Functional Movement Quality and Self-Reported Injury History in Adolescent Volleyball Players: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

The Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is widely used in youth sport, but the value of its composite score in adolescents is uncertain. This retrospective cross-sectional study described FMS performance, injury prevalence and regional pain in adolescent volleyball players and compared FMS composite and item scores between players with and without self-reported injury in the previous 12 months. Twenty-three competitive volleyball players (21 female; 13–18 years) completed the FMS and an online questionnaire adapted from the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center instruments, reporting injuries in the previous 12 months and shoulder, lower back and knee pain intensity in the previous 3 months. The mean FMS composite score was 16.61±2.19; the in-line lunge had the lowest item score (1.87±0.55), whereas shoulder mobility, active straight-leg raise and rotary stability showed ceiling effects. Injury was reported by 34.8% of players (95% confidence interval [CI] 18.8–55.1%). Knee pain was the most frequent complaint (60.9%; 95% CI 40.8–77.8%), followed by lower back (43.5%) and shoulder pain (26.1%). Composite scores did not differ significantly between injured and uninjured players (16.62±2.72 vs 16.60±1.96; p=0.980; Hedges' g=0.01, 95% CI −0.85 to 0.87), and no item score differed between groups (p=0.210–1.000). In this sample, no statistically significant differences in FMS scores were detected between players with and without recent injury; given the small sample and wide confidence intervals, a moderate association cannot be excluded. Knee complaints were highly prevalent; assessment of individual movement patterns and region-specific symptom monitoring may complement each other, and larger prospective studies are needed.