Date Approved

12-17-2015

Graduate Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Biomedical Sciences (M.H.S.)

Degree Program

Biomedical Sciences

First Advisor

Debra Burg

Second Advisor

Heather Gulin

Third Advisor

Sango Otieno

Abstract

Background: The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is a tool used by fitness and health professionals to assess the quality of movement patterns in active populations. The literature has established descriptive values for FMS scores in various populations. However there has not yet been a study establishing the descriptive values of FMS score based on the somatotype categories. Establishing these descriptive values may provide a better understanding of how an individual's somatotype affects their ability to move. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to establish FMS scores for the four simplified somatotype categories (normal, endomorph, mesomorph, and ectomorph). Methods: Participants were healthy college students between the ages of 18-25 years old (male = 29, female = 52, age = 20.48 yrs ± 1.44; height = 170.46 cm ± 10.26; weight = 67.22 kg ± 16.06). Ten basic anthropometric measures were taken on each of the participants to determine somatotype category according to the Heath-Carter Somatotype Method. Following the initial measurements each of the participants completed the FMS evaluation, which consisted of 7 functional movement patterns. Movement patterns were scored (by a certified FMS evaluator) using the 3-point scale. Results: Of the 81 participants, somatotypes were identified as follows: 33 mesomorphs, 16 endomorphs, 8 ectomorphs, 24 as central, and 2 were dropped from study for falsifying information. There was no significant difference between mean overall FMS scores for each category (endomorph 17.63±1.09, mesomorph 17.64±1.11, ectomorph 17.63 ± 1.06, central 17.58 ± 1.25). Conclusion: In the case of healthy young adults there appears to be very little variance in overall FMS scores between the four simplified somatotype categories.

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