Relationship Of Dysfunctional Breathing Pattern’s And Functional Movement Performance And Differences Between Sexes

The Functional Movement Screen (FMS), the Selective Functional Movement Assessment (SFMA), and the lower quarter Y-balance (LQ-YBT) assess movement competency, identify movement dysfunctions, and are proposed predictors for injury risk. Some studies have shown that dysfunctional breathing patterns may alter these functional movements, but findings are limited. PURPOSE: Explore associations between three-movement metrics (FMS, SFMA, and LQ-YBT) and dysfunctional breathing, including differences between sexes. METHODS: 79 healthy adult participants, 49.4% female (n = 39), 24.4 (±2.04) years (mean ± standard deviation), and 50.6% male (n = 40), 24.96 (±2.09). Participants completed the LQ-YBT, the FMS, the SFMA, and the Breath Hold Test (BHT). Higher scores indicate better performance for LQ-YBT, FMS, and BHT, while a lower SFMA score is better. The BHT is the amount of time one can hold their breath from the end of normal exhalation to the first involuntary respiratory movement, with lower scores indicating possible dysfunctional breathing. Normality was violated with a significant Shapiro-Wilk, thus the Spearman’s rho and Mann-Whitney U tests assessed group associations and differences. RESULTS: Spearman’s rho showed significant correlations for the following: the FMS and LQ-YBT right (rs = .359, p = .001) and left (rs = .419, p = <.001); the SFMA and LQ-YBT right (rs = -.328, p = .003) and left (rs = -.375, p = <.001); the SFMA and FMS (rs = -.562, p = <.001); and the BHT and FMS (rs = .269, p = .016). A Mann-Whitney U identified significant differences between Sexes for BHT (U = 575.0, p = .045) and SFMA (U = 572.0, p = .041). BHT mean scores were lower for females (M = 27.6 ± 7.96) compared with males (M = 32.2 ± 11.48). SFMA mean scores were lower for females (M = 9.0 ± 8.88) compared with males (M = 10.4 ± 5.63). No other significant differences were identified. CONCLUSION: Individuals who scored higher on dynamic balance testing (LQ-YBT) have better fundamental movement competency patterns (higher FMS and lower SFMA scores). Better specific movement quality (lower SFMA) may be associated with better overall movement (higher FMS). Lower BHT scores may be associated with poorer general movement competency (FMS). Females demonstrated better complex functional movement patterns (lower SFMA) than males.