease
How many attempts for each test? ✔️3
What are the 7 tests? ✔️Deep squat (DS), Hurdle step (HS), Inline lunge (IL), Shoulder mobility (SM), Active straight leg raise (ASLR), Trunk
stability push-up (TSPU), and rotary stability (RS)
is a warm up required? ✔️No, no prior warm-up or prep is allowed. Important to see natural state of movement
Why the DS screen? ✔️- shows symmetrical movement in full range of motion in ankles, knees, and hips
- maintaining overhead position shows if they can have full access to lower body mobility without robbing movement from upper body
DS set up ✔️- shoulder width apart (inside edge of foot inline with crease of armpit)
- toes forward, no later outturn
- place dowel on top of head, elbows at 90 degrees then press up overhead
- heels on floor, head and chest forward, dowel maximally pressed OH
- squat as deeply as possible
DS - score: 3 ✔️- torso parallel with tibia / toward vertical
- femur below horizontal
- knees don't cave in / track inside of feet
- dowel aligned over feet
DS - score: 2 ✔️- torso parallel with tibia
- femur below horizontal
- knees don't cave in
- dowel aligned over feet
- heels are elevated
DS - score: 1 ✔️- tibia and torso NOT parallel
- femur NOT below horizontal
- knees track inside of feet
- dowel NOT aligned over feet
Why the HS screen? ✔️- DL to SL pattern (walking, locomotive mech)
- control of center of mass w/ changing base of support
- SLS challenged by dynamic stepping motion
- express mobility and ROM with stepping leg / stability of stance leg
- step over string = time demand
HS set up ✔️- measure tibial tuberosity and set string to this height
- stand with feet together, toes touching base
- dowel on top of head, elbows at 90 degrees then lower dowel to base of neck
, - maintain upright torso
- raise testing leg (ie. testing right = right leg lifts) and step over hurdle
- DF foot, maintain foot alignment with ankle, knee, and hip
- touch floor with heel and return to beginning position
HS - score: 3 ✔️- hip, knees, and ankles aligned in sagittal plane
- minimal to no movement in lumbar spine
- dowel and hurdle are parallel
HS - score: 2 ✔️- alignment is lost between hips, knees, and ankles
- movement in lumbar spine
- dowel and hurdle do not remain parallel
HS - score: 1 ✔️- inability to clear cord during step
- loss of balance
any pain associated with any portion of test results in a score of? ✔️0, must be referred to appropriate medical professional
Why the IL screen? ✔️- lower center of mass in more dynamic way, 1/2 kneel position
- LE in split stance, UE in opposite reciprocal pattern = counterbalance that demands spine stability
- challenges hip, knee, ankle, and foot mobility and stability
- challenges flexibility of multi-articular muscles (lats, rectus femoris)
- observes descent and return
IL set up ✔️- measure tibial tuberosity
- place toe of back foot at start line
- place heel of opposite foot in front at the length of the tibial tuberosity (front foot is the testing side)
- place dowel in 3 point position, opposite hand of front foot at C/S other at L/S
- maintain upright posture + 3 points of contact as you descend into lunge so back leg's knee touches board
- return to starting position
IL - score: 3 ✔️- dowel contact maintained
- dowel remains vertical
- minimal to no torso movement
- dowel and feet remains in sagittal plane
- knee touches center of board
- front foot remains in start position
IL - score: 2 ✔️- dowel contact NOT maintained
- dowel does NOT remain vertical
- movement in torso
- dowel and feet do NOT remain in sagittal plane
What are the 6 anatomical landmarks you need to identify? ✔️ASIS (anterior superior iliac spine), mid-patella, tibial tuberosity, lateral / medial
malleolus, distal wrist crease
How many attempts for each test? ✔️3
What are the 7 tests? ✔️Deep squat (DS), Hurdle step (HS), Inline lunge (IL), Shoulder mobility (SM), Active straight leg raise (ASLR), Trunk
stability push-up (TSPU), and rotary stability (RS)
is a warm up required? ✔️No, no prior warm-up or prep is allowed. Important to see natural state of movement
Why the DS screen? ✔️- shows symmetrical movement in full range of motion in ankles, knees, and hips
- maintaining overhead position shows if they can have full access to lower body mobility without robbing movement from upper body
DS set up ✔️- shoulder width apart (inside edge of foot inline with crease of armpit)
- toes forward, no later outturn
- place dowel on top of head, elbows at 90 degrees then press up overhead
- heels on floor, head and chest forward, dowel maximally pressed OH
- squat as deeply as possible
DS - score: 3 ✔️- torso parallel with tibia / toward vertical
- femur below horizontal
- knees don't cave in / track inside of feet
- dowel aligned over feet
DS - score: 2 ✔️- torso parallel with tibia
- femur below horizontal
- knees don't cave in
- dowel aligned over feet
- heels are elevated
DS - score: 1 ✔️- tibia and torso NOT parallel
- femur NOT below horizontal
- knees track inside of feet
- dowel NOT aligned over feet
Why the HS screen? ✔️- DL to SL pattern (walking, locomotive mech)
- control of center of mass w/ changing base of support
- SLS challenged by dynamic stepping motion
- express mobility and ROM with stepping leg / stability of stance leg
- step over string = time demand
HS set up ✔️- measure tibial tuberosity and set string to this height
- stand with feet together, toes touching base
- dowel on top of head, elbows at 90 degrees then lower dowel to base of neck
, - maintain upright torso
- raise testing leg (ie. testing right = right leg lifts) and step over hurdle
- DF foot, maintain foot alignment with ankle, knee, and hip
- touch floor with heel and return to beginning position
HS - score: 3 ✔️- hip, knees, and ankles aligned in sagittal plane
- minimal to no movement in lumbar spine
- dowel and hurdle are parallel
HS - score: 2 ✔️- alignment is lost between hips, knees, and ankles
- movement in lumbar spine
- dowel and hurdle do not remain parallel
HS - score: 1 ✔️- inability to clear cord during step
- loss of balance
any pain associated with any portion of test results in a score of? ✔️0, must be referred to appropriate medical professional
Why the IL screen? ✔️- lower center of mass in more dynamic way, 1/2 kneel position
- LE in split stance, UE in opposite reciprocal pattern = counterbalance that demands spine stability
- challenges hip, knee, ankle, and foot mobility and stability
- challenges flexibility of multi-articular muscles (lats, rectus femoris)
- observes descent and return
IL set up ✔️- measure tibial tuberosity
- place toe of back foot at start line
- place heel of opposite foot in front at the length of the tibial tuberosity (front foot is the testing side)
- place dowel in 3 point position, opposite hand of front foot at C/S other at L/S
- maintain upright posture + 3 points of contact as you descend into lunge so back leg's knee touches board
- return to starting position
IL - score: 3 ✔️- dowel contact maintained
- dowel remains vertical
- minimal to no torso movement
- dowel and feet remains in sagittal plane
- knee touches center of board
- front foot remains in start position
IL - score: 2 ✔️- dowel contact NOT maintained
- dowel does NOT remain vertical
- movement in torso
- dowel and feet do NOT remain in sagittal plane
