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LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Upon completion of this chapter, the reader will be able to:
Describe how movement system diagnosis can decrease the unwanted variability in the management of patients with neuromuscular conditions.
Explain how movement system diagnosis can minimize the trial-and-error approach to treatment selection.
Describe how movement system diagnosis can improve communication with other health care professionals.
Discuss how movement system diagnosis can advance research by enabling creation of homogenous patient groupings.
Utilize a model for identifying movement system diagnoses in children with neuromuscular conditions.
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The movement system is defined as a collection of interacting systems that move the body or its component parts for purposeful movement (Figure 4-1A). The movement system focuses the identity of the physical therapy profession and is at the core of the 2013 American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) House of Delegates professional vision statement: “transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience.”∗ This is a strong vision and one that requires a dedicated effort by all stakeholders to fulfill. An important step in implementing the vision is for physical therapists to embrace their expertise as movement system specialists and leverage their knowledge and skills to optimize an individual’s capacity for effective, efficient, and safe movement.
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The human movement system represents a group of 6 body systems that function together to support purposeful movement (Figure 4-1B). When these individual systems are intact and functioning well, they work cooperatively to move and stabilize body segments, ensure adequate oxygenation and energy to sustain movement, and provide a protective barrier to guard the body against environmental elements. Although these systems serve many more functions than described here, each system provides a unique contribution to human movement. Consequently, each of these systems must be considered to understand why an individual is experiencing movement dysfunction.
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Integrating the movement system into clinical practice means clinicians will apply their knowledge of this dynamic system to guide clinical decision-making. The process starts with the development of a comprehensive examination strategy that includes movement observation and analysis. The results of the examination provide the information needed to formulate a movement system diagnosis and prognosis, which include essential steps leading to a plan of care that will target the motor control problems interfering with a child’s daily life.
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Movement observation and analysis may not be a routine part of ...