Changes in movement quality and physical performance in response to an 8 week individualised movement quality assessment informed exercise intervention in apparently healthy adults: A randomised trial.

INTERVENTION: Participants within the intervention group will undertake an 8 week individualized exercise regime to improve strength and quality of movement, which will be based upon the results of their individual movement quality assessment outcome score. The exercise intervention will be based around the results of their movement quality assessment, and will be targeting improvements in movement quality. Exercise selection and progression will be determined at the discretion of the trainers providing the intervention based upon their movement quality assessment results. The Movement quality assessment will involve the evaluation of 9 movements that occur commonly in gym settings, and allow the identification of movement dysfunction and potential muscular imbalances. These movements include the following: a bilateral squat; a forward lunge; a dead‐lift with a bent over row; a single leg squat; an overhead reach; a seated thoracic rotation; a 4 point hold with opposite arm and leg lifts (also known as a bird dog); a push up; and an active straight leg raise test. Poor performance on any one (or more) of these test will identify areas of muscular imbalance or dysfunction that will be used to guide subsequent exercise prescription. The control group will undertake an 8 week traditional resistance training exercise regime to improve strength and aerobic fitness. The trainers providing the training regime to the control group will not have access to their movement quality assessment information, and will not be targeting improvements in movement quality. Each exercise regime will consist of 2 sessions per week, lasting 60 minutes each session, for a total time commitment of 16 hours per participant over 8 weeks. Every session, for both the intervention and control group, will be one‐on‐one with a trainer. These sessions will be performed at The University of South Australia's City East Campus Gym facility. The training performed on both the control and intervention group will be made progressively more challenging by incorporating the principle of progressive overload (increments of 2‐10% weekly). All training will be supervised by accredited exercise trainers. The sessions will be performed at a moderate to vigorous intensity, with sessional RPE being obtained at the end of each session. All sessions will be recorded to provide information on the exercises performed each session, with the loads used for those exercises. The programs will be structured in accordance the ACSM guidelines for exercise prescription, in which each core muscle group will be trained for 3 sets of 8‐12 repetitions per session. CONDITION: Movement Quality Physical Performance PRIMARY OUTCOME: Changes in movement quality as assessed by the movement quality assessment tool MovementSCREEN PRO 'Trademark' (score range from 0‐100 points, measured as a percentage) SECONDARY OUTCOME: 3 repetition maximum bench press (measured in kilograms) 3 repetition maximum high bench row (measured in kilograms) 3 repetition maximum trap bar deadlift (measured in kilograms) Functional Movement Screen (FMS) Maximal oxygen uptake as estimated by the Chester step test (reported in ml/kg/min) Single leg hop distance (measured in centimetres) broad jump distance (measured in centimeters) sRPE (borgs CR10 scale) will also be obtained at the completion of each training session. vertical jump height (measured in centimeters) INCLUSION CRITERIA: People will be eligible for participation if they are considered low risk in accordance with the Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA) adult pre‐exercise screening tool. Participants will be excluded if they have any barriers restricting their ability to perform vigorous physical activity, such as pre‐existing injury or inadequate time to commit to the intervention.