Functional Movement Screen Differences in Male and Female Footballers as an Injury Prevention Tool.

Football is definitely a sport commonly held across the world. It is played mostly at the professional level and as a leisure sport as well. Many countries organize football matches at different levels, and these matches include various age groups ranging from adolescents to young adults. As the participation in football is increasing it is also increasing the risk of developing injuries. It exposes the athlete to contact injuries and non-contact injuries. The intensity of the body\'s biomechanical and physiological reactions when playing football is enhanced because it has sporadic and irregular activity. This increased workload can increase the risk of injury. Many sport specialists perform movements which are related to that specific sport but the paradigm has been shifted to a more integrated functional approach which includes principles of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, muscle synergy and motor learning and it is important to inspect the basic fundamental movements as these occur throughout many athletic activities. Before participating in the sporting event, athletes undergo a comprehensive pre-participation examination which includes examination of health status, underlying medical problems and musculoskeletal system, it is a standard approach to injury screening. However, this does not evaluate the intrinsic risk factors which might be associated with the injury during field.