What is a Functional Range Assessment? I’m glad you asked.
You can think of an FRA as a “Physical Physical.” It’s a head to toe, joint by joint assessment to identify your body’s current abilities, to determine your specific, and to develop a plan to address those needs.
Most people wait until they are in pain before seeing any type of manual therapist. However, pain is one of the last indicators of musculoskeletal problems. Under the care of a trained professional, many potential problems can be detected early, and addressed before they become painful limitations to your life or sport.
The FRA is not only an opportunity to mitigate pain, but also to improve your “performance” in life and/or athletics. By identifying your body’s current limitations before they become clearly apparent, we are able to make improvements on your body’s Baseline Human Movement Capabilities. (I.E. make sure your shoulder works like a healthy human shoulder should.) The more solid your foundation is, the more confident and capable you will be in all of your daily activities and active pursuits.
Lastly, the FRA is a chance for you to get to know your body. As a culture, we go through life very disconnected with our bodies. People pay little attention to our physical selves until something goes wrong. As we go through and assess all the major joints in your body, you’ll gain a better understanding and appreciation of what is going on in your tissues. The more connected and aware you are of your body, the better you will be able to take care of it. The better you take care of your body, the better it can continually take care of you.
An FRA is a series of three one hour sessions roughly broken down as follows:
- Upper Body Assessment and Maintenance Education
- Lower Body Assessment and Maintenance Education
- Full Body Review and Plan of Action
As of writing this (August 2020), an FRA is $279 for in person, with an abridged version available for Virtual Clients upon request.
About The Author: Chris Gonzales is the owner and founder of The Movement Training Company and Functional Massage Therapy™. He is a Human Movement Consultant, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Personal Trainer with offices in Woodland Park and Colorado Springs. He also has regular Virtual Office Hours for working one on one with long distance clients, as well as prerecorded online programs available on www.movementtraining.co.
When he’s not helping people live happier, healthier lives, you can probably find Chris in the Colorado Rockies rock climbing, trail running, or hiking with his wife and two children.
