Functional Capacity Evaluation

What am I safe to do?  What activities should I avoid? 

The Functional Capacity Evaluation answers these questions by testing your tolerances while in a safe environment.  The FCE is a comprehensive test that evaluates the safe functional level of the injured client by engaging him/her in various activities and postures in the clinic. This dynamic test measures over 20 abilities with examples including lifting, reaching, bending, squatting and standing. The FCE can be used to determine:

• return to work status 
• rehabilitation recommendations 
• a person's ability to perform activities of daily living

The FCE can take 3 hours or up to 2 days, depending on the client's tolerances.  The FCE report includes:

• the client's overall workday tolerance
• the client's degree of strenuousness as per his/her lifting/carrying tolerances
• the level of effort put forth during the evaluation and therefore if the results represent the maximum safe tolerances of the client
• a comprehensive chart of physical tolerances for job matching purposes
• return to work or disability recommendations

In order to comment on a client's ability to return to a specific job, it is most objective to have a Physical Demands Analysis (PDA) of a job completed.  This allows a job match to be done, comparing the client's physical tolerances as demonstrated in the FCE to the physical requirements of the job as outlined in the PDA.  This allows a clear picture of the limiting factors, if any of the client's ability to return to the job in question.