Mobility
Whether a joint can reach the range a pattern requires, ankles, hips, mid-back, and shoulders are the usual culprits. We separate a true mobility block from a control problem so the plan targets the right one.
Functional Movement Assessment in Toronto
A structured, whole-body movement screen that scores how you squat, lunge, reach, rotate, and balance, so we can find the mobility restrictions, asymmetries, and stability gaps that quietly drive injury and cap performance.
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What it is
A real movement screen, not a quick once-over.
A functional movement assessment is a structured screen of how your body actually moves through the fundamental patterns every sport and daily activity is built on: squatting, lunging, stepping, reaching overhead, rotating, and balancing on one leg. Instead of fixating on a single sore spot, we look at the whole chain, because the place that hurts is often not the place causing the problem.
Each pattern is graded for mobility, stability, motor control, and left-versus-right symmetry. The side-to-side differences and the patterns you quietly compensate around tell us where you're loading tissue you shouldn't be. That objective data is what a generic stretching routine or gym program never has, and it's the reason the same niggles keep coming back.
- Whole-body screen across the patterns sport and daily life are built on
- Scores mobility vs. stability, so the plan targets the real limiter, not the symptom
- Flags left/right asymmetries and compensations that often precede injury
- Gives an objective baseline you can measure future progress against
How it works
What we actually measure.
Stability & control
Whether you can own and control the range you have under load. A stable core, hips, and shoulder girdle are what turn raw flexibility into safe, repeatable movement.
Symmetry
How the left side compares to the right across each pattern. Meaningful side-to-side differences are one of the most reliable early warning signs that a tissue is being overloaded.
Why it matters
Pain is the last symptom to show up, and the first to come back.
By the time something hurts, the underlying movement fault has usually been there for months. The body is remarkably good at compensating: a stiff ankle gets covered for by the knee, a weak hip gets covered for by the lower back. The compensation works, until the tissue picking up the slack finally complains.
A movement screen reads those compensations before, or instead of, waiting for pain to make them obvious. It's the difference between guessing at the next exercise and knowing which one actually addresses the cause. And because the screen is scored, the same test re-run later tells you objectively whether the work is paying off.
- Finds the upstream driver, not just the painful spot
- Reads compensation patterns before they turn into injury
- Replaces guesswork with a scored, repeatable measurement
Who it's for
Three people who get the most from it.
Recurring injuries
The same strain, tweak, or flare keeps returning no matter how much you stretch or rest. A movement screen usually finds the upstream cause the last fix missed.
Running injuriesReturning to sport
Coming back from a layoff, an injury, or pregnancy and want the ramp-up to be safe. A baseline screen shows what's ready to load and what needs work first.
Optimizing training
Lifts or times have stalled. Restoring a missing pattern or evening out an asymmetry often unlocks progress a new program alone never will.
What you get
Your report and plan, in one visit.
The assessment runs about 45–60 minutes. Most people leave with a clear score, their top one or two priorities, and the first set of corrective exercises in hand.
- Movement and training history, goals, sport, training load, past injuries
- Scored screen of the fundamental movement patterns, filmed for reference
- Mobility-vs-stability testing to separate 'can't' from 'won't'
- Single-leg control, balance, and rotational testing
- Side-to-side symmetry check across each pattern
- A written report you keep, with your scores plotted as a baseline
- A short, prioritized corrective plan, the few changes that matter, not a 50-exercise printout
- A re-test timeline so progress is measured objectively, not assumed
What to expect on the day
What happens when you come in.
We start with a conversation about your goals, your sport or daily demands, your training history, and any past injuries, context that shapes how we read the screen. From there you'll move through the assessment itself: squatting, lunging, stepping, reaching, rotating, and balancing while we score each pattern and note the asymmetries.
Then we sit down and walk you through what we found in plain language, which patterns are limiting you, why, and what to do about it. You leave with your weak link identified, a short corrective plan, and a clear date to re-test. If the screen turns up an active injury, we fold treatment in directly rather than sending you elsewhere.
- Wear comfortable clothes you can move freely in, plus athletic shoes
- No pre-visit prep needed, just come ready to move
- You'll leave the same visit with a plan, not a follow-up to book first
Objective
Movement data
Whole-body
Pattern screen
Baseline
+ re-test for progress
Downtown
Toronto clinic
Pairs well with
Where a movement screen fits.
Running assessment
A movement screen finds the limitation; a gait analysis shows how it plays out at speed. Together they build a complete picture for runners.
Running assessmentLower back pain
Recurring back pain is often a movement problem in disguise. The screen pinpoints the hip, core, or mobility gap feeding the cycle.
Lower back painVO2max testing
Pair movement quality with cardiovascular capacity for a full performance baseline, how well you move and how much engine you're working with.
VO2max testingReviews
What our assessment patients say
A few words from patients who finally got to the root of a stubborn issue.
“I came in wanting to train harder without getting hurt again. The asymmetry they spotted explained every injury I'd had on one side. The corrective plan was short and I actually stuck with it.”
“Instead of a vague 'work on your core,' I left with a scored report and the exact two things to fix. When we re-tested a couple of months later, the numbers had actually moved. Loved seeing the progress in black and white.”
“I'd seen a few people about a knee problem that kept coming back. The movement screen found it was actually coming from my hip and ankle, something nobody had checked. Fixing that finally fixed the knee.”
Keep exploring
What we use this for
Common reasons people come in for this.
Running Injuries
Runner's knee, IT band, Achilles tendinopathy, plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and stress reactions. Assessment, gait analysis, and a structured return-to-run progression, not 'just rest.'
Read the guide
Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain is the most common reason patients book at Back In Balance, from acute flare-ups and sciatica to chronic pain that limits daily life. Same-day chiropractic assessments for lower back pain at our downtown Toronto clinic.
Read the guideFrequently asked questions
About functional movement assessment
Anyone who wants to understand how they move, whether you keep getting the same injury, you've plateaued in training, you're returning from a layoff or pregnancy, or you just want a safe, objective baseline before ramping up. It scales from desk workers to competitive athletes.
About the clinic
From the blog
Latest from the blog
Patient-language guides on the conditions and care we see most.
Book your first visit
Tell us what you need from functional movement assessment and the front desk will match you with the right practitioner.
- Same-day appointments usually available
- Direct billing to most major insurers
- Prefer to call? (416) 660-9932