Every athlete wants to start the season strong. But too often, the rush to get back into practices, scrimmages, and performance testing leads to one major oversight—skipping a proper movement screen.
At Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C. in Lawrenceville, New Jersey, we believe that pre-season musculoskeletal screenings are one of the most underutilized tools in sports injury prevention. Just like checking your equipment before a race or adjusting your training plan for peak performance, screening your body helps identify the hidden risk factors that can derail a season before it even begins.
What Is a Pre-Season Movement Assessment?
A pre-season movement assessment is a structured evaluation of an athlete’s joint mobility, strength balance, and motor control during key movement patterns. It looks at how the body moves—not just if it's injured—giving providers a snapshot of injury risk, compensation patterns, and readiness to perform.
Typical components may include:
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Functional Movement Screen (FMS)
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Single-leg squat, step-down, or hop tests
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Core endurance and hip control assessments
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Joint mobility and asymmetry checks (hip, ankle, shoulder, spine)
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Balance and proprioception testing
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Review of past injury history
These screens are non-invasive, quick (usually under 30 minutes), and extremely informative.
Why Screen Before the Season Starts?
Athletes return to sport from a variety of off-season conditions—some rested, some detrained, and some unknowingly compensating for a past injury. Pre-season is the ideal window to identify and correct problems before high-load training begins.
Here’s what movement assessments can catch early:
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Mobility restrictions in the hips, spine, ankles, or shoulders
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Strength imbalances between limbs or muscle groups
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Poor neuromuscular control during dynamic movements
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Lingering issues from prior injuries (e.g., ankle sprains, ACL tears, stress fractures)
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Fatigue or under-conditioning that could lead to early-season overload
What Happens After a Screen?
A screening isn’t just diagnostic—it’s actionable. Based on the findings, we create a plan to address risk areas with:
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Corrective exercises
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Targeted mobility or strengthening programs
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Sport-specific movement retraining
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Ongoing monitoring and follow-up if needed
This customized approach helps reduce injury risk and improve performance by optimizing how athletes move.
Who Should Get Screened?
We recommend pre-season movement screens for:
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High school and college athletes in any sport
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Runners and rowers with repetitive movement demands
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Athletes with a history of injury (even if symptoms are gone)
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Multi-sport athletes transitioning between seasons
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Athletes returning from off-season downtime or alternative training
Screening Saves Time, Seasons, and Stress
Too many injuries we see in the first few weeks of the season were avoidable. A tight hip flexor here, an unstable ankle there—and suddenly, an athlete is sidelined. Prevention is always more efficient than treatment.
By identifying red flags before they become full-blown problems, movement screens keep athletes healthy, consistent, and available to train and compete at full capacity.
Get Screened This Season
At Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C., our team of sports medicine physicians and physical therapists offers comprehensive pre-season movement assessments designed to meet the unique demands of your sport. We believe every athlete deserves a healthy, high-performance season—starting with a clear view of how they move.
Contact Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, P.C. at our Lawrenceville office. Book an appointment online or call us directly to schedule your pre-season screening today.
