Comparison of Differences in Functional Movement Screen Score between Middle and High School Baseball Players and College Baseball Players

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to compare the functional movement screen (FMS) scores of baseball players according to their careers, for the purpose of injury prevention and healthcare programs.METHODS The study subjects were evaluated by measuring the differences in the seven fundamental movement patterns of FMS between groups according to their baseball career stages. The study included 27 college baseball players and 17 middle and high school baseball players, and analysis was conducted using STATA Version 15.0 (STATA Corp., College Station, TX, USA).RESULTS In the FMS total score, the rate of poor FMS total score (≤14) was statistically higher in 96.3% of the college baseball player than 41.18% of the middle and high school baseball player (p<0.001). In the mobility part, the rate of low FMS score (≤1) in shoulder mobility was statistically higher in 77.78% of the college baseball player than 35.29% of the middle and high school baseball player (p<0.001). In the motor control part, the rate of low FMS score (≤1) in the rotary stability was statistically higher in 62.96% of the college baseball player than 5.88% of the middle and high school baseball player (p<0.001). In the functional patterning part, the rate of low FMS score (≤1) in the in-line lunge was statistically higher in 62.96% of the college baseball player than 5.88% of the middle and high school baseball player(p<0.001). And the rate of low FMS score (≤1) in the hurdle step was statistically higher in 77.78% of the college baseball player than 41.18% of the middle and high school baseball player(p=0.014).CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that college baseball players had lower functional movement scores compared to middle and high school baseball players. The findings confirm that additional training is necessary to improve the functional movement of college baseball players with more experience.