Plain-language answers to the questions practitioners and clients ask most. Clinical depth notes available via toggle.
A healthy hip flexion score typically falls in the 70–90 range for most adults under 50. Below 60 suggests a meaningful restriction worth targeting. Below 45 warrants clinical review. Above 80 is considered strong.
A gap of 10–15 points between your left and right shoulder scores is common and often reflects handedness patterns. Gaps above 20 points are more significant — ATLAS flags these because research links large shoulder asymmetry to overhead athlete injury and chronic rotator cuff strain.
They measure completely different things. VO2 max is a cardiorespiratory performance metric — how much oxygen your body uses under load. Move-IQ measures movement quality — how well your joints move through their ranges. You can have a high VO2 max and restricted movement, or excellent movement and low aerobic capacity. Both matter; they're independent.
This is chain analysis at work. A restricted ankle (dorsiflexion) often forces the knee into valgus (caving inward) during squats and steps. That knee compensation increases load on the hip abductors. ATLAS has identified this cascade in your profile and is addressing the upstream cause — not just treating the ankle directly.
A restriction is when a joint doesn't move through its full expected range — both sides are limited. An asymmetry is when one side moves less than the other. Restriction often responds to mobility work (foam rolling, stretching, joint mobilization). Asymmetry often responds to unilateral strength work (single-leg squats, single-arm rows). ATLAS distinguishes between them to pick the right exercise type.
The overall score averages all 10 joint groups, so a few strong joints can mask a weak one. This is why ATLAS focuses on individual joint scores and asymmetry — the aggregate number can be misleading if you don't look at the breakdown. A client with an overall score of 72 but a knee score of 41 still has a meaningful knee problem.
Every 4–8 weeks during an active program, or after a major change in training load or injury. ATLAS compares your current scores to your baseline to measure progress. Re-assessing too frequently (weekly) adds noise. Re-assessing too rarely (yearly) misses the feedback loop.
When a joint can't move properly, the body often shifts work to a nearby joint to get the task done. For example, if your hip can't rotate fully, your lower back might rotate more to compensate. The compensatory joint often becomes the site of pain — even though it's not the root cause. ATLAS identifies these patterns and recommends addressing the source, not the symptom.
Move-IQ is a movement assessment, not a diagnostic tool. If you have an acute injury (fracture, torn ligament, severe sprain), get it evaluated by a medical professional first. For chronic aches and pains — lower back stiffness, recurring knee discomfort, shoulder impingement — Move-IQ can actually help identify what's driving the issue. Discuss any pain you're experiencing with your PT or trainer before or during the assessment.
The thoracic spine (mid-back) is the least mobile segment of your spine but the most rotationally important — it connects your rib cage to your shoulder and lumbar spine. A low thoracic score (below 60) can restrict shoulder mechanics, contribute to lower back pain, and impair breathing mechanics during high-intensity activity. It's often overlooked because it's not visible in the mirror.
It means your left side scored lower than your right and ATLAS has identified that gap as a priority to address. In practice, this means more unilateral (single-side) exercises where the left side works independently — not just bilateral exercises where both sides move together. Left-side training closes the gap faster than bilateral training for most asymmetry patterns.
No. ATLAS is a pattern recognition and recommendation engine. It does not diagnose, prescribe treatment, or replace clinical judgment. A physical therapist considers medical history, tissue quality, patient goals, and dozens of other factors a score-based system can't capture. ATLAS makes trainers and PTs faster and more precise — it's a tool in their hands, not a replacement for them.