Selective Functional Movement Assessment Sfma
Austin Preferred Integrative Medicine
At Austin Preferred Integrative Medicine, the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) is one of the diagnostic tools that shapes how the practice understands a patient's body before any hands-on care begins. As a chiropractic and integrative medicine clinic based at 6836 Bee Caves Rd in Austin, Texas, the practice uses the SFMA as a structured way to observe how a person actually moves — not just where it hurts. This page profiles that single aspect of their work: what the assessment involves, how it fits into the broader care the clinic provides, and why a movement-based lens matters to the people who visit the office in the 78746 area.
How Austin Preferred Integrative Medicine Uses the SFMA
The Selective Functional Movement Assessment is a movement-screening system designed for people who are already experiencing pain or dysfunction. Rather than looking only at the spot that feels sore, the SFMA examines whole-body patterns — how the shoulders, hips, spine, and limbs coordinate through fundamental motions like bending, reaching, and rotating. For a chiropractor, this matters because the place a patient feels discomfort is often not the place where the underlying restriction lives. A tight hip can show up as low-back pain; a stiff mid-back can surface as a cranky shoulder.
At Austin Preferred Integrative Medicine, this assessment fits naturally into an integrative model of care. The clinic's overall focus is on treating the person as a connected system, and the SFMA supports that philosophy by giving the practitioner a repeatable, observable baseline. Findings from the assessment help guide chiropractic adjustments and complementary care toward the movement patterns that actually need attention, so that treatment is targeted rather than generalized.
What the Assessment Involves in Plain Language
In simple terms, the SFMA asks a patient to perform a series of standardized movements while the practitioner watches and scores each one. Every motion is judged on two questions: does it look and feel normal, and does it cause pain? Movements that appear limited or painful are then "broken down" into smaller pieces to figure out whether the problem is a mobility issue (a joint or tissue that won't move well) or a stability and motor-control issue (the body can move but can't control the movement properly). That distinction is important, because a mobility problem and a control problem call for very different responses.
| Aspect | What It Involves | Typical Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Top-tier movements | Standardized whole-body motions such as bending, rotating, and reaching | Screens broad patterns before narrowing focus |
| Breakdown testing | Isolating a limited movement into smaller components | Separates mobility limits from control limits |
| Mobility vs. stability | Determining whether tissue restriction or motor control is the driver | Directs which treatment approach is appropriate |
| Pain provocation | Noting which movements reproduce symptoms | Helps connect symptoms to root patterns |
| Reassessment | Repeating movements after care to measure change | Provides an objective marker of progress |
What Patients Can Expect During the Process
Patients visiting Austin Preferred Integrative Medicine for a movement-focused evaluation can generally expect a clear, step-by-step experience built around observation and communication.
- The practitioner discusses the patient's history, symptoms, and daily activities to understand context.
- The patient performs a set of foundational full-body movements while the practitioner observes and records.
- Any movement that appears restricted or painful is broken down into simpler tests.
- The practitioner determines whether each finding points to a mobility restriction or a stability and control issue.
- These findings are explained to the patient in plain language so the reasoning is transparent.
- A care plan is shaped around the specific patterns identified, integrating chiropractic and complementary approaches.
- Movements are reassessed over time to track objective change rather than relying on feel alone.
Serving Austin and the Bee Caves Road Area
The clinic delivers this work from its office at 6836 Bee Caves Rd, Bldg 1, Suite 200, in the 78746 corridor of Austin, Texas — a west Austin location convenient to the surrounding neighborhoods it serves. Movement-focused assessment tends to resonate with the active population in and around this part of the city, from people managing desk-related stiffness to those staying busy with recreation and everyday demands. Because the SFMA is equally useful for someone recovering from a nagging ache and someone simply wanting to move better, it supports a wide range of the patients the practice sees. Those interested in learning more can reach the office at +1 512-442-2727.
What Makes the Practice's Approach Distinct
What sets Austin Preferred Integrative Medicine apart in this area of care is the integrative framing around the assessment. The SFMA is not treated as a standalone test but as an entry point into a broader, whole-person model that blends chiropractic care with complementary methods under one roof. By pairing objective movement screening with that integrative philosophy, the practice can connect what it observes in the assessment room to a treatment plan that addresses the source of a movement problem rather than only its symptoms — and then measure progress against a real, repeatable baseline.
Getting here
From Cidercade Austin
From Cidercade Austin, the clinic is about 7.3 miles and roughly 20 minutes away. Head northwest along E Riverside Dr and Barton Springs Rd, then follow the Frontage Rd to Bee Caves Rd.
Common questions
What is selective functional movement assessment in TX 78746?
The Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA) is a clinical model that evaluates fundamental movement patterns in patients experiencing pain. By observing how you bend, rotate, and reach, a provider can identify whether the source of discomfort is the painful area itself or a limitation elsewhere in the body. Austin Preferred Integrative Medicine, on Bee Caves Road in Austin, lists SFMA among its assessment tools alongside chiropractic and physical therapy services.
Is the SFMA worth it for patients in TX 78746?
For patients dealing with recurring pain or movement restrictions, an SFMA can be valuable because it looks beyond the symptomatic area to find underlying causes, helping guide more targeted treatment. It pairs naturally with hands-on care and corrective work. Practices like Austin Preferred Integrative Medicine in Austin's 78746 area use assessments such as the SFMA within an integrative framework that connects the spine, musculoskeletal system, and overall wellbeing.
What are the 7 functional movement screening tests used in TX 78746?
The Functional Movement Screen typically includes seven patterns: the deep squat, hurdle step, in-line lunge, shoulder mobility, active straight-leg raise, trunk stability push-up, and rotary stability. Each reveals mobility or stability limitations that may contribute to pain or injury risk. Providers like Austin Preferred Integrative Medicine, located along Bee Caves Road in Austin, TX 78746, use movement-based assessments like these to inform chiropractic and physical therapy plans.
What are examples of functional movements relevant to patients in TX 78746?
Functional movements mimic real-life activities and often involve multiple joints working together, such as squatting to sit, lunging, pushing, pulling, twisting, hinging at the hips, and reaching overhead. These patterns reflect how the body moves daily. At Austin Preferred Integrative Medicine in Austin's 78746 area, assessments like the SFMA examine these everyday patterns to identify restrictions and guide restorative chiropractic and physical therapy care.
What are the best functional exercises for residents in TX 78746?
Effective functional exercises train movement patterns you use every day—squats, lunges, hip hinges, planks, rows, and overhead presses—building strength and stability across multiple joints rather than isolating a single muscle. The right choices depend on your individual movement limitations. Providers such as Austin Preferred Integrative Medicine, serving Austin, West Lake Hills, and Rollingwood, often use movement assessments to tailor corrective exercises within an integrative, whole-person approach.