Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCE) are full body assessments that are performed to determine an individual’s ability to safely return to work at pre-injury status or to determine if work modifications are necessary to allow the employee to safely resume their job. FCE’s are commonly used for:
- Employees that have suffered musculoskeletal work related injuries and an evaluation is requested to determine their physical abilities in comparison to the demands of a target job
- Establishing a disability claim
- A generic test to assess an individual’s current physical ability when the job goal is unknown
The Process
Your therapist or trainer will request a job description for review to assure all job demands are evaluated. The results of the FCE are then compared to the job description. If the client does not meet all the job demands, the evaluator will determine if the employee is a candidate for a work reconditioning program and recommendations will be made to the physician ordering the exam.
The length of the test and the number of days required to complete testing will vary depending on the injured body part. Hand, elbow, and shoulder exams are performed on one day and take approximately 4 hours to complete. Spine, hip, knee, foot, and ankle exams are performed over two separate days, taking approximately a total of 6-8 hours to complete. Clients are asked to dress in clothing and shoes that permit them to safely perform the presented tasks, and that information is provided prior to the day of testing.
The test may be executed by a physical therapist, occupational therapist, athletic trainer, or a kinesiologist. The test items are designed to determine cardiovascular fitness, lifting capabilities, strength, balance, and hand coordination. In order to perform the test, the individual must be medically stable and have met maximum medical improvement as determined by their physician.
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